we came through the padlocked chain link gate and all these birds gathered above us talking excitedly.

maybe cop felt something. he hesitated going through the gate, then stood on a big rock, got off, stared at me, waited, then when i turned around he had gone out and brought his tennis balls from outside the enclosure and stared intently at me from the path.

it smelled of skunk and thistle, not bad, but strange.