I walk a mile to and from school every day. This commute gives me plenty of time to chat with my roommate and get to know each other a little better. Below is a transcription from just one of our many meaningful conversations.

Me: [singing] Cucurrucucu, paloma, cucurrucucu!

Roommate: Must you keep singing that?

Me: What, the hit Mexican 1954 song, "Cucurrucucu Paloma," about a lover who sends a dove to his girlfriend's house after his death? I mean, kind of, why?

Roommate: Well, you've been at it for a while now.

Me: …

Roommate: And those birds that keep prompting you to serenade us aren't even doves. They're white pigeons.

Me: …

Roommate: You're also perfectly welcome to embrace polite silence.

Me: I thought you wanted to improve your Spanish?

Roommate: I mean, not to be too critical here, but you don't seem to know the words except for "Cucurrucucu" interspersed with the occasional "paloma."

Me: Not so. [Singing] Ay ay ay ay ay, paloma, ay ay ay—

Roommate: See, that's a nice effort, but I'm not sure it's much better.

Me: Maybe you're just anti-Ped—

Roommate: And no, I'm not anti-Pedro Infante. I'm not even sure how that's relevant.

Me: Fine! Far be it from me to ruin your walk to school with beautiful music that transcends time and place.

[Four minutes pass.]

Me: [singing] When the red, red robin comes bob bob bobbin' along, along! There'll be--

Roommate: Lydia, seeing a different bird is not an invitation to sing a different bird song!

Me: So bird isn't the word?

Roommate: Sweet Lord in Heaven--

Me: Ooh, look-y there! [singing] All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arrive. Blackbird, fly, blackbi--

Roommate: Please, for the love of all that is holy, stop singing bird songs!

Me: So I can't sing "Cucurrucucu Paloma?"

Roommate: No.

Me: Or "When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along?"

Roommate: No.

Me: Or "Blackbird"?

Roommate: No.

Me: Or "Free as a Bird?"

Roommate: No.

Me: Or "Bird is the Word"?

Roommate: No.

Me: That's alright, I don't want to sing that one.

Roommate: Okay?

Me: But I can't sing "Blue Jay Way?"

Roommate: This isn't that complicated.

Me: Or "And Your Bird Can Sing"?

Roommate: Geez the Beatles sure had a lot of bird songs, didn't they?

Me: It seems that way. How about "Rockin' Robin?"

Roommate: No.

Me: What about the Eagles' discology?

Roommate: No.

Me: Fair enough. Well, since it seems like you have your mind made up, I guess I won't sing anything at all!

Roommate: Yup.

Me: …

Roommate: …

Me: …

Me: If you had 24 hours to prep for total amnesia, what would you do?

Roommate: Welp, it looks like we're here. See you after class!