The Feeder

Why? you ask.

Do you really need

me to answer? Just look

around. Behold the multitude

of bird feeders in her yard, the sugar

dispensers for the hummingbirds, the salt

licks for the deer, the open trashcan full of leftovers

for the racoons, the squirrel feeders in her trees, the bread

crumbs around her pond for the geese, the nuts and grains scattered

about for the chipmunks, the garden of leafy greens for the

rabbits. Do you still not understand? Because she could

never bring herself to discriminate. She loved all

of God’s creatures, including the vampire

living in her basement. What else

could she do? A creature can’t

help but to be what it is.

You called her an

enabler, an accomplice

to her child’s self-destruction.

She told you she only wanted to be

like Jesus who gave his blood for us so

that we could live. You told her she was in denial.

She claimed you were heartless. What loving parent, after

all, would not take out home equity loans, max out their credit cards,

drain their retirement accounts to bail out their child, pay their

bond, legal fees and court costs, declare bankruptcy,

foreclose on their homes and fork over their

social security checks to save their

child? You told her that her

son was an addict. She

explained how everyone has

their problems. And she did it. She

allowed him to drain her of her last ounce

of blood until she was sprawled out on the floor,

pale and lifeless, the modern-day Jesus of her dreams.

Spread the news. Tell your neighbors. Prepare

your feeders. Very soon you will be

visited by myriad insatiable

woodland creatures

and a vampire.