During the spring holidays, an 11-year-old in Somerset encountered a pigeon that would become an unforgettable pest. The bird, later named Percy, landed on the windowsill and pecked at the glass. The child, who had been eating toast and watching TV, was immediately taken with the bird's beauty, noting its dark wing bars and navy-tipped tail. It wasn't until later that the child realised the pigeon wasn't just looking inside—it was looking directly at him.
An Unlikely Friendship Begins
Pigeons were not common in Somerset, and the family lived on the top floor of a house in a quiet village, so sightings were valued. The child enjoyed watching the pigeon's rituals through the sash windows, from its movements on the sill to its small dark eyes and unnatural head tilt. They did not see pigeons as pests or threats.
One morning, the child paused the TV and eased open the window. The pigeon didn't move. The child broke off a corner of toast and tossed it onto the sill. The pigeon picked it up with its beak. "Hello, Percy," the child said, and the pigeon looked up.
A Mistake Realised
The next morning, Percy flew down before breakfast. The child opened the window and gave him more toast, but this time Percy hopped inside. They held eye contact for longer than seemed normal. When the child's mother came along the corridor, the child tried to shoo Percy out, but he dodged and hopped onto the log basket before flying back outside after flapping around. As the child turned back, the pigeon was still there, holding the crust but not eating it. The child suddenly realised they had made a terrible mistake.
Percy appeared again the next morning, but the child didn't open the window. Percy remained, pecked at the glass, and eventually flew off. This repeated for days, and the child stopped going into the living room.
Weeks of Avoidance
For the rest of the week, the child's mind drifted towards the pigeon. Small tasks seemed impossible, and conversations lost their thread. The child decided to confront the situation, walking slowly down the landing and getting down on their knees to peer around the living room door frame, hoping to remain unseen. They were wrong.
Two weeks later, the child and their sister had upended their lives. They stopped watching TV, drew the curtains, closed the shutters, and commando-crawled into the kitchen to remain unseen. The flat became dark and tomb-like. As they passed Easter and prepared for school, they realised they might have won—Percy wasn't there.
Years later, a pigeon came to rest on the windowsill. The child was older now, but it didn't matter. They shut their eyes and waited for it to fly away.
