Enraptured Raptor
Hawk hops
climbing steps
following after
boy and man
door opens
all now enter
feathers flying
disaster time
The previous story about Valentine’s morning on Hains Point reminded me of an equally strange Valentine’s Day event. I was not taking pictures in 2000 (or was it early 2001?) so the above rectangular ditty will have to stand in for a photograph.
It was about 6:00 p.m., near sunset, at my wife’s restaurant, “A Taste of the World”. It was still early and, other than the kitchen staff, there was only one customer waiting for his carry-out. I was sitting at my accustomed place, a bar stool where I conduct my meager business - occasionally answering the phone and chatting up carry-out customers. Behind me was a side door and beyond that an access road and a large field with trees, grasses and some wildlife. The tables were all set with flowers and candles. As I sat sipping a glass of wine, I sensed a presence at the door behind me. I turned my head and saw a man and his son looking out at the field. I wondered why they were not coming in and what they could possibly be staring at in the gloaming. The boy was about 9 or 10 years old and had on a bright red jacket. I turned around and forgot about them for a few seconds until the door opened and in they came, followed quite casually by a red-shouldered hawk who hopped up the steps like he was a habitue of restaurants and bars. It seemed I should be saying - “Will that be a table for one adult, one child, and a hawk? Will you be needing a perch?” The three proceeded to walk several feet into the restaurant but then the spell was broken. Mr. Hawk suddenly realized that he was in unfamiliar and potentially hostile surroundings. By this point, I had overcome my amusement and astonishment and was aware of the gravity of the situation, knowing that if he became agitated, he could destroy half the glasses and flower settings in the place. It was so fortunate that this happened at 6:00 p.m. Thirty or more minutes later the restaurant would have been packed and the frightened bird would have created pandaemonium. Even without a packed restaurant, disorder and panic prevailed. He started flying and bumping himself silly against the walls. I approached and thought about picking him up until I looked closely at his long, sharp beak and talons. Finally, after several more collisions, he fell exhausted to the floor and my wife threw a jacket over him. I then safely picked up the stunned and semi-conscious party crasher and took him outside. I opened the jacket and after a few seconds he revived and flew away, back to his rampike perch in the near distance. So why had this happened? Why had a hawk, who would normally avoid such human contact, follow two strangers into a restaurant? It turned out it just might have been the boy and his costume. I was told that Valentine’s Day falls roughly at the beginning of Hawk Mating Season and that the boy’s red coat was probably the visual incitement that made him go where he would never have otherwise gone. He was in love and so threw caution to the winds. Thanks be to the Spirit of Enraptured Raptors that he chose an early time to demonstrate his passion!
26 Jun 2008 Dennis 0 comments