The curious starlings, originally uploaded by Thorsten Becker.
Standing on our feets
Waiting here for all those peeps
Who will feed us treats
© Thorsten Becker
These curious European Starlings can be found right outside the Amsterdam train station. While starlings are usually skittish these have become so used to people that they can be hand-fed.
The Indian at the funfair, originally uploaded by Thorsten Becker.
Evening fell on the tumbling city below like a velvet blanket. Lights streamed from the funfair downtown, casting a rainbow of colors on a partially cloudy sky. A large harvest moon smiled on the busy traffic below before gazing back at the stars. The sun had blessed the preceding day with plenty of warmth and the remnants still lingered in the air, rising from the asphalt in little spouts of wobbly streams. It was a perfect night for a walk. Kathrin thought so as well and took Tommy, her always daydreaming nine year old boy, and went down to the fair.
Life can be a struggle. Money was scarce, she worked overtime every day of the week to keep up with the bills. She was glad to have Tommy after her boyfriend recently went on a “self discovery trip”. “I don’t know who I am, you know, what I want, where I want to be. I just have to do this, for me… for us. I want to be the best I can be for all of us, that’s what it’s all about, you understand?” No, she didn’t but she pretended she did, as always. She loved him and when you love someone you let them go. Right? “Right?”
“What mom?” Tommy asked.
“Oh nothing, I was just thinking out loud.”
“You look sad again.”
“It’s just the wind, blew something in my eye. See? Just a dust speck. Let’s go and have some fun”
As much fun as someone can have with whatever little change she had on her. And so they went, popping balloons, riding bumper cars and making faces at each other in the mirror labyrinth.
‘As long as the feet carry me I will go, never let go, always believe,’ she thought to herself.
She held Tommy’s hand and looked over at him, he was lost in the moment, in this magical world of lights and sounds and music and smells of cotton candy and candied applies and roasted almonds. She didn’t want to go home just yet. ‘One more go around, just stay in this moment’, like she used to with “him”, when he took her out on dates, when they went to the fair and just laughed and the world was a rose colored place of love letters and promises. A beautiful dream, don’t want to wake up from it. Just keep going around until the sun rises and a new day breaks.
Suddenly she felt Tommy pulling. He just stopped gazing at a figure of an Indian at one of the rides. She checked her change. ‘What the heck, one more ride.’
“Do you like this one?” Tommy didn’t reply. She went over to this side and looked at him bending down. “Hey Tommy, do you like this ride? Would like to go on it?”
“I wonder where he’s from,” Tommy said slowly and deliberate.
“Who?”
“Well him, the Indian. Indians live in America, don’t they? So what’s he doing all the way over here? He looks kind of lonely and lost.”
‘He’s getting into one of his moods again,’ Kathrin thought. Whenever he missed his dad the most Tommy would just retreat into a fantasy world. Everything around him just turned into a magical world and he get himself lost in it. A good friend told her it’s good for him, he needs this, but it was difficult for her to handle at times. As so often she tried her best to go with it.
“Maybe he wanted to see the world, thought that joining traveling showmen would lead him to all sorts of interesting places. But then they turned him into this figure and now he is stuck here until someone set’s him free.”
“Really? I want him to be free. What do we have to do to set him free? Maybe… maybe you have to kiss him?”
‘Oh great Kathrin, why did you have to get into it again.’ She gasped briefly.
“I… I don’t think that’s how it would work. He probably needs some magic potion, or the person that turned him into this needs to set him free.”
“No, I think this is exactly how it works mom. You have to try it, go give him a kiss. Pleasseeee?”
Kathrin squeezed Tommy’s hand, partially feeling sorry for him partially upset. She struggled with the thought of kissing this plastic Indian. Not that she harbored any resentments for Indians, but this was just a piece of plastic. On the other hand she didn’t want to disappoint Tommy, it had been such a fun evening for him so far. So she looked around, slightly embarrassed, and the moment she felt sure nobody was looking got up, briskly approached the figure and put a light kiss on its right cheek.
“No mom, the lips, you have to kiss the lips, like they do in fairy tales.”
Her face turned red. “I don’t think he would like that honey.”
“But you have to try, please mom. He’s lonely, I can feel it.”
‘Oh boy. Ok, how to make a complete idiot of myself. Well Katie, you had to get into it in the first place.’ And so she closed her eyes and put a surprisingly passionate kiss on the lips of the plastic Indian.
“And?” Tommy looked around her back.
She opened her eyes, then stepped back to look around again. She could swear hearing some teenage girls snicker in the distance.
“I don’t think it worked honey. See, he is not moving.”
“It’s ok, I feel he’s happy now. You made him happy. He doesn’t feel so lonely anymore.”
‘And… oddly enough he isn’t the only one,’ Kathrin thought feeling strangely happy inside as well.
And then…
“You know Miss, that has to either be one of the weirdest or cutest things I’ve ever seen anybody do, I haven’t decided yet. Are you planning on taking him home with you?” a friendly and slightly amused male voice inquired to the far left of her. She literally jumped in her skin then looked over in the direction of the person talking to her with eyes wide open and absolute embarrassment written all over her face. After the initial shock she tried to laugh it off “Yeah, well, you know…”
“I know, those foreigners, they are hard to resist, aren’t they? See his cute Indian friend over here, I’ve given her plenty of good night kisses, not quite as passionate as yours but I may have to give it try some time.”
“Oh really? That would be quite weird… or cute, I think, I mean…” Kathrin struggled for words, then chuckled. “Is this your ride?”
“No, I am not part of any of this. I just come here at night to soak in the atmosphere. It’s quite magical at times, if you understand what I mean.”
“I do,” Tommy said promptly and affirmative.
“I bet you do kid. What’s your name?”
“Tommy!”
“Tommy, eh? Pleasure to meet you. I am Tiziano. Let me guess, you’re a great adventurer, aren’t you? Someone with that name must be!”
Tommy smiled big from ear to ear. “Yes.”
“That’s cool, you have to tell me all about your adventures. How’s that?”
Looking over at Kathrin Tiziano asked “Unless it’s time to go home? If not maybe we can all grab some hearty adventurer rations somewhere and talk about grand tales. Would you like that?”
“Maybe,” Kathrin replied with playful curiosity in her voice.
Thus the three walked towards the exit chatting about the fair and the night and the lights and that magical feeling in the air. When they were a distance away the plastic Indian leaned slightly forward, tilted his head and looked over in their direction with a smile on his face.
© Thorsten Becker
“Unicorn” whispers a butterfly passing by, originally uploaded by Thorsten Becker.
Walking under the setting sun, a stroll into the mists of the passing day. Last light breaking through the branches of twisted trees along the path, the wind plays with the dust under my feet. I look over green pastures framed by wooden fences. And then there, as I glance towards an orange sun, a glitter sparks my curiosity. I stop and squint, raising my right hand to shade my eyes. The scent of horses lingers in the air. And beyond that pasture to the left a white horse watches me with eager eyes and ears. Underneath the sound of evening crows a nicker can be heard, gentle and soft. I move closer to the fence, a little over to the side, banishing the sun behind lofty trees. The white horse, it watches my every move, its ears shaking, its head slightly bobbing. There it is again, that glimmer, that shimmer, right above its brow. “Firefly,” I reason, “Unicorn” whispers a butterfly passing by. And so I stand and wonder, restrained by that wooden fence so that I may not advance. I wonder, I ponder.
And as I gaze in wondrous motion the sun slyly moves out from under it’s place of banishment, takes flight, illuminating the air that now dances in its fading golden light. I look upon that distant sky, musingly and deep in thought, carried away to places beyond this time. And there again, a sparkle in that distant stable sparks my imagination like a long forgotten fable. “Unicorn,” but I am torn, “surely such thing was never born. Illusions of the dust, my senses I cannot trust.” But what if? Those eyes watching, those ears twitching, that calmness emanating, what else if not a creature so illusive could arouse such feelings so elating? But alas its master’s voice calls from beyond my sight. And hence there’s one final glance exchanged, one last sparkle bright. “Do you not wonder, tell me, wasn’t it clear for you to see?” the evening breeze whispers in my ears. The white horse turns around, with elegant motion it disappears. And as a blackbird’s call heralds dusk’s arrival to my path I now return. Contemplating upon this encounter from afar, those feelings of the moment, I walk along and watch the appearance of a faint early evening star. “Monoceros, I can barely make out those stars of yours.”
Inspired by Peter S. Beagle’s The Last Unicorn. I took this picture several years ago while taking a walk with my wife and friends through the Lüneburg Heath. We were on our way back to the car when I noticed this beautiful white horse watching us from its stall, or rather ‘felt’ it. It was one of those moments when one feels a strange sensation, a sudden and inexplicable connection.
As an avid hobby astronomer I also had to add a nod to my favorite hobby and close the story with the mentioning of the elusive Monoceros (Unicorn) constellation which is made up of faint stars barely visible to the naked eye. Be diligent or you may may miss it, just like the unicorn
Tales from the chipmunk kingdom, originally uploaded by Thorsten Becker.
“This way your majesty,” Cassius the young chipmunk scout said pointing directly behind him, “We’re almost there.”
“I don’t trust him your highness, he is leading us right to the Grey One where they will all be waiting for us,” one of the chipmunk king’s advisors cautioned, “It’s those cheeks, I don’t like his slim cheeks, they don’t look trustworthy.”
“I appreciate your concern my dear Langroul but I’ve known Cassius’ family for a long time. Their cheeks may be slim but heir heart is bound to the roots of our kingdom,” king Ru’liel replied.
“Do tell where you are leading us son? Our winter chambers are in the other direction and our harvest trees have been overrun by the weasels now. Where will we find refuge around here?”
“The Grey One has promised to protect us,” Cassius replied confidently.
“I Knew it, he is betraying us,” Langroul yelled angrily drawing his sword.
“No no, trust me, I am not. I spoke with him and…”
“You SPOKE with him? What sort of trickery is this? None of our people speaks with the Grey One and lives! You are in with the weasels! What did they offer you?” Langroul became ever more threating.
“Yes, I spoke with him, yes. Indeed I spoke with him on several occasions telling him about our plight. He rescued me just the other night from two weasels. I can show you their remains, you will see the markings of the Grey One on them.”
“Treachery is what I say. We should go to the Oak of Solace as our forefathers did in times like these.”
“The oak isn’t safe anymore, I’ve seen the martins spy around there two nights ago,” Chamgor of the king’s knights said, “We should go and follow Cassius. If we linger much longer our enemies may pick up our scent.”
“Well said. So it shall be. Lead the way son and speak for us when we arrive.”
“Yes your majesty. I promise you we will be safe. This way.”
And so they went on their way to request refuge from the encroaching army of the weasels and martins, refuge at one of their most dreaded enemies, the Grey One, the larges owl of the forest.
© Thorsten Becker
Old Floppy Hat, originally uploaded by Thorsten Becker.
“Ha ha ha, he he he,” went Flip.
“Shhhh, no wake him up,” hushed Flap.
“Old Floppy Hat all sleepy, no worry he waking up,” Flip said, dancing around a big old mushroom.
“No, no. Yes, yes, wake him up you will. Shhhh, quiet.”
“Why Flap so afraid? Flap scared of Old Floppy Hat? Can do no harm, will do no hurt.”
“How Flip know? Flip know eeeeevvverrryyything? Flip woken angry toad last night, got chewed good and spit out.”
“Ha ha ha, big fun, big fun. Do again some time.”
“Do again, do again, nah nah nah. Flip know no fear, huh? Flip sooooo smart and daring.”
“No, Flip just have fun. Flap just… Flap. Flappy di flappy di flap. Blaeh,” Flip stuck his tongue out at Flap and wiggled his long pointy ears.
“Flap just cautious, want no trouble. Want make friends, not grumpy Flap chasers.”
“Ha ha ha, Flappy di flappy di flap. Blaeh.”
Suddenly a long drawn out “Uuuuuaaahhhh” came from under the mushroom.
“Who’s there, who wakes me from my afternoon nap? Flip, is that you?”
“No Flap,” said Flip
“No Flip,” said Flap
“Flip.”
“Flap.”
“SILENCE,” blurted Old Floppy Hat, “you kids are always out for trouble.”
“Me no trouble, me told Flip to be quiet. But Flip always poke fun at Flap for being cautious,” lamented Flap.
“Bah, Flip just having fun, not like boring flappy di flappy di Flap,” countered Flip.
“Oh Flip, I know you think the whole world’s a play and you can laugh your way out of every pinch. There are many dangers out there – grave dangers, terrible dangers – deadly danger,” said Old Floppy Hat with a deep foreboding voice. “Listen to your brother, he just has your best interest in mind. Laughing and jumping around and being silly are good fun. But there is a time for laughing and a time for listening. And I see you’re already not listening to me.”
Flip’s ears wiggled excitedly as he watch a millipede walk on by, thinking about how much fun it would be to scare him and once he curled up roll him down a hill.
Reading Flip’s mind Old Floppy Hat decided it was time to teach Flip a good lesson.
“I see. So it shall be,” he said, tipping his floppy mushroom hat.
“Flippediflip, switcheridoo, millipededoo.” And with these words Flip turned into a millipede and the millipede into Flip.
After that Old Floppy Hat turned to Flap saying “Don’t worry, master millipede will teach Flip some valuable lessons and by nightfall we shall meet here again and see about his progress.”
“Yes, Flap wait here and watch master millipede teach Flip lesson. And when Flip back maybe he no be so daring anymore and we’s can have some fun together without scare of being eaten,” Flap said with a little smile on his face.
© Thorsten Becker
a different point of view
