All about a crow

By Shevlin Sebastian

I am standing outside a tailor’s shop. As he deals with another client, I notice a crow standing less than a foot from me. We exchange looks. Something seems to reassure it. The crow does not fly away.

It is pecking at a brown powder, which somebody had spilled. It seems to be wheat. A scooter whizzes past, within inches of the crow. It flies up a couple of feet in shock. Then again, it returns. A car and a bike pass. The crow keeps a wary eye as it keeps pecking away.

I realise it is hungry, and willing to take the risk of being hit by a vehicle. I wonder how old it is. It looks healthy. It has a firm beak, strong claws, and smooth feathers. In the crow world, does it have a name? How do they identify each other? Is it married? Does it have baby crows? Where does the crow stay? In a tree nearby or somewhere far away?

Does it have parents? Do they all stay together? Or are they all scattered? Do the crows have moods? On some days, it feels as light as the clouds it passes through. Other days, does its head droop and the crow sheds tears?

When that happens, does a female crow offer solace? How do they do that? Is it through touching or cawing? Are there days when the crow goes hungry? As we throw food waste away inside packets, birds and animals like dogs and cats cannot access it. Is filling the stomach the primary purpose of every day?

What about elderly crows? How do they feed themselves? Can they fly until the end of their days? Do they suffer from weary bones and wings, hypertension and stress?

Do younger crows look after the older ones? Or are they abandoned? When crows fight, do they have a court where justice is dispensed? Or is it a pecking match and the strongest crow wins?

What do crows think about humans? Do they hate them? Or fear them? Do they feel we humans have perpetrated a grave injustice against them and all other birds, with our destruction of their natural habitat?

Do crows believe in God? Or the afterlife? Do they have goals and desires? Are there any sporting competitions between the crows? Like a World Cup or Olympic Games? Do crows get divorced and find a new mate?

How do they gain new knowledge? Is it only learned from experience? What happens when they suffer a broken wing? Do they have doctors to repair it? Or are they condemned to live with a broken wing until the end of their lives? Do they have an inferiority complex because their cawing always sounds like a death rattle?

What is the attitude of other birds, like sparrows, cuckoos and parrots towards crows? Do they like them? Or prefer to stay away? Is there a caste system among birds? If so, where are the crows located? Are they at the bottom because they are black?

How long do crows stay in a particular tree before they leave for new pastures? Do they find the monsoon too difficult to bear? What about when the climate is too cold? How do they bear it? Do they use leaves as blankets? Or do they shiver through the long and lonely nights?

Do they have philosophical discussions with each other? Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? What will happen after we die?

What kind of brain does a crow have? Does it have a conscious and unconscious mind? Do crows dream at night? Do they have sexual fantasies?

Do crows have a language they use? Do the older crows tell the younger crows the stories of past eras, and the history of the cows over several generations?

Do crows believe in God? Is it one God, or several gods and goddesses?

Are there criminal crows? Is there a Mafia among the crows? Perhaps, like human land grabbers, could there be crow tree-grabbers? Are there law enforcement officers among the crows?

Is there an all-India meeting for crows? What is the common language they use? Do they talk about the loss of habitat? About the endless greed of man, which is destroying nature? Do they think people are staring too much at screens and losing their connection with Nature?

The tailor interrupts my thoughts and says, “Sir, please come in.”

I show him the torn pocket. He nods and says, “Come tomorrow.” 

As I step out, I completely forget about the crow and walk home. Had the crow flown away? No idea. I was back to living inside my mind. I am there 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

I hope that one day, aeons later, human beings, animals and birds will develop a common language, so that we could all communicate with each other.