Looking for a place to eat my morning blueberry muffin and drink my Dunkin small black coffee with company close by, I chose the Staples parking lot where seagulls seem to own their own parking lot spaces between the white painted lines.

They provided me with a sense of belonging and entertainment as they carried on their own conversations while staring at me and I at them. I noticed they also had 10 gulls serving as guards on top of 10 light posts surrounding the mall.

According to softschools.com, there are 20 species of seagulls, they mate for life and are very intelligent. This is the only group of seagulls that I have noticed who have taken over specific parking spots not occupied by vehicles. I purposely drive through to find my spot where many are nearby for conversation and entertainment.

Recently it has become clear that COVID-19 leaves the flying gulls alone and immune, just like our pet dogs and cats.

The gulls are content to remain “parked” in their space next to my car and seem pleased I chose to stare at them while out loud I not their beauty and courage to fly up high when a loud motor vehicle drives through their selected spaces. Upon landing down again, there a few squabbles as to who owns the spot.

Since my car does not fly, I am certain my nearby friend will return to my space, where we can stare and talk again. It is wonderful to eat and talk with friends again. The gulls you see have been here for years. It was my daughter who noticed how they stood and flew from the same parking spaces. I tell them how beautiful they are and thank them for their friendship.

This story was written on March 19.