Arizona Skies

Renaldo walked next to the highway, kicking dirt up into the dry air. He held his head high, a look of utter frustration and a touch of desperation across his face. It was hot enough under the Arizona sun to cook an egg outside, Renaldo had only been walking for a few moments but already he was sweating profusely. The sweat and dust from the dirt were mixing together, caking on his skin in patches.

His blue eyes stared at the sky asking, "Why? why? why?". He had walked out here in the morning, excited with hope. Hope that had been crushed, smashed into a sizeable cube like a trash compactor. Overhead a vulture circled almost mockingly. It just wasn't fair! She had smiled and laugh so enchantingly a few days ago... he had thought for sure she'd say say yes, but...but... she hadn't..

Part of Renaldo wanted the vulture up in the sky to come down and eat him, though he knew that wouldn't solve anything. No sooner had the thought of the thought of the vulture crossed his mind, the great bird swooped down, plummeted and landed at Renaldo's feet.

"You have need of me, good sir?" The vulture inquired regally.

Renaldo, taken aback, stood silently for a moment or two. He looked back up to the sky to see if the sun was still there as well, indeed it was. "I'm really just a bit sad and frustrated at life right now, I don't really want to be eaten".

"Ahh, that's all right, you don't really look that appetizing anyhow. Anything I can give you advice with? or I could always circle menacingly over someone for awhile for you, that's always fun.."

Renaldo laughed, though he wasn't sure if the vulture was joking or not.

"C'mon," the vulture said encouragingly, "tell me about life's frustrations. I've seen more of life and death than you can imagine and anyway its not like I've got anything else to do today."

Renaldo looked at the vulture in the eye, decided he looked sincere or Renaldo was going mad. He chuckled again, shrugged his shoulders and began to tell his story. He told the vulture how he had know Maria since they were both little, that they used to go on all sorts of adventures together, climbing trees, running through the canyon together, getting in trouble together. Then growing apart in middle school. ("Middle school is a hard time", the vulture agreed knowingly), reconnecting junior year in High School, hatching that plan for the ultimate prank of releasing a few dozen flying lizards into the school... Then a month ago Maria had broken up with her boyfriend and this morning Renaldo had worked up enough courage to walk down the highway that connected their houses together and ask her out. She had said no, explained how she didn't want to ruin their friendship, told him she was sorry. Then he had walked out the screen door and back down the highway and here he was.

The vulture looked at Renaldo with his other eye, turning his head, cleared his throat, "That there is a sad story indeed, but you don't get friends like her everyday. Remember that. I'd say give her some time. She'll either come around or you'll be ready to be friends again by then. But now I think its time for me to take back to the skies. I'll be around if you ever want to talk. Thanks for the story!" The great black bird flapped his wings once and took off back into the sky.

Renaldo had an odd smile on his face and if he thought about it, he was less frustrated at life than he had been.

"Oh also! For future reference, I like mice!" The vulture shouted as he ascended into the blue sky.

Renaldo laughed for a third time that afternoon.