Birds of a Feather
I don't like pigeons or seagulls. It's not that I want harm to come to them, I don't. I once shot at a small bird with my BB gun when I was about 12. By some absolute freak mischance I hit the poor thing and it dropped like a rock from the tree where it had been perching. Dead. I felt terrible about it for weeks. I swear I still feel bad about it. But pigeons and seagulls are filthy in-your-face poop-everywhere scavengers. Flying rats. In my L.A. neighborhood there are wild parrots. I'm not thrilled with them either. Or for that matter, wrens, starlings, and sparrows. And I can do without squirrels. Rats with fluffy tails. Little rabies carriers. The problem is I'm wildly sentimental and anthropomorphize all the little devils. I see them has having personalities, emotions, and relationships, all the things that get people into trouble. I feel their pain. In Italy they roast little birds whole and then eat them between slices of toast. You think it'd be right up my alley, but who can eat something where the head is sticking out like somebody in a sleeping bag, with big wide eyes staring at you? The wierd thing is I like cows, but I don't hesitate to eat them. Not whole in a sandwich though.
posted by John M Crowther @ 7:40 AM
4 Comments:
John C, terrible disillusionment here by the knowledge that you shot a poor little defenseless bird. My heart is broken.
You can blame Disney films that taught us about these cute little 'critters' without once mentioning that they can kill US with diseases, says she laughing. Had nightmares for years after reading 'Black Beauty' and still often wonder if my horses talk about me in the dark of night, said she with great anxiety.
Love this cartoon. Fell on floor laughing.
John, your cartoons just get better!
I love this one. You should have forgotten about that bird you shot when you were a kid. All kids make mistakes. But I understand how you feel because I ran over a cat many years ago and still feel sick about it. Know some people who have stopped putting out bird feed because of the "Bird Flu" scare. Is it here yet?
I have had company and am very busy so have not had time to comment, but I check your site frequently.
Katherine
John’s drawing reminds me of one of the great birds on wire moments in film: Disney’s 1941 “Dumbo” animated back in those pre-PC days when you could actually show a flock of very black crows singing in jazzy close harmony. The lead crow is sung by the great Avon Long, the original sleazy “Sportin’ Life” in Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.”
“I saw a peanut stand,
Heard a rubber band,
I saw a needle that winked its eye.
But I think I will have seen everything
When I see an elephant fly.
I saw a front porch swing,
Heard a diamond ring,
I saw a polka-dot railroad tie.
But I think I will have seen everything
When I see an elephant fly. “
Etc.
P.S. Further googling has shown that Avon Long was not the first Sportin’ Life in the original 1936 production of “Porgy and Bess”. John Bubbles of “Buck & Bubbles” was. Avon Long appeared in the 1941 revival and subsequent recording. What’s more Long may not even be the oily voice of the singing black crow on the wire. He is not credited. My apologies. I sit corrected.
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