Today I saw half a pigeon. I took a very bad picture of it. The light was harsh. But you can see, imperfectly, the part of the pigeon that is missing:

The back half of this pigeon is missing. There is only shadow where pigeon ought to be. There are some feathers covering up the plucked and angry-raw flesh, but the pigeon has no tail, and is missing a significant portion of its back.

It was sitting on the sidewalk. I had just eaten lunch; I was walking to my car when I saw it. It looked angry, as would we all be in that situation. His eyes (I cannot imagine that this was a female pigeon) were red and rheumy and baleful and I wish I had not looked into them.

I don’t know what happened to him, that made him half a pigeon. I looked at him, and I felt pity. I looked at him, and I felt revulsion. I looked at him, and I wished that he were dead. I did nothing to help this pigeon. But I looked at him, and he looked at me, and I will not forget it.

Later, he hobbled to his feet and hopped away.

I don’t know where he is now. But wherever he goes, a part of him will always be somewhere else.

Please, have you ever seen half a bird. Has this happened before. Is this something that is only just beginning. Are there more to come.