Although fiction, this is a merge of two true stories which mirror each other, the subject being to let things take their course. We all have ups and downs but we’ll get there eventually.

The young bird perched on the almost topmost branch of the tree. Proudly puffing out his drab brown breast with its cream speckles. He hadn’t long left the nest but his new foud independence was intoxicating. The young boy watched from a distance, his brand new binoculars raised to his eyes, sweeping the trees for wildlife. It was he who saw the two large cats circling the tree upon which the young blackbird was balanced. First one, then the second began to climb the tree stealthily.

***

The young Arab girl stood on the huge platform, empty save her and a young couple huddled up on a seat a few metres away. The day had been tough and she missed home thousands of miles away in Jordan. Beijing was an alien place and she was like an alien in it. However, she was proud of what she was doing and began pacing up and down the platform. She hated standing still in life and in underground stations! The old Englishman sat alone on the opposite platform. He too was heading home after teaching thirty young students English as a foreign language. As he observed the young girl passing the couple he heard one of them speak.

***

The first cat, a large tabby, made its way through the branches silently. Not a leaf stirred, he was so careful. The second, younger feline took another route hoping to get to the plump prize quicker. The boy observed events unfolding through the lenses of his spy-glasses, given to him for his birthday by his father. He could see what was going to happen, this would end in certain tragedy for the bird if he didn’t intervene! However as he gripped the binoculars, his father’s words came back to him. “Never interfere in nature my son, no matter how tragic, let it take its course.”

***

The young woman also heard the voices as she neared the pair, catching odd words despite the dialect. “Muslim, rucksack, terrorist, bomb”. They began pushing each other in the direction of the girl and giggling. She stepped aside to avoid them, conscious of the small blue bag on her back containing her college work. From the other side of the station, the man heard every word of their conversation and was outraged! He stood up to shout at the offensive couple but decided against it. Looking at the young woman, he saw her glance across and shake her head in a pleading manner. Although he saw tears in her eyes, he also detected a steely determination in her look. He was not to intervene in this story unfolding in front of him.

***

The large tabby was centimetre away from the young bird who was oblivious to his presence. Poised to pounce, the cats mouth began to water at the thought of the treat in store. Just then from the other direction, his young companion crashed through the branches after losing his footing. This startled the bird and he flapped up to the tiny branches above, terrified by the sight and sound of his predators. With the bird out of reach the tabby returned to the foot of the tree and took his frustration out on his young companion with one swipe of a huge paw. Meanwhile the boy, heart in mouth, realised that he had made the right choice. The two feline buddies padded off in disappointment as the bird clung to the tiny branch in terror.

***

As the couple began to increase their abuse of the girl, the train roared onto the platform and she got on. Thankfully this wasn’t heading for the destination of the couple and they remained seated, still giggling and pointing at the girl on the train. When she finally arrived back at her dorm, she lay on the bed and cried. How could people be so cruel? Why was she even here? Why was she not at home breathing the clear fresh air of the mountains above Amman? Back at the station, the man glared at the couple. Strolling to the edge of the platform, he leaned over the track and said in perfect dialect, “well done, I hope your fellow countrymen will be proud of your actions tonight welcoming foreigners in such a way.” The couple recoiled with embarrassment and slid down in their seats in shame.

***

As the bird slowly made his way into the centre of an adjacent, thick, thorny bush, he regretted his new found independence. Meanwhile the two cats passed close by where the boy was hiding. As they drew level, he jumped out and gave a huge scream. The two creatures were startled and ran off into the nearby gardens in sheer terror. His father had been right, everything was fine, the bird lived to sing another day.

***

Some years later, the young Arab girl was strolling through Red Square in Moscow. She was taking photographs of local scenes when she realised that she had no record of her visit. Just then she passed a Chinese couple. As she did so, she overheard a word in the same dialect as the couple in the station, years earlier, “Muslim”. Her heart stopped and she turned to hurry away but something stopped her. Plucking up courage, she approached the couple who stepped back in shock at the girl in the hijab bearing down on them. However, their expression changed from concern to delight as the girl uttered, in perfect Chinese dialect, “Hello, I am pleased to meet you. Like you, I am a traveller. Would you be so kind as to take my photograph please?” The couple took the camera with relish and took several pictures while chatting away to the girl.

***

Some years later, the young bird had matured into a splendid male blackbird with shining black plumage and a bright yellow beak. He perched in the top of his favourite tree, the one that held his nest containing his partner and four young chicks. He was King of this particular garden and the young boy loved looking through the glasses at him from his bedroom window.

***

Back in the UK, the old Englishman was enjoying his retirement learning Arabic and reading books. One day, while scrolling through social media, he came across a message. The tiny picture showed a young girl holding a bear wearing the traditional Arab dress and a huge smile. The message read, “Remember me? Beijing metro. Thank you for not getting involved. How is your Arabic?” Tapping on the picture without thinking, he hit the friend request button. Seconds later the message came back, friendship request accepted. Their lives were about to change, forever…