We thought it would be fun . . . and appropriate . . . to get some of our favorite Jimmy Allen stories posted here. Some of them happened long ago . . . so forgive me if I get some of the details wrong, those who know them. Today, I'll start with Jimmy vs. the Birds.
Jimmy Allen likes his stuff straight. So, when his expensive new pool cover and concrete started being peppered with a considerable amount of bird droppings, it set him on a mission. Evict the birds. It turned into a mini-epic battle, that played out over weeks and weeks. He had long ago eliminated all trees from his yard (which itself is the source of many good stories, which I will post later), so he was pretty sure the offending feathered creatures were coming from the tree-having neighbors (that would be me). My birds were tormenting Jimmy, it turned out. He often hinted to me that I should get rid of my troublesome bird-attracting leaf-shedding, growing-over-his-property annoyances. He strategized, talked to "experts" and came up with a plan. Snakes. Someone told him birds didn't like big snakes. So, he bought a bunch of colorful rubber snakes, and spread them around the yard. And watched. And waited. And talked proudly to the neighbors about his strategy. Turns out, these birds had no problem with snakes . . . and even picked them up and moved them, it seemed. He was not happy. I think he was convinced that the birds were up in my trees mocking him and scheming against him. Maybe they were. Next, he came up with a plan to deploy large plastic owls on posts. They looked real. Especially their eyes. One would peer over my fence and freak me out at night sometimes when the light hit it right. Again, he watched, waited and brooded. Before long, the owls too were covered in bird poop. "Ha! Take that plastic fake owl. We shall do our business on your head!" it seemed like they were proclaiming. It was all making me think he was quite possibly right about the birds having it out for him. I'm not sure he ever figured out how to eliminate his bird problem. But, in a sign of determination not to concede defeat to the birds, he left those snakes and owls out there for years. And, that wasn't all of his bird problems.
With all of his trees gone, a momma robin set out to make her nest on his gutter downspout. Hundreds and hundreds of trees nearby, and this bird picks Jimmy's gutter to build a nest. Ironic. Everyday, we would notice him out there with his broom, knocking down the fledgling foundation of the Robin's next. And, each morning, she would start over again. Jimmy and a bird locked in a battle of wills. Again. He won this battle eventually as the momma robin gave up and made a nest in our back porch hanging plant.
And, when he started working at the church, he was all kinds of irritated with the geese who pooped all over the yard and parking lot. It's illegal to touch these creatures, and they have taken over parts of that area. He had lots of ideas about getting rid of them. On the way to his funeral, we were held up by some of these same geese crossing the road!!
So, we know Jimmy didn't like birds and spent a lot of time trying to keep them away. Yet, we were all touched by a picture our neighbors, the Ford's, brought over to include in his memory album. Despite his obvious dislike for all things winged, he had built and painted them a birdhouse/feeder. There were at least five pictures of him carefully painting and perfecting this big, beautiful birdhouse. In the last picture of the set he stood there posed, smiling, proud of his work. He never told us this.
Wouldn't it be funny to put a picture of a bird on his grave marker?
It would drive him crazy!
*grin*
4 comments:
Jimmy did diligently try to "shoo" the geese out of the church yard. However, they would actually follow him around the yard when he was out there. In the spring Mama and babies come into the yard to munch on grass and seeds. One time there was a little one who was smaller and weaker than his siblings, so when they would walk around the building he would get left behind. Mama didn't seem too interested in waiting up for him, so, Jimmy would follow them and prod him along making sure he stayed with his family. One day Jimmy found the little one alone in the yard having been left behind when his family took a walk without Jimmy there to help him keep up. So ... Jimmy very carefully and gently placed him in a towel and delivered him to the brush behind the church where he knew the family lived. We all hoped the little goose lived even though their droppings annoyed us.
Chris ... you will need to post the church snake story sometime.
reminds me of the dad in steel magnolias...he tried everything to get rid of the birds before the wedding.
so funny!!
I think you got the details to the bird stories right. I remember one time we looked out of the window and there were a bunch of birds down on the ground looking up at one of the owls Jimmy had placed in the ground on a stick. They weren't at all scared off by it.
Jackie. . . thanks for sharing the story about the little baby goose. Jimmy did have a very tender heart.
He must have liked birds at least a little bit because he liked to look at them with his binoculars.
I always got a kick out of the fact he called the geese at the church "ducks". You would think he hated them with a passion, yet he never wanted to harm them, he just wanted them to go away. He also assured the day care kids tht he wasn't hurting them. I don't know how many times I drove up and he was sweeping the poop up so it didn't get tracked in. Of course, then he had to go wash the broom and the dustpan, because he wasn't about to let that nasty thing back into the church. As Jackie said, he was very diligent about it.
Kitty
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