I was thinking
Maybe I’ll just keep the pigeon
Then I thought
Man, I’m lonely
 
Two guys share a beer on the patio of a brewery discussing their quarantine-lows. One shares an unexpected emotional experience on a hunting range.
 
He reflects on the moments following one of his shots, watching a pigeon tumble in the air against the backdrop of the blue sky. He explained how he felt making his way towards his kill, “I was like ‘nice, I needed that for my self-esteem.’” But when he found the bird, he noticed the bullet only skimmed its wing. It was stunned but very much alive.
 
The barren social landscape of quarantine had him thinking more about the bird’s potential as a companion and less as a freezer-meal.
 
Grand Rapids, MI
2020