Madison and the Blue Jay

          Madison bounded out the front door with the picnic blanket in her arms.  Her older sister, Marie, followed carrying the picnic basket.  It was Pumpkin Carving Day, her family’s favorite fall ritual.  Every year their dad would gut the pumpkins during the morning.  Then at lunchtime, they would have a picnic lunch under the big maple tree by the house.  After that, each one of them would get to design a pumpkin and help their dad carve it.

            As Madison walked out to the maple tree, she took in a big breath of fresh air.  The sky was a brilliant blue.  The air had just a hint of crispness to it without being cold.  Leaves flew with every gust of wind.  It was going to be a gorgeous day for carving pumpkins.

            Madison started to spread out the blanket in her arms.  Her kitten, Socks, had followed them out of the house and was now playing with the blanket as Madison tried to spread it. 

“Hey you!” Madison said playfully, “Leave that alone!”

They had only had Socks for a couple of weeks and kept her inside because she needed to get bigger.  She was mostly black but had white feet and a white tip on her tail.  When Madison first saw her, Madison thought she looked like she had on socks.  So, Socks became her name.

            When Madison finally managed to spread the blanket, Marie brought out the ham sandwiches and the biscuits with jam.  This was also part of the ritual along with warm apple cider, which their mother was preparing at the moment.  Madison wanted to dive in and eat, but she knew she had to wait for her parents.

            While she was waiting, she looked over at the gutted pumpkins.  Her dad had cut off the top and dug out all the insides.  The top of each pumpkin sat in front of the pumpkin.  Beside the pumpkins all the insides were in a dishpan.  Madison couldn’t look at it because it looked yucky.  Later, after they carved the pumpkins, her dad would dig out some of the pumpkin seeds and roast them.  This was also part of the ritual.

            Suddenly Madison heard a very loud cawing sound, and something swooped down toward Socks.  At first, it looked like a huge mass of blue and feathers.  Then Madison realized it was a blue jay, and it was attacking Socks.  The blue jay was cawing and diving at the kitten trying to peck her or pull out some of her fur.  Marie was screaming and trying to swat the bird to make it go away.  Madison tried to grab Socks, but the blue jay dived at her when she got close.  Then Madison remembered the pumpkin insides that were in the dishpan.  Even though it was nasty, she picked up a handful and threw it at the bird.  Some of it did hit the bird.  The blue jay flew up for a second, and Marie grabbed the kitten and stuffed her in one of the gutted pumpkins.  Socks meowed pitifully as Marie quickly put the top on the pumpkin. 

            The blue jay didn’t stay in the air for long.  Just as soon as Marie put the top on the pumpkin, the blue jay dived landing on top of the pumpkin.  It pecked at the top of the pumpkin cawing angrily.  Madison went back for another handful of pumpkin insides.  This time she hit the bird in the face.  Marie also grabbed pumpkin insides, and both girls pelted the blue jay until it flew up into the tree.  It sat on a limb next to their chimney and cawed angrily at the girls.

            Just then, their mom came out with the warm apple cider and saw pumpkin insides on everything including the girls. 

“What in the world?” Mom exclaimed.

After another moment’s observation, she heard the angry blue jay and the pitiful meowing of the kitten.  She sat the apple cider down and went back in the house to get her broom.

            “Girls!” she exclaimed, “Where is the kitten?”

            “She’s in the pumpkin,” answered Marie.

            “Okay,” Mom ordered, “Marie, you and Madison pick up the pumpkin and take it in the house.  The blue jay will attack again if it sees the kitten.”

            Madison and Marie went over to the pumpkin and picked it up together.  They carefully made their way to the porch with Socks meowing the whole way.  The blue jay flew from the branch, but changed its mind when it saw Mom’s broom.  It landed on another branch and cawed angrily at Mom.

            When the girls were safely in the house with the pumpkin, Mom came inside with the apple cider.  They lifted poor Socks out of the pumpkin and sat her on her favorite cushion.

            “I guess we will have to change our plans this year,” said Mom with a sigh.  “I don’t think the blue jay will let us carve our pumpkins under the tree in peace.”

            Just then Dad came in the backdoor.  He had been in the backyard preparing a bonfire for later.  Mom and Dad moved all the picnic stuff and the pumpkins to another spot in the backyard.  When they were sure the blue jay was not going to interfere, they started their Pumpkin Carving Day ritual all over. This time they left Socks in the house.