dove in a pod of pigeons

In Limassol, Cyprus I met a woman who brought giant bags of bread and breadcrumbs to the shoreline every day. A gigantic flock of pigeons waited there for her. She even trained a few to fly up and land on her hands and arms. Not just any random birds either, she would call out “áspro” (white) and the only white pigeon would pop up and land on her, expecting her next feast no doubt.

I saw a similar white pigeon on the street the other day. The phrase, “a dove in a pod pigeons” came to me. It sounded like something Elvis Costello would sing on Imperial Bedroom. It would probably have something to do with the Troubles in Ireland.

And though doves and pigeons all belong to the same genus, my momentary Costello-ean inspiration was fraudulent. It wasn’t a dove. It was áspro, and a pigeon.