1984 - The Pigeon Incident
In 1984 I was on my first overseas deployment. My ship stopped in Pearl Harbor and I and a few shipmates went to a hotel in Waikiki and rented a room. While my buddies were out on a beer run, was out on the balcony enjoying the scenery and eating Doritos. A pigeon landed on the handrail and feeling generous, I tossed a Dorito to the deck for the pigeon.
Immediately the sky was darkened with pigeons headed for my balcony and before I could move I was knee deep in pigeons. I tossed a handful of Doritos to the pigeons and soon had a feeding frenzy on my hands. Having consumed a few beers prior to these events, an alcohol induced idea entered my mind.
I opened the sliding door to the balcony and backed into the room. I tossed another handful of Doritos to the deck of the room and a good number of pigeons followed me into the room. I back across the room tossing Doritos and the pigeons followed. I opened the door to the hall, and seeing no one about, I backed into the hall tossing Doritos. The pigeons followed. I backed down the hall and tossed a few more Doritos. Some of the pigeons followed. Feeling like the Pied Piper, I led my pigeons to the elevator and pressed the down button. I tossed a few more Doritos to the pigeons while waiting for the elevator. When the elevator door opened (empty thank God) I tossed a handful of Doritos in, and some of the pigeons went in after them. I reached in and pressed the lobby button and the pigeons were on their way to the lobby.
At this time the pigeons in the hall panicked and started flying up and down the hall. I retreated to my room and started ushering the stragglers still in my room out of the balcony door. By the time I had my room clear of pigeons I heard a commotion in the hall. Peeking out in the hall I saw some hotel staff trying to catch the pigeons flying in the hall. A very short time later my shipmates returned to the room laughing their asses off. They said that they were waiting in the lobby for the elevator, when the door opened and a bunch of pigeons flew out. People waiting for the elevator were screaming and running around. Over a few beers I told them how the pigeons got on the elevator. When we checked out two days later, there were still pigeons in the rafters in the lobby.
Coming home from deployment, my ship again stopped in Pearl Harbor and we went back to the same hotel. This time we were denied a room. I can’t imagine why.
OMG!!! aomagrat...I love it!!! What a story! Thanks for sharing.
The talk of the hotel for a LONG time. LOL!
Give a sailor/soldier some free time and a six-pack; and you won’t believe what happens next. Probably because an ordinary person hasn’t the mental capacity to come up with the (stuff) we do!!