“Meow? Meow?”

I looked over my shoulder and saw my dear friend, Hector, with his neck stretched way down, nose to the ground, face-to-face with a grey catbird. My funny friend was meowing at the bird.

“What are you doing, you nut?” I don’t know why I asked. I could see clearly what Hector was doing.

“I am hoping to hear this grey catbird say meow, Bernice,” Hector answered in a whisper. He then continued to do his cat impression. “This catbird is not cooperating!” Hector whispered, exasperated, after a while of uninterrupted meowing.

“I imagine the bird was stunned speechless when he found himself face-to-face with a meowing giraffe!” I giggled. “The sound isn’t really a meow anyway. It’s more of a short, squawky, mew sound. I don’t think grey catbirds sound like cats at all, though I seem to be alone in that opinion.”

“Well, I would like to hear for myself and make up my own mind about it,” Hector huffed.

“I’ll keep my ears open and let you know if we hear one, Hector.”

“Thanks, Bernice. You’re the best.”

We resumed our walk.