Our first welcome to the UK wasn't from the staff of Heathrow Airport or the coach driver who entered into our lives to take us to our new city and new home for the next three weeks. It was, in fact, the noisy and energetic seagulls full of songs that flew down to us. When we left from the plane's exit passage, we still could hear their loud and clear songs through the glasses. It was amazing that they lifted our spirits and cheered us up after our stupidly long and awful journey.
These seagulls welcomed us Chinese people into their home with open wings and if they could speak instead of merely squawk. I'm sure we would have struck up some bright and harmonious relationship. They liked to hover overhead around with childlike greetings they sang or just simply walk fearlessly close to our feet. Some of us saved bread our host family prepared in the lunchboxes for these friends. And lovely, we would like to share what we have for the rest of eternity.
But Julie, the mother of my host family, who then I stayed with, does not think so. Strangely as well, she could not give any reasons. The closed and squawk-proof double-glazing (window used to keep noise out) explains. Perhaps she prefers to sleep with her windows open but she always fails to do that, because those birds seemed to like staying up till next morning, wholly screaming for her on and on. And they decide to keep doing so every single night. Furthermore, every time she has to wash the marble floor of the gardens, Julie would look up around and swear to the droppings shortly followed by a smile on her face towards me and said. "They are friendly to you."
But stop thinking that she hates the creatures and never plans to have a change, because there is another side to her evident feelings towards the birds. We will do some shopping at weekends and every time there Julie doesn't forget to put a big bag of wild birdseed into her carriage which costs quite more than milks or juices for one week. I can see what it goes for since she refills the wild bird feeder before a big hurry to drive to work every morning and when working she knows what is happening back at home — seagulls are enjoying the seed and leaving for next morning.
I'm leaving soon and not likely. I guess, though I hope not, to get back to see my friends here in England in the future. I said I would miss all friends living here including the seagulls. And when Julie was refilling the feeder again, she said "They're nice but they are not my friends."
