Pigeon Zombies and the Fallacy of appearances in the City of Sin
By Royal Hopper
A pigeon sits perched on bench during the oppressive sand and concrete covered furnace of a Las Vegas afternoon _ the desert in the summer.
The heat is approaching the danger point and even most of the hard core Sinners have long since scrambled indoors for the benefit of and air conditioning and ice water. The oppressive clarity of the desert sky highlights every flaw makes the world seem dirty and ragged as the few walking this stretch of urban desertscape take notice of the staring its pigeon disdain at passersby and showing off its pigeon courage by not blinking its pigeon eye one iota when its is approached.
A few brave pedestrians work up the nerve to approach the unflinching avian but it still doesn’t bat an eye and the walker’s ultimately lose their nerve and walk on without touching the unflinching bird.
The heat is approaching the danger point and even most of the hard core Sinners have long since scrambled indoors for the benefit of and air conditioning and ice water. The oppressive clarity of the desert sky highlights every flaw makes the world seem dirty and ragged as the few walking this stretch of urban desertscape take notice of the staring its pigeon disdain at passersby and showing off its pigeon courage by not blinking its pigeon eye one iota when its is approached.
A few brave pedestrians work up the nerve to approach the unflinching avian but it still doesn’t bat an eye and the walker’s ultimately lose their nerve and walk on without touching the unflinching bird.
This happens several times and each time the walkers lose their nerve and walk away quickly as if the pigeon had cowed them into it. Then one brave foot bound citizen works up the nerve and determined to get the best of the gray and white bird, extends a hand toward the bird waiting for it to jump and fly away _ but it doesn’t move.
It just stares wide eyed at the person leaning forward to touch it. Not daunted by this set back the person grabs a small stick and carefully leans forward to poke the bird with the stick determined to get the better of it.
The pigeon is unmoved as the stick inches closer to its head staring right at its antagonist with perfect poise _ not moving and unmoved.
Finally the pedestrian works up the nerve and moves the last few inches to the pigeon’s head and touches it.
It still doesn’t move. He slowly and carefully moves the stick back and pokes it again and it still doesn’t move. He works up the nerve again and says boo to the unmoving bird and pokes it again with the stick. It still doesn’t move and never will again. The pigeon has gone to meet its maker on the sun scorched desert pathway and was somehow temporarily frozen in place.
It just stares wide eyed at the person leaning forward to touch it. Not daunted by this set back the person grabs a small stick and carefully leans forward to poke the bird with the stick determined to get the better of it.
The pigeon is unmoved as the stick inches closer to its head staring right at its antagonist with perfect poise _ not moving and unmoved.
Finally the pedestrian works up the nerve and moves the last few inches to the pigeon’s head and touches it.
It still doesn’t move. He slowly and carefully moves the stick back and pokes it again and it still doesn’t move. He works up the nerve again and says boo to the unmoving bird and pokes it again with the stick. It still doesn’t move and never will again. The pigeon has gone to meet its maker on the sun scorched desert pathway and was somehow temporarily frozen in place.
The pedestrian giggles at their own silliness and its still chuckling when a small group of pigeons fly overhead and he in spite of his new found levity ducks and cringes a bit
Vegas is the kind of place you either love or hate and often both as the case may be….and more to the point it doesn’t give a rat’s ass.
That is life love and summer time in the City of Sin.
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