The big burly man walked onto the subway platform with his pet sparrow on his shoulder. It chirped ceaselessly as all sparrows chirp; other riders craned their necks seeking the origin of the preternatural sound. Blissfully, I followed him onto the arriving subway car. A little while after I took this photo, in between stops, the bird became frightened and flapped futilely around the subway car. With cries of "That's my bird!" the man pushed his way through the crowd. Another passenger lifted the creature from the seat where it had landed, frightening a group of Japanese girls. Once back in his hand, the manheld the sparrow gently and with one of his massive fingers stroked its tiny head. "Bad birdie,"he scolded it in a low, babylike voice.