by Travis Mateer
If you’d like to know how my first weekend of homelessness went, then head over to Western Montana News for my second article, which answers the question What Kind Of Homeless Will I Be? Check it out!
One thing I didn’t get into with that piece is the sudden proliferation of pigeons in my life. Since the location of my first two nights sleeping in my truck was right in front of the Wilma, I consider the appearance of pigeons everywhere to be a fortuitous sign.
How many pigeon signs did I receive? Well, first there’s the fact that the Wilma was once owned by Edward Sharpe, an eccentric man who is pictured above with his “dove”, the pigeon Koro Hatto. I’ll be writing about Ed and his pigeon sometime next week.
As I was parked outside the Wilma, a woman I know from my shelter days hopped in, but she couldn’t stay long, since the pigeons she is raising were back at her camp and needing their pigeon mom. Then, the next day, I caught some scenes from the movie Migration, where a pigeon gang helps a duck family get a snack in New York City.
After that, pigeons were referenced on a podcast episode by the booking asshole who blacklisted me from reappearing on Sam Tripoli’s show. Then, after I relocated my house on wheels beneath a bridge, the sound of pigeons cooing has become one of the background sounds I’m falling asleep to.
Today is First Friday in downtown Missoula, so I’ll be around working on my complex narrative delivery system constructed with plastic bricks and other trinkets, while soliciting feedback on which Lego figure should get the coveted part of Detective Guy Baker. The figure on the left is definitely in the lead so far.
If you appreciate the work I’m doing here in Zoom Town, then consider donating to Travis’ Impact Fund (TIF). I may not be paying $800 dollars for a little room anymore, but there’s still PLENTY of bills that need to be covered. Any little bit helps.
Thanks for reading!