Sparrows and bats

Sometimes when The Man and I are cycling we have some very odd conversations, if you can call them that. When the wind is in your ears, or a car goes by, things get misheard.

Today as we were cycling I said something to him. He replied, irritably,

"Orange sparrow bottoms? What are you talking about?"

I can't remember now what I actually said, but why would he even THINK that I had said something so utterly weird?

On our way home we went through a little park as the sun was setting. There were bats flying everywhere. Just down on the corner from our house there is a little paddy field, and we often see bats around there in the evenings, too, but usually I don't look too closely. I am too busy avoiding traffic and watching where I am going.

Today, however, since we were in a park and there was no traffic, I looked up at the bats, which were swooping and diving and generally looking pretty. (I'm fairly sure they look less pretty close up, but when they're dancing around in the air like that they are pretty, I promise.) After about five seconds of bat-watching I rode into a hedge.

Today I learned two things to avoid doing while riding a bicycle: attempts at sensible conversation, and bat-watching.