Urban Beauty

The other day, I was walking down the street in Newark. As usual, I had my eyes fixed to the sidewalk below to avoid eye contact with the natives. I was also trying not to trip over the cracks and potholes, and the occasional condom or clump of dogshit. In front of a Baptist church, there was this one pigeon mozying towards the front steps, looking up in anticipation of a tasty morsel from a ragged old elf who looked like a dingier, overgrown version of a lawn ornament. The man leaned forward, brought his hands to his mouth, his fingers working carefully to avoid spilling any crumbs as his tongue came out to lick the gummed edge of the rolling paper... As my gazed returned to the sidewalk, the pigeon continued to shuffle left and right, positioning itself like an outfielder about to catch a fly ball.