[€uroMeinke]

Rey arrived at work the same time as Elizabeth.
“Hey, you wanna grab some coffee”
“Sure, let me just drop my stuff off”
“Cat let you sleep last night?”
“Almost, but he got me up early going crazy over this crow in my back yard. Honestly, it was like he was there just teasing him. Charlie’s a sweet cat, as docile as can be, but man he really wanted to get this bird.”
Rey blushed, “uh – Crow? – Hmmm, that is unusual. Uh, was the crow…um…making any noises?”
“He was just cawing relentlessly – I just gave up and thought I’d come in to work early”
“Wow that is odd.”
Rey, felt a chill, “What the Hell is that bird doing now.” He thought as they made their way to the cafeteria.
“So how did you sleep? Any crows bothering you this morning?”
Rey laughed nervously, “No, none of that – I actually slept quite well last night.”
“Not thinking so much?”
“You might say that, maybe I’m just moving into acceptance”
“Accepting what?”
Rey took a deep breath wondering how much of anything he should say, and resolved as he exhaled to be honest.”
“My wife left me last month. It took me completely by surprise, or so I thought. If I think about it all the signs were there – I guess I just didn’t want to see them.”
“I know what that’s like. I just got divorced myself. I didn’t want to believe that he would actually sleep around on me. But what really pissed me off is that he just seemed to think I should overlook it, like it was no big deal. Easy for him to say. After the divorce was final he kept calling me to see if we could get back together. Guess his other girlfriends didn’t like the idea of having him around all the time either. By then I was done.”
“So you’re not seeing him, or anyone?”
“No, not him, I’ve been on a few dates, friends of friends kind of things, but nothing serious. How about you?”
“No, nobody – still getting use to being on my own.”
“That’s probably a good thing – nobody can make you happy except yourself.”

They talked a little more before going back to their desks. Rey felt great. He actually talked to Elizabeth, and she really seemed to like him. He wondered why it took him so long just to talk to her. Now he had something to tell that crow.

He ran into Elizabeth again in the parking lot when he left that night. She was standing next to her car with a perplexed look on her face.
“What happened?” he called to her
“I don’t now,” she replied, exasperated by her situation, “I’ve got a flat, but it looks like someone slashed my tire or something”
Sure enough, the tire looked like it had been gouged. Pieces of rubber lay on the ground as if torn out bit by bit from the tire itself – or maybe pecked out by some annoying bird. Rey, began to panic.
“How awful,” he exclaimed, “Who would do such a thing”
“my ex might have a couple months ago, but this was probably some kids out for some kicks.”
Rey nodded in agreement while he caught sight of a crow perched on the top of one of the trees surrounding the parking lot. The crow winked at him, when we caught his glance. “Bastard’ he muttered under his breath.
“Cretins,” she answered having heard him.
“Well, can I offer you a ride?”
“Could you? That would be great, I just don’t have time to deal with this right now, I have to take Charlie to the vet before they close.”
“I’d be happy to take both of you to where ever you have to go.”
“Thanks, you’re a sweetheart”
Rey, both grinned and blushed and then quickly glance back to the tree only to see the branch was now empty.