Another One from my Dad

Confession



I killed them…both of them. It was a cold blooded methodical murder. I shot the first one over and over until it fell to the ground and then I did the same to the other one. I left them dead in the gutter and walked home. I am not proud of this and have regretted it for years. I shouldn’t have done it but it can’t be undone now.



When I first got my gun my parents gave me clear directions about its appropriate use. Don’t shoot people, houses, windows or anything that would break. They did give me limited permission to shoot birds…sparrows and starlings, and never could I shoot a robin. They didn’t say anything about doves.



So, in a short time, all of the birds in the neighborhood were wise to me and flew away quickly if they saw me with the B-B gun. That is when I spotted the pair of Mourning Doves on the telephone wires at the corner of Madison and White. I walked to the corner and stood under them and pumped B-Bs into each one until they fell to the ground. I was puzzled that they didn’t try to fly away even after I started shooting them. After the first one was killed the second one stayed on the wire until I had completed the dirty deed. The Guide to North American Birds says that doves are a solitary bird that sometimes feed in flocks. I don’t believe it. This was a pair and I have seen them in pairs in my yard many times.



When the neighbor on the corner reported to my mother what I had done she was heartbroken. She was so upset that she didn’t or couldn’t say much to me but I knew what I had done was terribly wrong. My father’s only comment was something like, “You give a boy a B-B gun and he’ll shoot anything.” I wasn’t punished but felt like I should have been.



I have heard people say and have said myself that having a dove visit you is a sign of good luck. Several pairs have nested and raised their young in our yard each year. They seem to use our deck as a play pen for their immature young. It is fenced in for the most part and safe from cats. The adults usually stand watch on one of the posts. These doves act as though they know me and are a reminder of my childhood foolishness. They don’t seem to fear me at all and I can pass within a few feet of them without them even acting nervous. I think doves are a sign of good luck and, maybe, even forgiveness. I hope so!