wizard-of-the-pigeons

bus stop.
RASPUTIN SUNNED HIMSELF on the bench. making October look like
June. He was wearing sandals, and between the leather straps his big feet were as
scuffed and gray as an elephant’s hide. His blue denims were raggedy at the
cuffs, and the sleeves of his sweatshirt had been cut off unevenly. His eyes were
closed, his head nodding gently to the rhythm of his music, one long-fingered
hand keeping graceful time. Black and Satisfied, Wizard titled him. Blending in
with the bench squatters like a pit bull in a pack of fox hounds. The benches near
him were conspicuously empty of loiterers. Wizard shook his head over him as
he sat down at the other end of the bench.
Rasputin didn’t stir. Reaching into a pocket. Wizard drew out a crumpled
sack of popcorn fragments. He leaned forward to scatter a handful. Rasputin
shifted slightly at the fluttering sound of pigeon wings as a dozen or so birds
came immediately to the feed.
“Don’t let them damn pests be shitting on me,” he warned Wizard laconically.
“Wouldn’t dream of it. Don’t you think you should carry a radio or
something?”
“What for? So folks would quit looking for my headphones? Ain’t my fault
they can’t hear the real music. They too busy covering it up with their own
noises.”
Wizard nodded and threw another handful of popcorn. Rasputin’s hand
danced lazily on the back of the bench. Muscles played smoothly under his sleek
skin, sunlight played smoothly over it. The day arched above them, and Wizard
could have dreamed with his eyes open. Instead, he asked, “So what brings you
to Pioneer Square?”
“My feet, mostly.” Rasputin grinned feebly. “I’m looking for Cassie. Got a
present for her. New jump rope song. Heard it just the other day.”
Wizard nodded sagely. He knew Cassie collected jump rope songs and
clapping rhymes. “Let’s hear it.”
Rasputin shook his head slowly in a graceful counterpoint to the dance of his
hand. A passerby slowed down to watch him, then scurried on. “No way, man.
Not going to repeat it here. Sounded new, and real potent in a way I don’t like.
Gonna tell it to Cassie, but I’m not going to spread it around. Won’t catch me
fooling with magic not mine to do.” Rasputin’s words took on the cadence of his