"I was back home in Colorado on Thanksgiving break from college when it so happened that I was visited by my friend Archaeopteryx. Readers of my blog know how much I love birdwatching, so you know how highly I think of Archaeopteryx as a friend." said Stegosaurus.

"It was about a year ago, you know that the news came from the paleontologists that Archaeopteryx would no longer be flying, a prospect that made us both sad, because formerly Archaeopteryx was one of the most majestic of flyers."

"How are you feeling, Archaeopteryx? I was just about to settle down to a nice meal of ferns, but I always have time for my friends. Thank you for visiting me." said Stegosaurus to his friend.

"Oh, I'm still pretty upset about the whole situation," admitted Archaeopteryx in a resigned, rather glum tone. "But I didn't come to you to complain. I just wanted to stop by and visit for a while."

"Well," said Stegosaurus. "If you really don't want to talk about it, you don't have to. But I want you to know that I can tell you are feeling out of sorts; I have a keen eye for this, having watched you on my birdwatching excursions for so many years. I'm not really doing much worthy of note myself, and I am much more interested in your welfare since the news broke that the paleontologists were grounding you. I feel bad about it. I hate to see a good dinosaur down."

Archaeopteryx sighed. "Thank you my friend. I used to soar with the pterosaurus; the only dinosaur with feathers pointing the way to the future of evolution. I used to feel so cutting edge, and now I'm forced to devolve, in effect.. Who are these paleontologists? Why do they have such an undue influence in our lives? If I were really truly bitter I'd ask you to stomp on them all forthrightly because now I'm lucky if I can hop from tree to tree!"

"They are mammals, and they put themselves in charge of all this, but it is the proper order of things," said Stegosaurus. "Sometimes I think about that myself, but I'm usually distracted by things like these ferns... or sometimes just the fact that I realize that my brain is only the size of a walnut, and I resolve not to take up limited space questioning why things are. I leave the questioning to mammals and other animals with larger brains and spend my time enjoying my trees."

Archaeopteryx sighed again. "An enviable attitude. I wish I could just be indifferent but I remember so well what it was like to fly!"

"Keep your beak up, Archaeopteryx; you're still the oldest dinosaur discovered with feathers .. be glad of that; I wish I had feathers. I've never yet been discovered with feathers. You're lucky. It really is all about perspective. Life is all about perspective."

"Your wisdom is sound, Stegosaurus. Thank you." said Archaeopteryx. "I have been feeling better since I went into therapy for my depression over being grounded. I want you to know that and thank you for being such a loyal friend. "

"I'm glad to hear it." said Stegosaurus. "Very glad indeed. Take care of yourself. Perhaps you will fly again. Who knows? But what ever paleontology thinks, I like you just the way you are."

Prehistoric Birds Were Poor Flyers, Research Shows