MR. SPRINGY

MY GRANDFATHER TOLD THE STORY OF A CERTAIN MR. SPRINGY WHO CAME TO
HIS FEEDER EACH MORNING TO RECEIVE HIS DAILY RATION OF SEED. YOU SEE
MR. SPRINGY WAS A ROBIN AND MY GRANDFATHER BELIEVED THAT ROBINS
WERE A SYMBOL OF GOOD LUCK. IF A ROBIN CAME TO YOUR FEEDER IN THE
MORNING AND SANG LOUDLY, IT MEANT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE GOOD LUCK AND
THAT THE DAY WOULD BE FILLED WITH JOY AND PEACE. IF, HOWEVER, THE
ROBIN DID NOT SING, THEN YOU KNEW THAT THE DAY WOULD BE BAD.
MR. SPRINGY REPRESENTED THE BEST OF EVERYTHING AS FAR AS MY
GRANDFATHER WAS CONCERNED. HE WOULD TELL THE STORY OF MR. SPRINGY,
REGAL FELLOW WHO WOULD SING A BREAKFAST SONG WHILE PERCHED HIGH ON
BARN. MY GRANDFATHER CONSIDERED THIS TO
BE THE MORNING PRAYER OF
THANKS FOR THE GOODNESS OF GOD WHICH WAS TO BE SHOWN THAT DAY. MR.
SPRINGY WAS WISE AND KNEW OF ALL SORTS
OF THINGS INCLUDING VERY COMPLEX
THEOLOGICAL NOTIONS. THE BIRD REPRESENTED
ALL THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE
WHICH INCLUDED WEALTH, HEALTH, SUCCESS
AND BEAUTY. THE DAY WOULD BE
GOOD IF MR. SPRINGY SANG LOUDLY. A POOR SONG WARNED MY GRANDFATHER T
BE CAREFUL IN BUSINESS DEALINGS
THAT DAY AND SINCE MY GRANDFATHER
WAS THE PRESIDENT OF L.A. YOUNG WIRE
WIRE CO, SUCH ADVICE WOULD BE CAREFULLY
HEEDED. A SONG WAS WORTH MY GRANDFATHER'S SMILE AND NOD OF APPROVAL
FOR PAY. IT WAS EVEN WORTH A SPECIAL
HOME FOR MR. SPRINGY WHICH WAS A
RUSTIC AND STURDY CABIN, MADE OUT OF STRONG PINE WOOD. BURNED IN TH
WOOD OF THE UNDERSIDE WERE THE WORDS: "TO A CERTAIN MR. SPRINGY, KIN
OF THE AIR". INDEED, THE ROBIN DESERVED HIS TITLE OF RECOGNITION.
MY GRANDFATHER WOULD TELL THE STORY
WITH DELIGHT. IT WAS ALMOST AS IF HE
COULD REMEMBER THE WAY MR. SPRINGY LOOKED. HE WASN'T JUST ANY
ROBIN, YOU KNOW. THE OLD SONG MR. SPRINGY SANG MUST HAVE STILL RANG
IN MY GRANDFATHER'S EARS. IT WAS A CERTAIN SIGN OF THE BEST OF TIMES
AFTER HEARING THE STORY SEVERAL TIMES, I ASKED MY GRANDFATHER
WHAT IT WAS THAT MADE MR. SPRINGY LEAVE. MY GRANDFATHER DID NOT TELL
ME. HE SAID HE DID NOT KNOW AND HE REMINDED ME THAT MR. SPRINGY
STAYED WITH HIM FOR EIGHT YEARS AND THAT WAS A LONG TIME FOR FRIENDS
TO MEAN THE SAME THING TO EACH OTHER. I NEVER PUSHED FOR A FURTHER
EXPLANATION. BEING TOO YOUNG TO REALLY UNDERSTAND, I WAS CONTENT TO
LISTEN TO MORE STORIES ABOUT THE VICTORY GARDENS AND POLO HORSES.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I BROUGHT UP THE OLD STORY OF MR. SPRINGY AT
FAMILY DINNER. MY GREAT-AUNT FINISHED
THE STORY IN TEARS: "THE BIRD SANG HIS
SONG FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT THERE WAS NO FOOD
TO GIVE HIM. THE DEPRESSION
ERA LEFT HARDLY ENOUGH FOR OURSELVES
CAME BACK AFTER THAT. HE
UNDERSTOOD THAT THE STOCK MARKET HAD CRASHED FOR HE WAS A BIRD WITH
GREAT WISDOM AND POWER. YOUR GRANDFATHER BELIEVED IN HIM. I CAN STIL
REMEMBER WHEN YOUR GRANDFATHER GAVE HIM HIS LAST TASTY MORSEL OF OLD
RAISIN BREAD THAT FELL IN EXCESS FROM OUR TABLE. THE TWO SEEMED TO
KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. THEY HAD AN AGREEMENT, THOUGH. MR.
SPRINGY'S HOUSE WAS NOT TO BE TORN DOWN NO MATTER WHAT. AND SO THAT
OLD RUSTIC HOUSE REMAINED ON TOP OF
THAT OLD BARN FOR NEARLY TWENTY FIVE
YEARS UNTIL THE BARN ITSELF WAS TORN
DOWN AND REPLACED BY THE NEW
ALUMINUM GARAGE. BARNS WERE FOR BIRDS, ANIMALS
AND PEOPLE. GARAGES ARE
MERELY FOR CEMENT AND CARS. MR. SPRINGY
WAS LIKE SO MANY OTHER FAITHFUL
SINGERS OF DREAMS THAT NEVER CAME TRUE
AND FRIENDSHIPS THAT NEVER
FAILED."

Where learned: DETROIT

Date learned: 00-00-1979