Of Birds and Men

Right after a day of bird searching and then living in the illusion that all of the birds left their abode, which is my house, came a never-ending debacle with sounds and smell.  Exactly 5:45 of every morning, their cooing continued to haunt me in my sleep and in the early morning.

I had this feeling that they were either still there or were back because of the smell of poop that permeated one of the closed room.  This couldn't be but the birds were definitely back, not lurking outside but nesting inside the ceiling once again.

So on a Saturday morning, a curious walk around the house was needed. Lo and behold, between two wooden slab on the roof's wall was a discreet gap for these stubborn birds.  Though the gap was small, the birds poked their heads in, squeezed their pliable bodies and zoomed in and out inside the ceiling.

Immediately, I called the men who came some weeks ago to cover the window glass but this time, their job was far challenging than the previous one.  From the previous two came four men and they immediately took the pressing matter on hand.  All went up the second floor of the house equipped with nothing but curiosity as well.  Later, one of them borrowed a ladder and later used it to peek his head above the gypsum board.

All he did to probably see the birds was with his shoo, shoo sounds.  It was hysterical because I could do the same.  No amount of shoo shoo will actually shoo them unless it was accompanied by a gun or a blasting stereo. Something has to be done!

So climbed the three men up the ceiling and chased the birds away.  I asked them if brooms could help but they were short and useless. (The broom I mean, not the men.) One of the men walked away and came back with longer sticks.  Now, each man had a stick of his own waving it back and forth and with the constant shouting made all the birds clustered in fear in one corner of the roof, TRAPPED!

Then one of them started grabbing a bird or two and handed them to the next person.  Then the last person in line took them to set them free, outside the house and not inside, LOL!  There were almost thirty pigeons and catching them one by one became more of a feat of balance, stamina, and patience.  It was hot out there under the roof.  I am all giddy to see the scene and be there but I cannot fit in the small gap.  I wasn't strong enough to lift myself, walk on the beam and catch those pesky fliers. Darn, I am getting fat! 

When the birds were being released one by one, I curiously asked if the gaping hole was mended as I have an instinct that the evicted were just returning back by doing a u-turn. Duh! The look on the man's face was telling me to shut up, LOL!

When everything was done and chaos gave way to silence, I asked the lead worker whether the birds could be eaten.  He answered with a yes and looked at the last bird he was holding as he left the door.  So what are you going to do with the last one? I asked.  Then, he let it go!