Conversation at the kitchen table. Kathy reading the paper. Jeb working on the church website. Bright red Cardinal visits birdfeeder outside kitchen window.

K: He’s a short one.

J: Cardinals are just finches with long tails. We should catch a boy one and a girl one and keep them as pets.

K: They would make a mess.

J: Did you ever go to Laura B—–‘s house and see her mom’s finches?

K: Yeh, I remember that.

J: It was enclosed, so that helped solve some of the mess.

K: I still bet it was a mess to clean up.

(Pause.)

J: But she was used to cleaning up after birds.

K: Yeh. (Grin.)