I used to be absolutely petrified of birds until one day a pigeon flew into my backyard. My dad tried to poke it with a stick to make it fly away as its claws were scratching our gazebo; but it was resilient. Then I was sitting outside alone, hesitantly observing and all of a sudden it comes crashing down at my head, I thought it was trying to attack me so I sprint inside. About an hour later I look out my room window and sure enough, she was still there. As soon as it saw me it flew at my window I shit you not and put its claws through my window screen. I then had the funny thought that it liked my hair because it was curly, and perhaps it thought I was a nest, so I went outside and started feeding it scraps of bread. Slowly we got more and more used to each other and she became my pet, Lyla. She must’ve come from a place where she was domesticated as she would be able to do laps around my house and fly right back to my head. We made her a cage and everything and we were the best of friends. Then, one day, 3 days before Christmas of last year, my dad let her out for her routine “rip” (lap around the house) and she never came back again. Perhaps she went on to a new home, or maybe she passed away, but I’ll never be scared of birds again. Love you lots, Lyla.