They came from… well, we never did find out where. Their history remains a mystery, but everyone agreed that Percy and his lady were an odd couple to move into the village. He was a handsome specimen, always dressed in his best. Stately… that is probably the best word to describe his bearing. At first glance, he seemed arrogant, but he was friendly enough, when you met him in person, and always curious about everyone and everything. She, on the other hand, was much more timid, less colourful creature and very quiet.
You could meet them anywhere in the village, though I never knew them to leave it again once they had moved in. You would often meet one of them at the village shop or in the manor grounds… and the number of times I have had to slow the car to let them cross the street is beyond counting. Everybody loved them though… except Ani; the dog was quite unnerved by him and behaved very strangely, every time she saw him.
When she died, Percy was inconsolable. He began turning up in strange places, and was often seen in people’s gardens, as if he was looking for her. And sometimes, after dark, you would hear his cries.
This state of affairs continued unabated for several years. Percy continued to frequent their old haunts and wander the village alone. No-one minded… he was as handsome and as friendly as ever… but he was alone and sometimes the loneliness showed as he sought out the people he trusted.
When the local newsletter came today, it carried a picture of the couple on the cover, and I was saddened to read of Percy’s demise. The village streets may be safer without his wandering presence, the night will not carry his lonely cry, but the village will not be the same without the mysterious Percy, our resident peacock.
Percy the peacock, at the village shop.
Rest in peace, Percy.
Bless…
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RIP Percy
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He will be missed.
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A sweet story. He will be missed. xo (maybe not by Ani though)
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Definitely not by Ani 😉
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Beautiful…
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He was lovely to have around.
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Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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Thanks for sharing, Jaye x
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How very sad…
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He was part of the life of the village for many years.
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Reblogged this on Sun in Gemini and commented:
Simple, beautiful writing from Sue.
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Thanks. Steve x
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R.I.P. Percy!
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I’ll mis having him wander the village.
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What a lovely memory. They can touch us in such wonderful ways. Now they rest easy in your memories.
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Not just mine, they were a village institution for many years.
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Lovely tribute to Percy.
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He will be missed…. though he was not always the best thing to meet in the middle of the roads!
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Reblogged this on The Militant Negro™.
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Thank you.
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Oh bless. RIP Percy.
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Bon Voyage, Percy. 😦
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Oh! Sue this is so lovely. At least they are at least they will be reunited at last.💜💜
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They were together a very long time.
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It’s so sad when any long turn couple get separated.. .. humans do not have exclusive rights on feelings.💜💜
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Absolutely not, though we would like to think so sometimes. x
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Yes indeed, I wonder why Ani was not keen on them..too big and colourful I suppose and being avian did not help I suppose.😉
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Well, as she sees pigeons as a mortal threat, I canonly imagine that peacocks are her worst nightmare 😉
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It’s so odd how we immediately form images in our minds when we read or hear something. Through the whole tale, I believed them to be a human couple, especially the way they were described. I could not understand then in my mind why Ani would have a negative thought of them. It sure does show me how I have to learn not to make quick judgments of what I see visually.
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We all do that, Anne… and more often than we arealise, accepting a reality we have created in our minds through assumption.
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Hopefully, he is reunited with his great love, fanning his great tail adoringly.
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I hope so…it has beena long time since he had a mate to display for .
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So peacocks are also lifetime mates. That seems to be common amongst birds. Swans and geese are also lifetime mates and often become disconsolate when they lose their partner. Wolves are in their own way, monogamous and if a pack loses its lead male, it often never gets another. Humans should only be as faithful.
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Even some fish mate for life…
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Awww… such a nice tribute to Percy.
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he will be missed.
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Aww! This is such a sweet story, Sue.
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Thanks, Robbie.
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Oh, I’m so sad to read this. I remember your stories about the peacocks. R.I.P. Percy. xxx
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There is another flock of peacocks I know, up in Derbyshire… but Percy was ‘ours’. x
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I think they are fascinating birds, I love them. xxx
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Really sweet. At first, I thought they were two people. That was a great twist but everything then made more sense. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Percy will be mised around here 🙂
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