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T Berokoff
lonewolf_lofts@hotmail.com
lonewolf_lofts@hotmail.com
“Where’s Blue?”
The dramas that are played out with our pigeons affect the children in our families more than we may know. Our granddaughter, JB who at the time was 6, liked one of our race birds in particular. “Blue” was one of our better flyers and full of personality. He flew well because of his will to win. He also liked attention in the loft. When JB came into his section, he flew to greet her. He strutted around in front of her and sat on her shoulder. On race days, JB waited with us for the birds to come in and was so excited to see Blue in the sky, wings tucked coming in for a perfect landing. I think she was more excited than we were to learn that he had won another race.
Blue, after winning a few weeks in a row, was sent to a bit longer race. In retrospect, we probably shouldn’t have sent him, as it was a bit past the distance he could fly well. JB was excited that Blue would maybe win another race. But, it was not to be.
Race day came and went with Blue not returning. We reassured JB that he would probably be home the next day. But, when he didn’t come in that day, the enormity of her concern hit us. She was sad and worried that something really bad had happened to him. After not returning for a week, we thought she had simply accepted his loss as we had, but again we were wrong. A month or so later, she asked, “Where’s Blue? Do you think he’s okay?” That’s when it really hit me that his loss had affected her very deeply.
I think we forget that children feel things more profoundly than we give them credit for sometimes. I decided to write a story for her, creating a possible scenario of what might have happened to Blue. Maybe this story will sound like one that some of you have related to your children or grandchildren. Or, maybe this story can be the basis for a story you can tell if one of your pigeons doesn’t come home and you need some sort of explanation as to why. Here’s the story I wrote for JB.
The dramas that are played out with our pigeons affect the children in our families more than we may know. Our granddaughter, JB who at the time was 6, liked one of our race birds in particular. “Blue” was one of our better flyers and full of personality. He flew well because of his will to win. He also liked attention in the loft. When JB came into his section, he flew to greet her. He strutted around in front of her and sat on her shoulder. On race days, JB waited with us for the birds to come in and was so excited to see Blue in the sky, wings tucked coming in for a perfect landing. I think she was more excited than we were to learn that he had won another race.
Blue, after winning a few weeks in a row, was sent to a bit longer race. In retrospect, we probably shouldn’t have sent him, as it was a bit past the distance he could fly well. JB was excited that Blue would maybe win another race. But, it was not to be.
Race day came and went with Blue not returning. We reassured JB that he would probably be home the next day. But, when he didn’t come in that day, the enormity of her concern hit us. She was sad and worried that something really bad had happened to him. After not returning for a week, we thought she had simply accepted his loss as we had, but again we were wrong. A month or so later, she asked, “Where’s Blue? Do you think he’s okay?” That’s when it really hit me that his loss had affected her very deeply.
I think we forget that children feel things more profoundly than we give them credit for sometimes. I decided to write a story for her, creating a possible scenario of what might have happened to Blue. Maybe this story will sound like one that some of you have related to your children or grandchildren. Or, maybe this story can be the basis for a story you can tell if one of your pigeons doesn’t come home and you need some sort of explanation as to why. Here’s the story I wrote for JB.
Reading this poem, I knew that the incident with Blue had made a larger impression on JB than we ever imagined. I think we forget that kids live in the moment, and these moments are very real to them. If kids are close to the pigeons and involved with them, as JB is, then it’s our responsibility to be sensitive of how we speak of the pigeons in front of them. We need to provide security to them, age appropriate, as to the status of the birds. For her at age 6, the story of Blue was very appropriate. As she gets older and can understand the variety of things that happen with the birds, my explanations will be adjusted to her level of comprehension. In the meantime, feel free to read this story to your little ones to explain where a missing pigeon may be, or if they ask as JB did, “Where’s Blue?” Here then, is my tale about a pigeon that didn’t come home from a race, written from a Chick’s Point Of View!”
Fly High by JB
I wanna fly high, want to fly high,
So high in the sky.
I wanna fly high like a butterfly.
So please let me try.
I wanna fly higher than all the trees,
So please let me be.
I don’t want to touch the ground,
So please let me fly high like a butterfly.
I wanna fly high in the sky,
So please let me be.
I wanna fly,
Fly so high in the sky.
I wanna fly high, want to fly high,
So high in the sky.
I wanna fly high like a butterfly.
So please let me try.
I wanna fly higher than all the trees,
So please let me be.
I don’t want to touch the ground,
So please let me fly high like a butterfly.
I wanna fly high in the sky,
So please let me be.
I wanna fly,
Fly so high in the sky.
When JB read this story, it was amazing how much it helped her accept that Blue was gone and most likely okay, because I think it gave her a sense of closure. The losing of Blue happened two years ago, and last summer, Blue was brought up again. JB, now 8, randomly said, “I wonder how Blue is doing.”
I said, “Do you still think about him?”
“Yes. I hope he’s still happy!”
“I’m sure he is. He has a nice home and lots of friends.”
Wow, all this time, and she was still thinking about Blue! The intensity of her emotions regarding the pigeons, were something I wasn’t aware of, until this incident. It also prompted her to write a poem about flying:
I said, “Do you still think about him?”
“Yes. I hope he’s still happy!”
“I’m sure he is. He has a nice home and lots of friends.”
Wow, all this time, and she was still thinking about Blue! The intensity of her emotions regarding the pigeons, were something I wasn’t aware of, until this incident. It also prompted her to write a poem about flying:
Where’s Blue?
Blue, a pigeon, used to live in the city. He lived in a pigeon loft with other pigeons, including many of his brothers and sisters. He was a great flyer and won many races. One week-end he was in a race that took him miles away from home. During the race, over some mountains far from where he lived, he looked down and saw a hawk attacking a family of rabbits. The rabbits had no where to hide. The hawk was flying over and over them, frightening them. Blue knew that the hawk was going to fly down and take one of them.
Blue knew that he was in a race, but he also knew that if he didn’t do something, the hawk would kill one or even all of the rabbit family. He also knew that his owner was a kind man and would want Blue to do the right thing. So, Blue made a decision, and flew down toward the hawk. He dove right in front of the hawk! The hawk’s attention was pulled away from the family of rabbits and directed at Blue. When the hawk started to chase Blue, the rabbits quickly ran into their underground home. They were afraid for Blue because he was being chased by the hawk.
What the rabbits and the hawk didn’t know was that Blue could fly faster and longer than the hawk would ever be able to fly. Blue decided to take the hawk on a long journey to get him as far from the family of rabbits as possible. Blue took his time, flying over mountains, streams, hills and over groves of trees. The hawk became exhausted and decided it wasn’t worth it to try and catch Blue. He gave up and sat down in a tree. In the meantime, Blue was happy just to fly. He was also happy that he got the hawk to follow him away from the rabbits. He wondered if the rabbits were okay. He decided to retrace his flight and go back and check on the rabbits. Blue turned around and flew mile after mile until he saw the place where he first saw the hawk and the rabbits.
Two of the baby rabbits were playing by the opening of their underground home and saw Blue in the sky. “Mommy, Daddy! Come quick! The pigeon that saved us from the hawk is flying overhead!”
After making sure it was safe to go outside, the whole family came outside and started waving at Blue. As soon as Blue saw them, he swooped down and landed next to them.
"I’m so happy everyone is okay! What a great day to fly!” shouted Blue.
“Thank you so much! How did you happen to be flying over our area today?” asked Bobby, the father.
“I was in a pigeon race. When I saw what the hawk was doing, I just had to stop and help” answered Blue.
“But, now you won’t be able to win the race, will you?” asked Bobby.
“That’s okay, after I rest for a bit, I’ll make my way home. The man who takes care of me will understand,” said Blue.
The rabbits wanted to throw a party for Blue for saving their lives. They invited all their friends to the party; Rocky, the squirrel, Shorty, another rabbit and her family, George, the bullfrog, Rascal, the prairie dog, and two wild horses, Snowflake and Sparky all came to the party. They had grass, nuts, and wild berries. They all listened as Blue told them about racing and lots of stories about pigeon racing. They were very interested and listened quietly because they never knew anything about pigeons being in races. Blue was their hero!
Blue had so much fun at the party and liked all his new friends that he decided to stay a bit longer than just that day. In fact, Blue liked them so much that he decided he wanted to stay with them forever. That was two years ago and Blue now lives happily with all his friends in the valley below the high mountains.
Once in a while Blue thinks about home and hopes that the kind man knows that he’s okay. Blue was able to do the right thing and help the rabbits because, since the man was so good to him, he knew how to give the same kindness to others. Sometimes as other pigeons flew through the valley on race days, Blue would fly with them for a while.
One day while he was flying with some race birds, he noticed two of his brothers in the group. They caught him up on news from home. That was a great day! During one race he saw, his sister, Home Run, who told him that the little girl who lived in the kind man’s house seemed sad about Blue. “I heard her say, ‘I miss Blue. I wonder where Blue is? I hope he’s alright.’ “
“Really, she asked about me!’ smiled Blue,” be extra nice to her and try to let her know I’m okay and happy. I miss her too. I bet one day one of you will have a little pigeon that will look just like me! I hope she names it Blue II!” laughed Blue.
“You’re so funny,” laughed Home Run. “Your brother, Bert, didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“He has a baby and the little girl named it Blue II!”
“Really, that’s awesome!” shouted Blue, “That’s what I’m talking about! My name lives on!”
“Blue, you’re still a character!” and with that Home Run tipped her wing to Blue and flew home.
Blue returned to his home in the valley with a big smile! He liked the idea of another Blue II flying the skies someday! He especially liked that the little girl would have another Blue to watch on race days.
Blue, a pigeon, used to live in the city. He lived in a pigeon loft with other pigeons, including many of his brothers and sisters. He was a great flyer and won many races. One week-end he was in a race that took him miles away from home. During the race, over some mountains far from where he lived, he looked down and saw a hawk attacking a family of rabbits. The rabbits had no where to hide. The hawk was flying over and over them, frightening them. Blue knew that the hawk was going to fly down and take one of them.
Blue knew that he was in a race, but he also knew that if he didn’t do something, the hawk would kill one or even all of the rabbit family. He also knew that his owner was a kind man and would want Blue to do the right thing. So, Blue made a decision, and flew down toward the hawk. He dove right in front of the hawk! The hawk’s attention was pulled away from the family of rabbits and directed at Blue. When the hawk started to chase Blue, the rabbits quickly ran into their underground home. They were afraid for Blue because he was being chased by the hawk.
What the rabbits and the hawk didn’t know was that Blue could fly faster and longer than the hawk would ever be able to fly. Blue decided to take the hawk on a long journey to get him as far from the family of rabbits as possible. Blue took his time, flying over mountains, streams, hills and over groves of trees. The hawk became exhausted and decided it wasn’t worth it to try and catch Blue. He gave up and sat down in a tree. In the meantime, Blue was happy just to fly. He was also happy that he got the hawk to follow him away from the rabbits. He wondered if the rabbits were okay. He decided to retrace his flight and go back and check on the rabbits. Blue turned around and flew mile after mile until he saw the place where he first saw the hawk and the rabbits.
Two of the baby rabbits were playing by the opening of their underground home and saw Blue in the sky. “Mommy, Daddy! Come quick! The pigeon that saved us from the hawk is flying overhead!”
After making sure it was safe to go outside, the whole family came outside and started waving at Blue. As soon as Blue saw them, he swooped down and landed next to them.
"I’m so happy everyone is okay! What a great day to fly!” shouted Blue.
“Thank you so much! How did you happen to be flying over our area today?” asked Bobby, the father.
“I was in a pigeon race. When I saw what the hawk was doing, I just had to stop and help” answered Blue.
“But, now you won’t be able to win the race, will you?” asked Bobby.
“That’s okay, after I rest for a bit, I’ll make my way home. The man who takes care of me will understand,” said Blue.
The rabbits wanted to throw a party for Blue for saving their lives. They invited all their friends to the party; Rocky, the squirrel, Shorty, another rabbit and her family, George, the bullfrog, Rascal, the prairie dog, and two wild horses, Snowflake and Sparky all came to the party. They had grass, nuts, and wild berries. They all listened as Blue told them about racing and lots of stories about pigeon racing. They were very interested and listened quietly because they never knew anything about pigeons being in races. Blue was their hero!
Blue had so much fun at the party and liked all his new friends that he decided to stay a bit longer than just that day. In fact, Blue liked them so much that he decided he wanted to stay with them forever. That was two years ago and Blue now lives happily with all his friends in the valley below the high mountains.
Once in a while Blue thinks about home and hopes that the kind man knows that he’s okay. Blue was able to do the right thing and help the rabbits because, since the man was so good to him, he knew how to give the same kindness to others. Sometimes as other pigeons flew through the valley on race days, Blue would fly with them for a while.
One day while he was flying with some race birds, he noticed two of his brothers in the group. They caught him up on news from home. That was a great day! During one race he saw, his sister, Home Run, who told him that the little girl who lived in the kind man’s house seemed sad about Blue. “I heard her say, ‘I miss Blue. I wonder where Blue is? I hope he’s alright.’ “
“Really, she asked about me!’ smiled Blue,” be extra nice to her and try to let her know I’m okay and happy. I miss her too. I bet one day one of you will have a little pigeon that will look just like me! I hope she names it Blue II!” laughed Blue.
“You’re so funny,” laughed Home Run. “Your brother, Bert, didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“He has a baby and the little girl named it Blue II!”
“Really, that’s awesome!” shouted Blue, “That’s what I’m talking about! My name lives on!”
“Blue, you’re still a character!” and with that Home Run tipped her wing to Blue and flew home.
Blue returned to his home in the valley with a big smile! He liked the idea of another Blue II flying the skies someday! He especially liked that the little girl would have another Blue to watch on race days.
