Yes, I heard you calling

[muckefuck]

It may be freezing outside, but it's as clear as an Orwell essay and ten times as sunny. I heard an intriguing bird call on my coatless jaunt to the coffee shop and stopped to locate its originator, all the time thinking, Why are you bothering? Normally, I suck at bird-spotting, even in leafless weather, but stick a bright crimson male cardinal smack in the middle of the manicured face of a deep green yew hedge and even a dumbass like me will find it. Hey buddy! Trying to tell me this will be a kickass day?

I saved a bit of my morning indulgence--an ersatz Egg McMuffin--for him, but he was gone by the time I returned.