For the last two weeks I have been doing that thing I do once or twice a year: playing foster mother/rehabilitator to a baby pigeon.
So how did I end up with this one you wonder? Well, I found him as I was walking to the movies one night in front of The Seventh Veil. He was nestled in this alcove against the wall as this guy aimed his camera phone at him trying to get that “perfect shot” and another guy watched. Somewhat odd activity in front of a strip club, yet not so odd really. I almost just walked by, almost. But I thought, no this isn’t right, I need to see what is going on. As I bent to look at him I realized it was a baby. Although fully feathered, his tail was maybe an inch long and he still had a lot of yellow baby fluff attached to his adult feathers. Someone had placed a small paper cup with water next to him. I thought to myself how the bird was too young to know what to do with that yet I was moved that someone out there had made this kind gesture towards a helpless ailing creature. The incongruity of such well meaning kindness against the backdrop of the Veil wasn’t lost on me and actually served to amaze me more. So semi explaining things as a teacher might to a disinterested student I diligently answered a couple of questions from the guy w/the camera phone as I picked up the baby bird. I then promptly walked back home with this little tired thing nesting in my hand.
Now Seven (I named him as I walked down the block) is quite a special bird. I am guessing that he fell from his nest and the only thing that broke his fall was the sidewalk. Continue reading “Seven”