Blue

Since before I can remember, Blue (the peacock) has been a Florida staple. Every time we visited my grandparents, my sister and I would sit outside, spilling handfuls of cat food, waiting for striking blue and green feathers to appear. At some point, the waiting stopped, and Blue would already be there- awaiting his next meal. He knew that our home was a safe space, and he could often be found roosting in our front yard tree or lying in its shade.

Blue was such a large part of my Florida experience that I actually grew up thinking peacocks were native to Florida. Nobody ever informed me of this "fact", but since Blue was always there, it just made sense! Eventually, though, I found out this wasn't the case, and that it was only by chance that we met this peacock friend.

Many years ago (about 27 if you ask my grandmother), Blue, along with a couple peahens, was released into my grandparents' neighborhood. We don't know who released them or why- we are just grateful Blue found his way to us. Though many hens have come and gone, Blue has always stuck around and evaded capture. Melbourne is his home, and he knows it.

Most of the locals know Blue by name and will leave him food and water. Visitors often stop and marvel at his vibrant colors, dumbfounded to see a real peacock inhabiting the area (apparently, peacocks aren't a part of most people's everyday life). Just like Orlando Park or Melbourne Beach, Blue is a steady part of the Indialantic community, and people treat him as such.

Unfortunately, not everyone is as cognizant of our feathered friend. A couple years ago, someone decided to take an off-leash walk with their dog through our neighborhood. As soon as the dog saw Blue, she chased after him, her teeth crunching through the bone of his leg. Blue was able to get away, and the owner grabbed their dog, but the damage was already done.

For weeks, Blue wouldn't put any weight on his hurt leg and defaulted to hopping around. An animal sanctuary was called and showed up, trying to catch him, but that task seemed improbable- and even if they could catch Blue, they would likely euthanize him. After hearing this morbid news, the neighborhood was quickly able to spread the word: DO NOT CALL ANIMAL CONTROL. Nobody wanted to see him torn away from his home, and with the help of caring neighbors, we haven't had anyone try to catch him since.

Even though the community made a pact to keep Blue safe, he was still injured. This was a terrifying development; Blue had only survived so long because he had been able to escape predators and capture easily. What would happen to this 15-pound bird without two functioning legs?

The answer? Nothing! Blue is still here, and even though he can't use his left leg, he gets around just fine. Plus, by the grace and love of community members, such as my grandmother, he lives a comfortable life (as comfortable as it gets with only one foot).

My grandma has always held Blue in a special place in her heart, and as a kid, I always thought of him as her sort of pet. As I've grown older, though, and seen her love for him, it has become clear that this is not the case. Although Grandma feeds him, gives him water, and takes lots of pictures, Blue has, in his own way, supported her just as much.

Peacocks are prey animals, thus anxious by nature; their natural instinct is to avoid humans as much as possible. Blue is skittish like this in most situations, but he seems to know my grandmother and stays close to her house. When she goes outside, he'll hop closer- waiting for his next meal. He still won't let her (or anyone) pet him, but he does leave Grandma presents. You can often find my grandmother outside, collecting shed feathers from her yard. Grandma has vases full of these beautiful turquoise quills around her home; a constant reminder of the beauty he adds to her life. Even if this act of shedding isn't directly for my grandma, it brings her much joy.

Seeing trust like this between humans and wild animals is quite rare, but animals have good instincts. I believe Blue can sense the gentleness of Grandma's soul and the unwavering adoration she has for him. And so, he has faith enough to take shelter at her home and ornament her yard with feathers.

A bouquet made from the purest form of trust; that is Blue's gift.