Who?

It's closing time at Powell's Pet Shop. The lights go out as the heating lamps turn on with their red glow. The kittens are having their nightly milk, the chicklets are nesting in their den, and the fishes are sleeping as usual. All is quiet. All except for the nocturnals. The rodents, the reptiles, and arachnids are still stirring and spinning their webs. And one lonely barn owl named Barney is rattling his cage. "Oh great. Another night in here. Who out there will love me? Who out there will be with me through the endless night? Every night I count who's been adopted and who is still here. The cats and dogs are never here for more than a week. But night after night I'm left in this cage. Sometimes I look out at street pigeons and dream of what it feels like to soar so freely. Other times I dream of my mother. I never met her but I wonder if she was a free bird, hunting and gliding through the moonlit sky, or like me - trapped". The old owl coos a sad song. Lemmy, a rat and friend to Barney, calls out from a cage across the aisle "Cheer up, there's someone out there for all of us. Even an old bird like you.” Barney leans against the bars of his cage and says, "I want to believe you, I do. I just hope that someone comes and takes me home with them tomorrow." Lemmy says back "So do I. Then I won't have to hear you every night."

It's the next day now. The store is open. Parents take their kids in to buy their first hamsters. An old woman walks in and asks a worker "Excuse me, how old is that owl?" She points to Barney sleeping upside down in his cage and the worker says "I'm not sure. He's been here longer than me. Looks to be about a year old though. Let me ask the manager..." the manager comes out with the worker and greets the old lady "You're interested in the owl?"

"Yeah."

"His name is Barney. He's a little over a year old. Not many people ask about him."

In his dream, Barney is free and wild. He takes off from a treetop. He soars over a vast field and past a river. The feeling of the wind beneath his wings is bliss as he flies through the heavens. Suddenly, his wings give out. He screams out as he falls. Just before he crashes to the ground, he jolts awake. When he opens his eyes, he's face to face with the old woman. His heart instantly filled with a nervous joy. Was this the day he had been waiting for? Was someone finally taking him to a loving family? The old lady turns to the worker "I'm not sure, I need to come back tomorrow with my husband" she takes another look at Barney and walks away.

That night after closing, Barney was in high spirits. His mind raced, playing that moment over and over again. He was buzzing at the thought of being adopted. The possibility excited him so much he couldn't help but flap his wings. He called out to Lemmy "This is it! I'm getting out tomorrow!"

"I heard. Don't get too excited. The husband still has the final say." said Lemmy "I know, but I know that this is gonna be my new family. I can feel it." Barney said back.

The night went by quickly. Barney didn't sleep that morning. He stayed up all day waiting. Hours went by. The sun went down. It was almost closing time. Barney gave up hope that anyone would ever take him. And just when he thought it was too late, the old couple walked through the door. The man wore a large leather owl glove. "Hello, we would like to see your owl," he says. "Sure thing" says the employee as she walks to the cage. As soon as she opens it, Barney flies over to the couple. The man extends his arm and allows Barney to perch on it. The couple laughs as Barney lands. "We'll take him!" The woman pays and they all lived happily ever after.