Macaulay - Rome Antics

Somewhere in the Italian hills,a homing Pigeon is released. Shesoars Quickly and follows an oldroad, which (of course) leads toRome.

For Ruthie

After a couple of hours, the sight of ancient tombs and the sound of distant car horns tell her she is getting close.

Finally, she sees the high brick wall that once surrounded the city, but now just interrupts it.

As she approaches an abandoned gatehouse, a most unprofessional thought enters her head.

Instead of traveling directly to her destination, which is standard pigeon procedure, she decides to take the scenic route.

In no time she is circling the most famous amphitheater in the world, still standing room only after all these centuries.

Across the road, pieces of buildingsome marble, some brickare sprouting up among the wildflowers and equally wild cats.

Chiming midday bells draw her over the hill, where streams of cars roar up and down both sides of the river.

To avoid the traffic, she dives below the high embankments and follows her reflection upstream.

Back over dry land, she meets an unusual bird who says nothing.

Sun-warmed terra-cotta rooftops are tempting places to land. But a pigeon must be careful.

Trees and flowers in a private garden remind her of the country.

Distracted and a little homesick, she narrowly avoids a disastrous encounter.

But she is soon comforted by the sight and smell of food in a market square.

Feeling a little hungry, she follows her beak down narrow streets in search of crumbs.

An attempt to snack between the cobblestones is rudely interrupted by a careless scooter, driving her back to the safety of the sky.

Still hungry, she flies on, but now her wings are getting tired.

Once again she tries to land. Once again she is denied.

A sudden collision sends her reeling.

Perhaps the scenic route was not such a good idea.

Somewhat discombobulated, she struggles to regain her composure and her bearings.

At last she spies a row of restaurants and approaches without reservation.

She finds a soft warm place to rest and is about to close her eyes when a cell phone rudely bleeps.

Startled back into the sky, she flies towards a large but unfortunately inedible confection.

Barely stopping to catch her breath, she disappears into a gaping hole.

Through the darkness she descends towards an open door.