During his working years, he was revered for his patience, knowledge, and the uncanny ability to simplify the most complex sonnets of Shakespeare for his students. His colleagues admired him for his dedication, his students for his wisdom. But teaching was in the past, and now his days were filled with different pursuits.
In his spare time, John found solace in birdwatching, an avocation that provided him both with a connection to nature and a gentle echo of his teaching days. The birds were his students now, each species with its distinct song, habits, and quirks. He’d taken to sketching them too, and his home was adorned with detailed pencil drawings of robins, sparrows, blue jays, and more. His world had been one of bird calls, sketching pencils, and peaceful silence until that morning’s discovery.