Something fading

There were a lot of dovecotes in Moscow some years ago. A lot of people bred pigeons in attics, balconies. With rapture and delight boys looked up in the sky to see which pigeon appears first. Now there are few dovecotes in Moscow. And the dovecote owner’s average age is about 50. There is small and unsightly dovecote in one of Moscow districts. It is owned by Sergey. He said that since his childhood he dreamed of his dovecote. When he was a child, pigeons were kept in his yard. He looked at pigeons for hours and could not tear himself away. Pigeons became his passion and love for life. Now he is 68 years old. “I come here like to a sanctuary. I see my pigeons and forget about all diseases” – tells Sergey. And it seems strange that such dovecote can be compared with church. But for Sergey it is true. Since he grew up, he always and everywhere keeps pigeons. “There used to be a simple wooden dovecote here, but it was set on fire” - tells Sergey. And he himself built a new one. Sergey shows old photographs and remembers the pigeons that were in his life. “Sometimes you lift a flock of pigeons into the sky, but they do not return” – Sergey recall. So he lost two flocks. Now he keeps simple formation of white pigeons, because expensive breed is often stolen. And everyday he comes in his dovecote, he cleans the dovecote, feeds and gives water to pigeons, talks to them and rests his soul. Pigeons have become a familiar entourage of city life. And they are noticed when they begin to interfere. Dovecote stays between multistoried buildings. Some passed by without noticing it, some looks and wonder what a rarity, some stays and watch. Sometimes someone will smile at a flying white dove. But there is a person for whom this building and its inhabitants have become an integral part of life.