Pigeons.
April 19, 2007
The other day while Kitti and I were waiting for a bus we saw a mom who had her little daughter (maybe four-ish years old) on a toddler leash. They’re a good idea, I think. Especially downtown, where a kid can get lost or take off after a pigeon, or fall into the street. This kid was taking off after the pigeons too, so her mom could just reel her in as needed.
My parents kept me on a leash. It wasn’t bad. I got to be independent but safe. I seem to have suffered no ill effects of being “walked” on a leash, although some people might argue that since my idea is that a dog collar is a fashion accessory and every now and then I enjoy a good chew toy.
The only trouble was when they wanted to go out, they’d just tie me to the clothesline pole in the back yard.
Anyhow, pigeons. The age-old discussion about why you never see baby pigeons has been addressed by just about everyone. The truth there is that you don’t see them because they don’t leave the nest until they’re just about grown. Juvenile pigeons look almost exactly like adult pigeons by then. The only difference is in their feathers. You have to be pretty obsessive to study every single pigeon to determine if the bird is a juvenile with really oily skin or an adult that took his last bath in a puddle of motor oil.
What really worries me is the fact that you almost never see dead pigeons. Unless they’ve been flattened by a car or killed by a dog or a cat, it’s really rare to see a pigeon that’s just curled up in a corner somewhere with rigor setting in.
Therefore, I have concluded that pigeons are immortal, and that’s why there seems to be more and more of them all the time.
I have also concluded that this journal is my current new favourite.
5 Responses to “Pigeons.”
People were aghast when they saw you in your little harness, but it kept you from staggering into the traffic, and out of most of the Fells Point pubs. I’m sure nobody believes we tethered you in the yard when we went out (that’s what the icebox is for).
Do you still have the video you took of the pigeons dancing?
By mim on Apr 19, 2007
Yep.
By DataAngel on Apr 19, 2007
Might pigeons not only be immortal, but THE SAME PIGEON. Maybe one pigeon is taking advantage of the human persistence of vision? I wouldn’t be surprised if a pigeon has mastered the space-time continuum, and is dropping in and out of existence in multiple locations just to mess with us humans.
I’d love to appear in multiple locations over my boss’s new Ford F-150 and do what the space-time pigeon is famous for. …which brings me to the subject of Hawk Girl…
By Ken on Apr 19, 2007
… and people think Doctor Who is confusing.
By DataAngel on Apr 19, 2007
I saved a pigeon near the brewery once. DA remembers it, or should. Little guy wouldn’t fly after a car honked its horn at him, so to prevent the inevitable road pizza, I got him on my shoe and gave him a good kick start to get flying again.
Bradley can be counted on as part of the harness club. He’s got one that looks like a monkey and becomes a backpack when he gets older. He’s not yet 2, but travels with a monkey on his back.
Cue rimshot….now.
By daffyd on Apr 23, 2007