He teetered back and forward, tilting first one way then another, losing his balance and trying to cling onto a tiny (compared with him) twig of holly.
The lid of this feeder was removed by an enterprising squirrel about a year ago and vanished never to reappear, so the tiny birds simply hop down inside and take what they want.
This was quite impossible for the duck-sized pigeon, and he got stuck several times trying to copy their deft feeding habits.
Eventually he realised today's menu was not going to contain peanuts and promptly turned his back on the container, lifted his tail and left his calling card.
While I got some amusement from his antics, he reminded me so much of some human beings, who when denied what they desire, turn nasty.
Retaliation can misfire and it is not always a good idea to "give as good as you get".
It made me think of the time when living in a flat in Northwood, where we had a downstairs neighbour who played music so loudly and so often that the entire block of nine flats echoed with the racket almost daily.
John, who was relatively long-suffering in general decided he had had enough, and using our massive (ex-Decca display room speakers (each one containing five seperate speakers), he put "Also Spracht Zarathustra" on the turntable at full volume.
It was on for only about 10 seconds but the walls trembled and when he turned it off there was total silence from downstairs.
Now I am not advocating this type of behaviour but it certainly worked. He had made his point and never had to do so again.
Someone I was talking to yesterday has next-door neighbours who have almost daily rows at the top of their lungs and apparently using rather choice language. This happens at all sorts of hours and she is totally fed up and doesn't know what to do about it.
I told her about John's remedy and suggested that if she didn't want to do something similar, she could perhaps 'join in', since the walls are thin, and take part in the argument.
Turning the other cheek just doesn't always work.
we're so uncivilized over here that taking the route of "an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth" would probably result in a trip to the Emergency Room or a trip to the morgue :(
ReplyDeleteNot just over there Theanne. Everywhere, I'm afraid.
Delete"trip to the morgue" intrigues me. You mean there's a way back?
I love your pigeon story and also John's effective retaliation. Sadly I think Theanne's right and it's becoming more risky to try the same thing nowadays in many places.
ReplyDeleteThe problem of inconsiderate neighbours is always with us and I do feel for the person you were talking to.
Oddly enough Perpetua, the stupid pigeon was back again today. Bird brains!
ReplyDeleteYes, I feel sorry for L... too. She is not an aggressive person so I don't imagine she will take any action at all.
As I've said so many times before, I am very blessed to have the neighbours I have.
I have to confess Ray that we have very loud neighbours and just occassionally my husband and I have had pretend rows in the garden just to drown out theirs. We always end up sniggering which probably gives the game away but hopefully it does remind them that they are not the only people that live here.
ReplyDeleteSad isn't it that we have to resort to such things but what is the alternative?
ReplyDeleteSharing is a wonderful concept, but surely we don't need to share everything with everybody.