The day Henry found the gull was not only the highlight of his childhood, but one he would surely remember to tell to his grandchildren. Living on a farm with his parents, young Henry was accustomed to seeing wildlife all around the countryside. Indeed, he traveled the expanse of his family farm and all the surrounding woods. He knew the raven and mockingbird and the occasional hawk that inhabited his world. But to come upon a sea bird walking on the lane to his house was a most unusual sight for a boy who lived so far from the sea. Still, Henry was not afraid and approached the large gray and white bird as it stood along the road.

As he got within reach of the gull, the great bird ran ahead, his eye turned on Henry. It ran with short, fleet steps, but was unwilling or unable to fly. After a few attempts to get near this mysterious fowl, Henry turned around with a sigh and started to make his way to school. It was then that the bird spoke to him!

"Well, if you're going to leave me here, the least you could do is share some of your food with me," said the bird.

Henry spun around in surprise, unable to speak himself. He glared at the bird and then looked around to the woods along the lane. Perhaps someone was hiding out there and playing a prank on him. He trained his stare on the bird itself, squinting to see the slightest movement.

The gull cocked his head to one side, eyeing Henry warily. He wondered if he was making a mistake letting this young boy come close to him. Henry jumped with mouth agape when the gull spoke again.

"I'm hungry," it said. It stared at Henry, who stood stone cold in awe, his eyes bugging out in disbelief. "Do you understand me or am I wasting my breath?"

"I understand you good enough," the boy replied. Henry tried to appear calm but it was difficult to hide his amazement. "I'm eight years old and I know a few things. But I never heard a bird talking."

"Of course I can talk," he said. " Do you think humans are the only ones who can communicate?"

Henry looked the gull over very carefully. At that moment, the gull made a gesture with his right wing, extending it out from his body. The end of the wing dangled lifelessly in the breeze. "I hurt my wing here and can't get back to my home by the sea," the bird explained with a sigh. "I can't fly to the nearest water to feed myself." He gave Henry a look of despair then perked up his head to look the boy in the eye. "So what do you have that you can share with me?"

Henry reached into his lunch bag and opened his peanut butter sandwich. He set half of the sandwich on the road, offering it to the bird. The gull hopped closer and pecked it into bite-sized pieces, gobbling the sandwich in a matter of seconds.

"Mmmmm, pretty good," said the bird.

Henry explained that he had to get off to school. The gull warned him not to tell others that he had heard him talk. Henry agreed and went on his way. At school, he was careful not to mention the strange encounter to his teacher or any his friends. On the way home, by the curve in the country lane that led to his farm, Henry came across the gull once again.

"I saved you some of my banana," he said, offering the bird a piece of the soggy brown banana.

The gull ate it graciously, carefully hiding his disgust for the overripe fruit. Henry sat down on the shoulder of the road. He was no longer apprehensive about this encounter and smiled to himself and his good fortune to come upon such a marvelous creature. He knew he had to do something to help this unfortunate bird.

"Did you hear that?" the gull said as he perked his head toward the woods.

Henry listened for a moment and then shook his head with a shrug. "Just sounds like the woods to me, that's all," he answered.

"That's a fox out there," the bird informed, and then, more earnestly, " and if he knew I had a bum wing, he'd be all over me like seaweed on sashimi."

Henry thought about the bird falling victim to a predator from the woods. "I've got an idea," he said. His eyes twinkled as he spoke to the gull, "I'll take you home, to my house. I can take care of you until you can fly again. You'll be safe there."

The bird agreed but when Henry reached down to pick him up, it darted along the road with a loud "Gaaawwwk!!!

"You lead the way," he said warily, "and I will follow you. I don't let anything get hold of me."

At home Henry told the story of his exciting experience, carefully avoiding any recollection of hearing the bird speak. Henry's parents agreed it would be safest for the bird to stay in the barn until it was strong enough to fly once again.

"What do gulls eat, dad?" he asked at dinner, carefully leaving small portions on his plate that he would take to the gull.

"Well, I think they will eat just about anything, son," his father answered. " but they eat mostly fish and mussels from the sea."

After dinner, Henry took his leftovers and a can of sardines his father had acquired from he pantry. The gull picked at the cooked vegetables and small pieces of beef and then his eyes widened as Henry brought out the sardines. He opened it carefully and set it on the floor of the barn in front of his new friend.

The gull picked at the processed fish, grimacing at the oily man-made taste. "Yech, is this the best you could do?" he asked ingraciously. "What's wrong. Don't you have any shrimp in there?" Henry shook his head but said he would do better the next day.

Each day after school, Henry would run home and check the barn first thing, making sure the gull was all right. After dinner, he would bring out some scraps for the bird. Henry's father watched from the kitchen window as the two characters bantered with one another in the yard. "I could swear I can hear Henry talking to that crusty old thing," he said to his wife. "Hmm," she said, casually discarding such an incredible thought while she washed the dinner dishes.

Outside, Henry watched as the gull pecked at the meat from some rib bones he brought from dinner. The gull picked at the ribs, clenching bits of meat with its beak and tearing it away from the bone with a shake of its head. He would do this with each rib bone, often flinging the bone in the air to one side or another. Then he would hop over to it and pick at it some more until he left it clean.

"It must be hard living without hands and fingers, huh." Henry speculated.

"Whattaya mean?" the gull said defensively. " I got fingers." And with that the bird flayed out his great gray and white wings, extending his long feathers. "See? My fingers are different than yours." The gull worked his feathers and flapped his wings, creating a breeze that kicked up some of the barn dust and then retorted, "And don't feel sorry for me. I may not be able to pick up a rib bone and eat it, but I can fly. Can you?"

Henry was hurt by the remark and answered the gull sharply, "Well, I haven't seen you fly at all. All I see you do is walk around the barn and eat."

"Hey, now," the gull squawked, "I'll fly for you. Just gimme a couple more days to gain my strength. I'll show you. I'll fly."

The week went by and the gull had become strong enough to fly around the barn, alighting on rails, window sills, and the family tractor. Henry realized that the gull was feeling better and would soon be gone. That night, he went into the family freezer and took a package of shrimp. He let it thaw overnight and next day, gave it to the gull.

"Mmmm, boy, you sure found my favorite meal, sonny," he said, slurping the shrimp whole. No time for words now when these tasty morsels were at hand. When all the shrimp were gone, the bird took a deep breath and ruffled his feathers.

"Well, they weren't the freshest shrimp I've had," he criticized, "but they really hit the spot out here in the middle of Podunkville."

Henry felt proud to have pleased the gull with his choice, but he knew he would be scolded for taking this delicacy from his parents without asking. Still, he thought it was the least he could do to save this bird's life. His father would surely forgive him under the circumstances.

On the seventh day, the gull was strong enough to make the trek overland to the sea shore. "You're a good man Hank, " he said as he perched on the window sill. "You were kind and I won't forget that, but I must head on to my home by the sea. I will always remember your kindness." With that, the gull leapt from the windowsill with a flap of his great wings and flew out into the open sky. Henry watched as he soared on a thermal, circling his father's farm. With a flip of his wings, the gull made a salute and winged his way over the tree line and out of sight.

Henry felt lonely that his friend was gone but his father reassured him later that he had done the right thing to help an unfortunate creature, but a bird is meant to fly free and not be kept in a barn. The next day at school, Henry told his friends and teacher of the encounter and how he had nurtured the gull back to health. His teacher praised his act of kindness in front of the class and Henry was indeed proud of himself and glad to have made a special friend. By being kind and sympathetic to one so less fortunate, Henry made a difference in one gull's life but, more important, he made a difference in his own life as well.

* * *

Some time later, on a lonely road many miles away, a little girl rode along on her bicycle, only to be startled by a large bird -- a gull, standing in the road in front of her. The gull quickly ran out of her way, favoring his right wing as though he was hurt and unable to fly.

The End