I’ve had some odd moments in life, but few compare to that time I mistook a bird for my missing phone. Yes, you read that right. You see, I have a knack for misplacing things. Keys? Sure. Glasses? Regularly. But my phone? That’s a treasure map worth guarding—or so I thought.

One lovely afternoon, I was doing the usual frantic “where’s my phone?” dance. It involves checking the fridge (don’t judge), retracing steps I’m sure I never took, and finally, calling my own phone from a landline I’ve kept purely for these moments of self-imposed panic.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. As I’m walking around the yard with my phone’s familiar ringtone echoing, I spot a tiny blue flash in a nearby tree. My heart skips a beat. There it is! My beautiful, glorious phone! Suspended in the tree like some weird offering from the tech gods. I should mention that this was before I got myself one of those fancy cases that scream “Look at me, I’m not just tech, I’m art.” It was sleek, dark, and clearly camouflaged among the leaves.

Without a second thought, I grabbed a broom and tried to shake it down. The neighbors probably thought I was practicing some obscure form of backyard martial arts. But what tumbled down wasn’t my phone—it was a very irritated blue jay. I kid you not, the look that bird gave me was a mix of judgment and indignation, as if to say, “Really? Do I look like an iPhone?”

I wish I could say that’s the only time I’ve made that mistake. But alas, the time I thought my sunglasses were the remote control or mistook my water bottle for a hand sanitizer dispenser tells me otherwise. Life’s quirky moments keep me entertained. And let’s be honest, if we don’t laugh at our mishaps, the blue jays will surely do it for us.

So, to all the misplacers of the world, stay vigilant, stay weird, and keep a broom nearby just in case a bird is masquerading as your tech.