I veered left to miss colliding with the huge Bridgetown water tower My wing tips were just a caterpillar’s length away from the sides of the iron tank Close one I thought With the tower behind me I looked carefully for a slate covered spire In a flash it was there St Marco’s Church A starling gazed at me blankly from his perch on top of the lightning rod as I shot by Where’s the fire he snickered I just ignored him and zipped past When you’re racing seconds count I was really breathing heavily now My pectoralis major was starting to burn I set my beak to 7 degrees west of north and pitched quickly to the left and just in time the needlelike talons of a sharp-shinned hawk swept by barely missing my chest muscles I felt a sharp pain at my tail and an invisible push of air as I tumbled in space With no time to think I maneuvered into a series of dives left right and down and landed on a narrow ledge of an apartment building I was hidden in the fog Two tail feathers my own slowly drifted past The hawk once again a part of the gray mist disappeared disappointed 2 Homer on the Case
Luck was with me this time I whispered to myself All three of my heart chambers were thumping wildly I took a moment to cautiously look up then down left and right and then I took off again I passed over the tops of some trees ghostly and vague down below Keeler Park I thought Getting close But dang it I’m late I knew my time wouldn’t be great thanks to being sidetracked by the hawk Soon I saw the familiar red-brown brick of home appear It was a five story apartment building Humans lived inside but I lived on the top I could make out my owner Otto down below on the roof Grandad was standing with him as usual smiling I folded my wings and with one final thrust I plunged beak first from the sky swooping to my landing platform just as the gray shrouded dawn was turning into a golden summertime sunrise Also as usual Otto had the gold pocket watch at the ready I heard him calling even before I landed Atta way Homer You made it He smiled proudly as he clicked a button on the watch Otto always gave me a hero’s welcome welcome as if I were a hero not just another homing pigeon doing what I do best coming home 3 Chapter One
How’d he do Grandad asked Nineteen minutes Last time was seventeen Not your best time Hom Homer Something happened to you No wonder you’re two minutes behind your best time He picked me up and held me up to his chin giving me tiny kisses as if kisses would help me regrow tail feathers This was a little embarrassing but Otto was prone to overreacting wherever I was concerned Call it being overprotective Or get mushy and call it love Looks like Homer might’ve had a run-in with a hawk Grandad said And looks like it was a close one But don’t worry Otto He’ll grow new tail feathers in no time Otto looked alarmed Poor Homer he said Here I’ve put down fresh newspaper a little bit of cracked corn and your favorite millet mix Nice clean water All for you I heaved a big sigh and gazed gratefully at my rooftop world It consisted of a large cage with three sides made of chicken wire and the back covered in wood planks to keep the north wind out I had a cozy wooden box inside the cage to sleep in lined with soft sweet-smelling hay The cage had a huge swinging door that was almost 4 Homer on the Case
always open Otto kept it closed with a wooden peg at night to keep the occasional city raccoon from getting in and stealing my food But most of the time I was a free ranging pigeon I could come and go as I pleased I think Otto wanted me to have a little freedom and he trusted me to return to my rooftop That’s one good thing about being a homing pigeon we always know how to get back home I pecked hungrily at the food and gratefully let some of the water trickle down my throat Otto grabbed the pencil and clipboard that were kept hanging on a peg I couldn’t help but notice how he always beamed proudly as he carefully recorded my flight times Even times when I was a minute or two late Grandad noticed the cage door wide open You know Otto you really should keep that cage door closed 24-7 he said Otto gave me another gentle caress I know Grandad But Homer wouldn’t like being cooped up all day He can come and go as he pleases He knows where home is Grandad gave a little grunt Well he’s your pigeon Otto Your responsibility What happens to Homer is on your shoulders Just remember there are things like hawks out there 5 Chapter One
