Tuesday, August 18, 2009

BOOM!

It's pretty noisy here. Barking dogs, blaring music, LOUD vendors (gas, garbage, tamales, you name it), and of course the mysterious booms and bangs.

Around the holidays, fireworks drown out every other noise. They start mid-day (which I don't understand because you can't SEE them) and continue late into the night. Setting them off inside metal garbage cans seems to be a favorite.

Gunshots are also common, something I still can't believe I'm used to. We used to duck behind walls whenever a neighbor fired off a full clip, but now I don't even flinch. I can't always distinguish between gunfire and other loud noises (like a car backfiring) so I just stay away from the windows and continue about my day.

[Funny side note: as I was typing "other loud noises" the dryer buzzed, scaring both me and Owen. Timing is everything.]

But every now and then there's a loud BOOM that makes everyone stop and look around. Sometimes the power blinks afterwards, which prompted Ibis to head to the street and check out what was going on.

He came back a few minutes later with his report. "Pigeons."

"Pigeons?"

"Exploding pigeons."

"Exploding pigeons?"

Apparently, every now and then the pigeons sit on the wrong wire and BLAMMO! Off goes its head.

Exploding pigeons.

The woman who explained this to him said that after one exploded, the others would fly around for a bit, then return to the same wire and BOOM! Another exploding pigeon. She shook her head as they watched them swoop back to the wires and said, "You would think that they'd learn."

Yes, yes you would.

20 comments:

Janna Leadbetter said...

Geesh! That does not sound pleasant at all.

But I did get a giggle out of your and Owen's scare. ;)

Spy Scribbler said...

ROFLMAO! That is PITIFUL! Ohmigosh, I had no idea. Exploding pigeons!

I love it! :-)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Janna, fortunately I haven't SEEN the pigeon carcasses. Ew.

The dryer only startled me because of what I was writing. Owen is still getting used to all our weird noises.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Natasha, if I could've just kept saying "exploding pigeons", I would have. :)

I wasn't sure if I'd written about this before, but I think I just mentioned it on Facebook at the time it happened. A couple booms yesterday prompted today's post.

Tana said...

There's a great analogy in there somewhere... I'll be trying to come up with it all day lol. What a sad thing.

JLC said...

I remember you mentioning it on FB. I suppose that is where the term 'bird brain' comes from. I mean... look at their heads, their tiny! :)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

T Anne, I had to hold myself back. So many funny things correlate to exploding pigeons.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

JLC, I think you might be on to something...

I just love that the woman couldn't get over the fact that the pigeons never learn.

Travis Erwin said...

In many ways we wannabe fiction writers have a lot in common with those pigeons.

Nadine said...

Ha! Okay, that was a great way to start my day. I'm still giggling! Although I do feel sorry for the birds... but the term exploding pigeons is cracking me up!

Thanks, I needed that!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Travis, that made me bust out laughing, then cry a little.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Nadine, I keep saying it in my head -- it does NOT get old. Just messy.

Robin said...

Wow! I didn't know pigeons were so dumb. They always seem to be sagely nodding. Please don't tell me owls are stupid, too!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Robin, they do seem kind of wise, don't they?

A friend of mine once hit a snowy owl with her minivan -- it flew headfirst into the grill and stayed there until she got home. That doesn't seem very smart, but hopefully that was an isolated incident.

erica m. chapman said...

Wow. I guess the term bird-brain is true after all... I'm so disappointed.

The things you see over there, boggles the mind. Can't say I've ever seen that myself. Although, I did hit a seagull once with my car and had to pull over to cry-- yeah I'm that girl.

I bet Owen is having a blast with all the sounds of the neighborhood!

Laura Martone said...

Well, Melanie, two things came to mind when I read your hilarious (and somewhat dismaying) post:

1. Maybe Pixar could do another bird-related short (like "For the Birds"), only this time with exploding pigeons.

2. What is it with animals?! I once saw two shrieking seagulls making a little seagull love on a cabana roof in southern Texas, and on another occasion, three jackrabbits (in a row!) hurled themselves at my car as I sped down a lonely highway... shoot, I think that was in Texas, too!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Erica, lucky for me I haven't actally SEEN the birds. Just heard and told what happens. Something tells me my visual is a lot more amusing than the actual thing.

Tee first time I hit a bird on the highway I ended up laughing uncontrollably because the entire situation was so ridiculous. But I swear I'm not a sicko.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Ha, Laura, that would be funny!

I see cats and pigeons having sex occasionally (we overlook a lot of roofs) but not animals throwing themselves at my car. That's so bizarre!

Penguin said...

Wow, this must have been a weird sight.

"I see cats and pigeons having sex occasionally"

What kinda animal would come from that?

Melanie Hooyenga said...

ROFL! I'll tell you all about it when I see you. :)

I have seen a cat that looked like it was a product of a cat/squirrel mating.