One lazy Saturday afternoon, I was sitting on the couch with the kids when I heard the elevator door open outside our flat (When you open the door, it’s literally only one stride into our house and if we don’t close the door, which we never do, anyone can just walk right in!). In walked our neighbor and friend Jeannette Nardi. Those that have met Jeanette (My parents have) know that she has a wonderful dry wit about her. She walked straight out of the elevator and into our flat, looked me in the eye and with a stoic look said “I’ve got a big problem!” I wasn’t sure at first if this would be followed by a humorous comment, so I asked “What’s up?” Jeanette then proceeded to explain that she had a giant bird in her house and that it was alive!
Those that know Anna and I know that the following statement, from yours truly, was no joke but straight truth. “Jeanette, I’m not your man for the job, BUT I know just the lady who is!” I called for Anna and she immediately headed downstairs to find out just what was going on in the Nardi apartment, but not before instructing me to grab a bed sheet!
When we entered the living room we were astonished to find that somehow an owl had gotten in and lodged itself in the iron security bars that covered her window! It was the strangest thing. How in God’s green earth did an owl (That wasn’t small by the way) get into their home? One thing that I have not mentioned in past blogs is that the area that we live in is truly like living in the country. Marignolle is perhaps the most desired area in all of Florence because you are in the country but yet only ten minutes from the city (Think Montecito meets Tuscany). I would estimate that the property that we live on is the smallest lot in all of Marignolle. Our lot is roughly four acres! The result is all sorts of living creatures in the surrounding area, especially some very beautiful birds.
My concern (Mostly because I’m a chicken shit when it comes to these things) was Anna getting bit by this large bird who was clearly panicked by being stuck in the iron bars and who had a very sharp beak and long, sharp talons. It was so cool to see Anna operate under pressure. She calmly talked quietly to the bird and used the bed sheet to shield it from us (Therefore calming it down). My job was to open the iron bars far enough so Anna could reach in and wrap the owl in the sheet and set it free out the window. This of course is an extreme over simplification of what needed to happen as there were all sorts of barriers in our way, including the fact that the owls wing was caught in the bars and needed to be dislodged, that it could easily bite or scratch her when she picked it up and that the window bars were locked and we had a difficult time finding a key!
With a little teamwork (That’s like saying that when Tiger Woods won the Masters that it was a team effort with his caddy!) we were able to get the bars open far enough for Anna to free the bird. From there I opened the window while Anna carried the owl to a point where she could set it free. Only in Italy!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment