Wednesday, 1 January 2020

unspectacular end

Along the river Isar in the centre of Landshut there is a muddy gravelled footpath, close to the edge of the water. It is muddy because the water fowl always land there, maybe to dry their feet, maybe to be fed. A flock of pigeons is there too, dark blue-grey birds, pecking between the gravel stones, for whatever reason.
Take the camera from it's bag, a photo of the pigeons at their pecking from above would be nice. There is a rush of wings, Hitchcock fashion the ground is covered in birds, pigeons and gulls. They believe that they are going to be fed, well now is that not too bad. Check the adjustments to the little camera, then suddenly all the birds seem to lose interest. There is another man there, and he is really scattering edibles for the birds. He is surrounded, others appear in flocks. Perhaps this makes him feel popular,birds landing on his shoulders, seeming almost unafraid. Take pictures of him with the birds, surrounded by them, mobbed by them.
There are others there, using their mobile phones to hold the moment, to make films, to share on the web, who knows, something might happen that would let their video go viral.
Whatever that means. The man, now joined by a woman, coninues to entertain the birds.
Walk up the footpath , then go under the bridge. A wide gravel path here, the sun is low and the light dazzling.
It is the first of January, and people are out walking off their hangovers.
There is a child in the middle of the pedestrian street. It is tired and wants to be carried, the father of the child is fifteen metres on, standing there, stamping his foot, to encourage the child to move. The child is tired, it is screaming and it will not go anywhere.

Walk on, why not? No point in looking for the unspectacular end to to that story.



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