Saturday, April 27, 2013

Xander the Xenophobic Xenops



Blogging from A to Z April Challenge

 The ABCs of Behavior and Emotions



Xander the Xenophobic Xenops

Xander lived in a little rainy forest in Costa Rica, not too far from where Quincy the Querulous Quetzal met his maker. It’s probably a good thing Xander and Quincy never came across each other in their daily wanderings, because Xander didn’t like creatures who were different in any way from his own little flock.

Most xenops are xenophiles--outgoing and friendly, happy to get together with the quetzals and the macaws. They readily hung about with toucans and thrushes.

Not Xander. He disliked the green macaws more than most, thought the thrushes were too uppity, being the national bird and all, and that quetzals were ridiculous looking with their silly plumes and crimson chests.

No one could talk Xander out of his prejudice, and trying only made Xander more determined to make his feelings known. His constant annoyed zeet, zeet, zeet began to get on everyone’s nerves.

The day finally came when all the birds decided to fight back. It began with a fly-in. Thousands of birds of all varieties cornered Xander in a tree as he bopped about hunting for bugs and yummy things that hid under the bark. The mob first began to zeet, zeet, zeet at Xander, then advanced on him until he, horrified and repelled, took off. Being a pretty nice mob as mobs go, they let Xander get away.

But one green macaw squawked after him. “Don’t come back until you learn how to get along with the rest of us.”

Xander glanced back in fear and horror. His response (and indeed most of his language) was x-rated so I have not included it here.

After escaping, he decided he’d search for a place where everyone looked and acted just like him. Xander is still searching.

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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pat - And that's the thing about xenophobes. We are all too different for a xenophobe to ever be content. Very clever!!

Alternative Foodie said...

Liking the way how you contrasted xenophobe and xenophile, Pat. Poor Xander ... I don't think it would enjoy becoming my traveling companion ;)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

He will never find such a place.

Anonymous said...

Most enjoyable to read Patricia,
Only 2 letters left.

Yvonne.

Julie Flanders said...

It's unfortunate that there are so many people in the world who are just like Xander!
I'm so impressed that you even managed an X story, love it. :)

liz young said...

There are some parts of inner London he could find a home!

MadelineAnn said...

Just dropping by, well done for finding something for X!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

He's going to spend his life a lonely bird.

Nick Wilford said...

I think he'll have a long search!

Amy Jarecki said...

Next installment...Xander gets a clue :-)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

poor Xander