This bird lives at the very end of 330 Tong Ren. There is also a wild bird that comes and visits, but does not live in a cage. Since my bird-language skills are about on par with my Shanghainese-language skills I've been able to make friends with the birds to about the same degree I've made friends with my neighbors.  This is not a great shot. The lens was fogging up, and the bird was not inclined to have its picture taken. This is the best I could do, but I want to get a couple good shots before I leave. Maybe I can even get a short video of us talking to one another.We do a duet of Do-Re-Mi every morning, and the bird and I talk to one another.

It was really my day today:

• When I got off the train one of the moto drivers asked me if I wanted a ride. I told him, "Not today, Sugar... Mayo chen," I've got no money. And he pulled right around and gave me a ride for free. That's right. Free moto ride.

• When I sat down for work one of my co-workers brought me some lunch. It was some fish and chicken in a Chinese sauce... it might have been vinegar, or something. And there were also some meat-like cakes. Pretty tasty, but I am not sure what they were.

• On the way home I ran into the dog that nipped me earlier in the summer. He always acts like he doesn't like me and I'll admit that it bothers me. Dog's like me. It's one of the laws of the universe. Anyway, tonight he did smell my leg, which I take to be a sign of progress.  

So that's three things for the win column.

I was all lazy this morning and didn't read the assigned readings. This almost never happens and it felt really weird. But while I was on the train my mind drifted over to Abigail, from Nabal and Abigail. You may note that I spelled Nabal incorrectly a few days ago. Sorry about that. These Biblical spellings matter -- not so much in English as in the original language. Nabal - Nun, Bet, Lamed - is also the word for a foolish person. So, that's a clue to you about Nabal.

Nabal had real issues. I think that by this time most everybody would have known that David was going to be king after Saul. The reason I think that is because David is already protecting them. Nabal is just another shepherd under David's care. But, instead of bowing before David and allowing his soldiers into the feast, he pretty much declared that HE was king! Nabal acts like he doesn't even know who David is. It's almost like he's looking for trouble. But, if you spell his name correctly, then you've had the clue that he's a fool.

I originally thought that David was just pissed off, like men do sometimes. But when I thought about it I realize that he was defending his kingdom. Nabal was defying the throne. Maybe.

So, Abigail saves the day. And she didn't tell Nabal about it at first. It I were Abigail I wouldn't have told him about it at all. I would have just let it go, hoping for the best. But then I got to thinking about it. Did Abigail see the way David looked at her? There is a story about how he accidentally saw part of her thigh and it just about sent him into spasms. Maybe she was hoping to find a way out of her marriage with Nabal so that she could marry David. I wasn't there, and I don't know. But it's possible. I mean, UFOs are possible too. We live in a universe of possibility.

Anyway, Abigail decides to tell Nabal and I am betting that he blew a gasket. But ten days later he died. Why not nine days? Why not eleven? Well, at what other time do we observe ten days? The ten days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. They are supposed to be days of introspection and repentance. It's a chance to get it right for the next year. That's what HaShem was doing for Nabal. Even fools get a chance to repent.

Maybe Nabal repented and God killed him so that he wouldn't fall back into sin. Because you know he would have.

Maybe Nabal didn't repent and God killed him as a punishment.

There is a story that Nabil was reincarnated as a rock. Maybe that happened.

Don't know. What I do know is that Abigail and David got their wish to be married.

So, that wasn't much about Abigail. But that's what I thought about on the train this morning. And then I got a free moto ride. All in all, not a bad start to the day.