Here's the Portland Boxing Club building tucked away among the bushes and trees at Morrills Corner. Growing up, this was just one of the many warehouses of NT Fox Lumber Company. You had to search to find it and we did. There were quite a few buildings, mostly wooden structures, that held seemingly endless stacks of lumber. The rafters were loaded with pigeons. One day, Teddy got the idea that we might be able to get a big payoff, if we were able to capture about 20 or so and train them to be passenger pigeons. We all suffered 'brain cramps' at the same moment, I guess, and thought he had a marvelous idea. We had dreams of one HUGE money-making scheme for the gang. We were going to have bucks falling out of our bluejeans. We worked most of the morning, as I remember, constructing cages, climbing the rafters, going from building to building, using various techniques. We really thought our fishing nets were going to secure us many birds. Want to know how many we caught? You guessed it. None! Our dream, of making the big time, ended around noon, when we were thrown off the property by a security guard and told never to return. Well, we had worked pretty hard to no avail but at least our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Pepsis tasted good. To this day, every time I see a flight of pigeons, I can't help thinking back to that morning gone wrong! By the way, you won't believe what our next project was.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Pigeon Hunt
Here's the Portland Boxing Club building tucked away among the bushes and trees at Morrills Corner. Growing up, this was just one of the many warehouses of NT Fox Lumber Company. You had to search to find it and we did. There were quite a few buildings, mostly wooden structures, that held seemingly endless stacks of lumber. The rafters were loaded with pigeons. One day, Teddy got the idea that we might be able to get a big payoff, if we were able to capture about 20 or so and train them to be passenger pigeons. We all suffered 'brain cramps' at the same moment, I guess, and thought he had a marvelous idea. We had dreams of one HUGE money-making scheme for the gang. We were going to have bucks falling out of our bluejeans. We worked most of the morning, as I remember, constructing cages, climbing the rafters, going from building to building, using various techniques. We really thought our fishing nets were going to secure us many birds. Want to know how many we caught? You guessed it. None! Our dream, of making the big time, ended around noon, when we were thrown off the property by a security guard and told never to return. Well, we had worked pretty hard to no avail but at least our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Pepsis tasted good. To this day, every time I see a flight of pigeons, I can't help thinking back to that morning gone wrong! By the way, you won't believe what our next project was.
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What a glorious childhood you had, Birdman.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing your stories, I'm here dreaming now about Pepsi's taste, and ice glass!
ReplyDeleteLéia
A great story, worthy of cinematic treatment. You have so many good strories to tell :^)
ReplyDeleteWonderful story (again), Mr. Bird. I sit on pins and needles for the next. When you publish your book we will have to have a blogger gathering and book signing. (seriously, stories and photos)
ReplyDeleteBises,
Genie
Love your vignettes. Can't wait to find out what y'all tried next!
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of the old "Little Rascals" episodes right now!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story. Too bad you couldn't take your scheme to Paris, it's overflowing with pigeons, very bold ones at that.
ReplyDeleteLove this building too.
V
This is a great story! And I'm sure you had many many more great ideas with your pals back then. A kid has got to dream :D
ReplyDeleteYou need to start writing and publishing these tales.
ReplyDeleteGreat story. Triggers a memory. Gramdmom did not want pigeons in her hayloft. The feathers would get in the hay and could choke her horses. We got the bright idea to catch them with baling hooks. Guess we were a little more sadistic than money scheming. Like you we never caught one. We did run them all off. Gradmom was not all that happy that the hay bales were scattered, mashed, and strewn all over the loft. She never complained about pigeons again. It took us a long time to get that hay put back in order.
ReplyDeleteWhat a Huck Finn you were! (Are?) There's a pigeon story in my latest book that suggests (with a wink) that pigeons might be angels, so now when I see or hear about pigeons, I defer to them.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the time I was going to get rich breeding pigs. What you do is you buy a girl pig and a boy pig. They have babies, the babies have babies. You need a bigger building. Well anyway it never worked out. I couldn't afford the first two pigs...
ReplyDeleteYouthful dreams ... great childhood story!
ReplyDeleteSC- I defer to pigeons too, but not because of any angelic qualities! Bombs away!
ReplyDeleteThe good old days... Sounds like you had a healthy and happy childhood.
ReplyDeleteLove your stories Birdman. Cheers from Montreal.
A book with a picture and a story on each page just like your blog! Waiting for the next page.
ReplyDeleteTrain pigeons? Birdman, didn't you have anyone in your crowd to vet the dumb ideas? I put pigeons and squirrels in the same category. Complete this sentence for me: "The only good pigeon [or squirrel] is a _____ pigeon [or squirrel]."
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing your memory treasure!
ReplyDeleteAloha from Waikiki;
My new blog posts are still not updating in blogger/reader OR links on others' blogs
So thanks especially for your visit :)
Comfort Spiral
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You were one adventurous kid!
ReplyDeleteNice story, as always. INteresting shot as well. Not sure I like the Pepsi sign though. Looks out of place.
ReplyDeleteWe need to enter you in a storytelling competition. The worst we did to pigeons when I was a kid in NYC was to scare them away as badly as we could.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't try these things how will you know, you could've made big Bucks, can't wait for the next installment and you know again.......the book, the book!!!!
ReplyDeleteEvery time I read one of your reminiscences I think the same thought: You remember these tales so clearly because you had a happy childhood. Why would happiness enhance memory? Maybe because you don't have to spend psychic energy trying to forget. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete