Taking Notice Of The Peacocks In My Life (Literally)

There's something with me and peacocks. I was reminded about how they poke their beaks into my life and demand that I take notice while I was watching a special on television. The show explained why animals have certain coloring etc., and it made me think of several peacock encounters.

First, let's get the point of the program out of the way. Why do peacocks have such large feathers? Scientists have found that peahens are most attracted to males with the largest 'eyes' appearing on their tails. As it turns out, those males are less infested with parasites so choosing the peacock with the largest eyes means the peahen gets a healthier mate. Nature works in mysterious ways, eh?

A fascination with these large feathers is one of my earliest memories. I remember going on an elementary school class trip to a local planetarium. After the cosmic display of constellations, we were allowed to go into the gift shop for browsing and the purchase of a souvenir. A long, soft, delicate, colorful bunch of peacock feathers are what caught my eye. Alas, I hadn't been given any money before I left the house so I wasn't able to get one. I remember resenting that all the other kids' parents had given them money, they were able to get something, but I was left wanting. We never had a lot of money — it was never offered, and I never asked.

That was the beginning of my casual observation of peacocks in my life. I'm not sure it really means anything at all but I have been aware of it all my life. Perhaps they appear to remind me of when times were lean and I felt unwanted. A beautiful reminder of an ugly thought?

When I moved to California, I remember a news story about the city of Rancho Palos Verdes. It is an exclusive coastal community built in the rolling hills between Redondo Beach and Long Beach. Peacocks thrive in the moderate climate and have taken over several neighborhoods. Now for those of you that have never come face to face with a peacock, they are really big (think chicken on steroids), really loud (think crow on steroids), and really messy (think pigeon on steroids). The residents were in a pitched battle between those that found them to be a nuisance and those that thought they were cute. I'd vote nuisance but the cuties won.

Many years later, I was having lunch with my best friend at The Arboretum of Los Angeles County in Arcadia (near Pasadena). The one thing I can tell you about the Arboretum is that the opening scenes from Fantasy Island ("Da plane, da plane" and "Smiles, everyone, smiles!") were filmed here. Lunch on the terrace turned into the knights of the round table where I was forced to defend the fair maiden. Once best friend offered some hamburger bun to one, the birds flocked from everywhere. Did I mention peacocks are really big, really loud, and really messy? Well they're also really brazen and really scary. Oh, and they can fly so they sit up in the trees and creepily stare down at you, too.

Then just a few years ago while I was on a Mediterranean cruise, one port of call was Lisbon, Portugal. Dominating the city skyline is the Castle of São Jorge that covers a large hill above downtown. It was a very interesting visit dominated by the sound of a very loud caw-ing peacock who was visibly upset and aggressively pecking at his own reflection in a window. That commotion was competing with a lute player that was mysteriously standing among the ruins and playing haunting Irish songs. I thought it was part of a sound system they had integrated into the castle grounds until I stumbled upon an upside-down tam at his feet that was there to collect appreciation in the form of spare change.

Back in California, we purchased plants for a complete tropical landscaping makeover from a palm farm that raised peacocks that were kept in a chicken wire coop. The brothers that ran the place were simple folk with seemingly simple lives. Maybe that juxtaposition of extravagance with nature and simplicity was my lesson. It is the theme of a constant struggle I have within myself.