The Dice Were Loaded Against Us Ever Seeing Each Other

I am leaned against the garage doorframe, smoking and reading, when one of the barred owls _{<and there are … quite a lot of them around the place now>} hoots from a tree quite close by.

‘Your wingspan was three feet wide
Or better’

I continue reading for a moment before, without looking up
.                                                                                                              ;You really should be eating more voles;
.                                                                                                                                                                                          silence

Then she hoots again _{<it never sounds like ;who cooks for you?; to me>} and I unironically drawl
.                                                                                                                                                                  ;awright;
.                                                                                                                                                                                       and resume smoking and reading.

‘Thought I saw a mouse
Kicking in your beak
It was only a skeleton’
-Mountain Goats