Jolly en La Jolla

Magnus took some time off this weekend to heat up his blood (the Brooklyn winter chilled him), open his mind (even he has to brain-dump), and reconnect with an old friend, Silas Savoye, in La Jolla.

Silas suggested they meet at the tree in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, just beneath the Nancy Rubin sculpture.

From there they met up with a local that gave them the dish on the recent developments of the beach they were visiting: Seal Beach / Children's Pool Beach. Apparently, the seal-folk and the people-folk seem to be sparring for beach usage.

But before they got too involved in the political/environmental discussion, they debated whether Dorthy & Co were simply in California instead of Oz. "Si, you have to recant! She was surrounded by the state flower!" Magnus interjected. The fact Silas couldn't see Magnus all that well added to the heat of the debate.

They headed to the seaside next. Magnus hovered a bit, mesmerized by intensity of the algae. "This is fascinating Chlorobionta" he said. "You mean rock fur?" Silas mumbled under his breath.

Did you know that Native Americans called this area "Land of the Holes"?

Magnus said flying the coast with the pelicans was a rush!

After a number of spins with the pelicans, Magnus was completely surprised when Silas got melancholy when they landed near some sandstone graffiti. Silas warbled on and on about "Ashley" and that "the rumors must be true." Magnus was quick to do the math and decided to stand by his friend in silence so that Si could have his moment. That's what friends do. He would ask about the graffiti later.

Finally, Silas shook off the sad. They plunged their heads into a nearby shallow pool and dared each other to stick their beaks into the anemones. "Whoever can't spell it goes first," Magnus suggested.

They spent the next few hours talking about school days, road trips, and past crushes. When Silas told Magnus Ashley had feelings for him years ago, Magnus fell out of the tree. "Man can't take a joke," Silas sighed to himself.

Finally, they spent some time with the seals and got the details on the controversy of the Seal Beach/Children's Pool Beach. Apparently, the seals simply want some space to lay and the local human-folk are having a hard time allowing it. It's to the point that people have been seen throwing rocks at the seals, trying to get them to leave. "My pup was hit on the noggin," one she-seal shared. Both Magnus and Silas felt their feathers fluster at the thought. They told her they would happily offer their "white-wash" services on some oblivious, nearby humans.

Evening crept in and the friends looked at the sinking sun. "I better get going," Magnus said. "Why don't you come back with me and join up with The Jolly Troop?" "Sounds tempting and like a good offer," said Silas. "Can I think about it and let you know?" "Can you spell anemone yet?" They laughed a bit more and Magnus took off, leaving Silas with some good thoughts to stew on.