Emily - Manitoba Friendly Story

“Well it was summer last year. It was a very windy and cold summer day. I was walking home and I came across this poor pigeon on the sidewalk, with like a super broken wing - or I don’t know what was wrong with it but it really wasn’t ok and I could tell it wasn’t gonna make it. So I stopped and I started calling wildlife numbers, but it was the weekend so no one was answering. I really wasn't sure what to do and I didn’t want to just leave it there. But as I’m on the phone I look up, and there is someone sort of tending to the pigeon. So I walk up to her, and she says “I don’t think she's going to make it, but we can't just leave her here - maybe she has a chance. Maybe we could bring her to the vet?” and I’m like “I don’t know if the vets are going to help her, but we can try”. So I called Pembina vet, and they said “Yeah if you can bring her down, we’ll do what we can.”

So me and this woman, her name was Shelly. She was like, the coolest old lady ever - she had these super long dreads, these 90’s jean shorts. She took charge of the situation - she scooped up the pigeon, I wasn’t wanting to touch it at all, she found a box for it, we got in my car, we loaded her up, and drove over to the vet.

Unfortunately with covid, and because it was the weekend, we couldn’t just walk right in we had to call for them to let us in. So we’re calling and calling, and they’re not picking up - and there are all these cars in the parking lot doing the same thing. Eventually Shelly is like “Well we can’t wait anymore.” She’s like holding it, stroking it, trying to calm it down. She’s really just so compassionate, she really just wanted this poor thing to feel at peace. Shelly says “We have to go wait outside by the door.” So we started ringing the doorbell trying to get in, but unfortunately the pigeon passed away in Shellys arms.They were able to take the pigeon and hopefully yenno, I don’t know what they do with it, but hopefully cremate it. But Shelly and I had a nice talk about you know, just being willing to stop and help out a poor creature. Even if it's not an animal people usually think of as very ‘cute’ or ‘friendly’ or whatever. 

Shelly really inspired me and made me feel a lot better about people, and the world. She was amazing. I see her walking in my neighbourhood sometimes, and I’m like I don’t know we have this shared story but I don’t know if she remembers me.

I think that we have this self-deprecating thing we do here, but as soon as someone like insults Manitoba or the people in it I will fiercely defend it. I really love the people here- I’ve travelled a bit, and I have never really felt like I've been in a place quite like it.”

- Emily

Manitoba Friendly Story