Some Notes from the Past II: Wandering Peacocks (Written on-- June 16, 2011)

 As I am preparing to take out pork stir-fry for dinner from my refrigerator there is an unusual, and loud crowing noise from outside. There are two peacocks in the lawn. A woman is on the other side with a camera, it looks like she is videotaping. The two birds appear completely oblivious- that they are in the middle of an urban human settlement where men and women do not generally venture out of their privacy to their lawns lest they disturb the privacy of fellow beings, or expose themselves in the open space to scrutiny and interpretation of unknown souls. One of the bird is close to the window of an apartment. I am not sure what its vocation there is, it does not appear to be feeding itself, just gazing, with it's neck bent in the shape of "S" and long beaks protruding out. The other one is in the lawn, moving mostly, picking the ground at times, perhaps some insects invisible to me. They did not stay for long. Without any declaration, they moved out, slowly, in pair, crossing the road, watching the traffic perhaps, onto the other side, and then out of my sight. Where will they go? Do they know where they came from, and do they have directions to return back to their homes if they have any? What if they don't? Perhaps they just travel. Each day to a new place, with one grazing, and the other gazing out with neck bent in a "S" shape and beaks protruding. What were they looking for in my settlement? What did they see?