POV: Damian
I never imagined my reputation would be ruined by a bird.
Not a business rival.
Not the tabloids.
A green parrot.
For the next two days, every time I crossed the courtyard, the feathered menace greeted me from somewhere overhead.
"Mr. Disaster!"
Children laughed.
Adults laughed.
The parrot seemed especially pleased with itself.
Mr. Wilson insisted the bird was "expressing affection."
I considered expressing a restraining order.
That Saturday afternoon, I escaped the building in search of silence.
Unfortunately, Brookside had other plans.
The neighborhood park buzzed with life. Parents occupied shaded benches while children raced across the basketball court. A food truck sold lemonade and grilled corn, and somewhere nearby, a street musician was enthusiastically mu
