Awaiting Orders

On my way to work yesterday I noticed this mass of pigeons waiting calmly on a bridge over the Chicago River. They were mostly huddled in the shade and were eerily still, not twittering or strutting around like the "rats with wings" that they really are. They seemed to be "awaiting orders" from some higher power...

On a similar note I saw a giant rat recently after work that happened to be running past the front of a French restaurant. The body of the rat was very big and sturdy and he scooted by quickly on his way to a dumpster or something. Unlike the commercials and animated movies, seeing a big ol' rat in real life isn't such a fun experience, it generally gives you the creeps. No way I am going to get a photo of that, though, because they move FAST. I would need a "rat" setting on my camera, kind of like the "athlete" symbol. It is a lot easier to get those motionless pigeons...