Four o'clock blues, ca. 1902



Goods checker J. Peerybingle was tired. It had been a long day in the goods depot, and his feet hurt.




Life is so dull, he thought. I should have gone to sea. I should have married Emily.




He looked up at the skylights. There was a bird up there. Was it a crow?




He thought: How lucky birds are, how free.




Up on the roof, the crow looked down at Peerybingle.




It thought: How fortunate that man is, working with the trains. He must be very happy.




I wish it was me, thought the crow. How lucky humans are, how free.