Pigeon Troubles

I went out to do laundry today, it was a very pack four bags on my bike. However many wash cycles that turned out to be, paired with equal and then-some drying times. It took about four hours till it was all good and complete.

On my way out to the spot, I saw a pigeon that was chilling on the ground by my apartment, out in back. I coo'ed to it, I wanted to know what was up. It's wing was hanging a bit limp, so I let it be for the time. I saw it again as I returned in its same spot. The same spot for four hours. It seems a bit frightful - I had things to do, laundry, a book to read, a word search puzzle to accomplish, and in this equal time it stayed in its same place, grounded, in a dark corner, in the back of my building.

I went to see if I could spot any clues as to why this bird became grounded, I saw some egg shells cracked near to where I put I bike. But not knowing the size of pigeon eggs, these could have been regular chicken egg shells to my unknowing.

I tried to coax it out, hoping it would talk to me, but knowing I wouldn't do anything. How do I show care? I ended up freaking it out, so it started on foot, and tried to fly a bit, to its own dismay and discomfort. It had a hard time tucking its wing back into itself.

It would go closely to the road, on it, near the middle yellow line, then back again. My heart would string and pause as its tiny meddling steps dared bring it where its hopes desired. Another pigeon flew from my roof to settle on the sidewalk, intrigued by this pigeon I suppose.

A relief, I thought, the bird would have another bird friend now. I noticed how when the second pigeon drew close to the first, she would not flea or fret too much. I know now that the first pigeon was female, and the second male. Maybe they were companions from the start, for later, after I had finished reading my school book, and going out to buy a pack of cigarettes, I saw that both of them were chilling by the initial door to my apartment.

It was so honest, innocent and cute as to how they both looked up to me and thought, shit, we're caught, and what do we do now, please, do nothing. But I had to go by them. The female tried to fly away, but instead, flapped unevenly until she landed to the pavement beside my stairs. While the male, slowly made his way, hopping down the stairs.

My disturbance onto their momentary peace, lead them to attempt to find a place of solace once more. I crossed the street as quick as I could, to hopefully show them they needn't run off any more. But instead, they crossed the road too. A car was making its way, and I slowed in my steps to a complete stop, and questioned if I should watch what comes next.

My eyes starred dead as these both inherently birds of flight, attempt to cross a road by foot, painstakingly to my dis-ease, without any sense of urgency as to the nature of roads. I have seen many two dimensional and dehydrated pigeons here on Halifax roads, and wondered if I was about to see how these treacherous traces were caused.

The car didn't slow down, not one bit. And instead, beyond the hairs of my brows did I witness as the female pigeon, the initial pigeon's tail become stuck by under the car's wheels as it simultaneously tried to fly away, pulling out its tail and down feathers behind them. A slight breeze caught up these feathers, as a visual reminders to the structure of nature and its structured inhabitants.

I dare not look further. I continued to make my way to the nearby corner store to complete my initial goal. Coming out, I stayed and watched these pigeons make their commutes while I smoked my first smoke. They made two more road crossings during the time, and dodged a single music-listening man's feet of indifference, and also the many centipedular steps of a group of evening joggers.

They continued walking towards the commons, and while I would have enough curiousity in my veins to watch them throughout their near future life's encounters, my heart daren't, and neither my lungs sustain it, and neither would my academic pangs attend to it.

I went in, and came in, and when they do die, I do hope I am not there to witness it.

Best of luck in all your crossings,

Kim.