The Seagull

While my wife, Breda, and I we were on holiday in Portugal recently, a strange thing happened, something that I am still trying to come to terms with, It was a hot day and I was lying in bed, enjoying a welcome rest after a busy few hours shopping for all those tacky souvenirs one feels obliged to bring home and distribute amongst close family and friends, each holiday. The patio door to the balcony was open, allowing a cool breeze into our hot apartment. I was really enjoying the holiday. I hadn’t a care in the world, but then I saw it, a seagull that was staring into our apartment, with its beady, piercing eyes watching our every move. I sat up in bed, gazing curiously at it. The seagull, however, seemed oblivious to how I was feeling, and the fact that he was encroaching on our privacy. “Look,” I whispered to Breda, “see what’s looking in at us.” “It must be hungry. Give it something to eat,” she said impatiently to me.