Joe was a tough New Yorker, elbowing his way through the subway system and devouring a big, fat burger in a matter of seconds. But lately, the city that never slept had started to feel more like a city that was dozing off. The endless stream of commuters, the bustling streets, and everything in between had somehow blended into a monotonous hum.
While waiting for his train one early evening, Joe had the misfortune of an aggressive pigeon landing on his shoulder and promptly relieving itself all over his suit and tie. Instead of cooing and suing for peace, it squawked incessantly. What a little winged devil! But rather than shooing it away, something inside Joe snapped. He decided to embrace the absurdity.
Absurdity, as it turned out, had its own magic. Joe donned a bird costume, reasoning that if the city was a concrete jungle, he might as well be its most flamboyant parrot. He spent hours hopping from landmark to landmark, squawking at passersby, who, much to his dismay, didn't find it amusing. Some flipped him the bird in no time. Joe, in full parrot mode, squawked back, and before long, it escalated into a fistfight.
Eventually, the long arm of the law caught up with Joe. Handcuffed, he felt exhilarated, despite his black eye and swollen face. He had broken free from the monotony, even if just for a brief, bird-brained moment. As the squad car pulled away, he glanced back at the city. It looked less MUNDANE and more HUMANE. (Yes, this parrot guy liked rhyming.)
The next day, Joe couldn't stop watching the viral video of himself online. As he scrolled through the comments, he found more laughter than judgment. Perhaps he had discovered a new way to fight the city's mundanity: one absurd act at a time.
There was just one little problem. He was dating a cop.
Author: renqiulan
