I have a bird feeder outside my office window so I, and Daisy the cat, can watch the birds from close up. I only feed them in the colder seasons because in summer the crowds of summer birds will empty the feeder in an hour.

So the rule is that I start the feeding up whenever the Red Sox season ends, and start it up on Opening Day.

I have explained this rule to the neighborhood birds and by and large they accept it. 

But last week a dove came and sat on the bird feeder and gave me a look. I said, you know the rule, the Sox are still playing.

The dove said, get serious, they don’t have the pitching or defense to hang in there this season. You may as well start feeding us. Now.

I considered this input, but have decided to stick with the program. I will fill the bird feeder only when the season is really, truly over. 

The dove wasn’t wrong, but rules are rules.