Astoria: The Wayfaring Turkey’s Unusual Sojourn in Manhattan
As the period of mating escalates, Astoria, a wayfaring turkey, has set her sights on the cosmopolitan allure of Manhattan. Courteously greeting you this Wednesday morning, we turn our attention to an unusual visitor in the bustling streets of ‘The City That Never Sleeps’. Astoria, the explorative wild turkey, arrived in Manhattan with a purpose, and that too, it seems, in search of affection. While she may have approached New York’s East Side with hopes of courting, her three-day sojourn, so far, hasn’t turned out quite as expected.
Astoria made her grand entrance into the city on Sunday, after an unassuming flight covering the short expanse of approximately a thousand feet, from her erstwhile abode on Roosevelt Island. Though she stayed there over the past year, the allure of the city pulled her across the East River into Manhattan. Upon her landing in the East 50s, Astoria embarked on a quiet journey from one residential building to another, taking the city in her stride.
The building which provided shelter to Astoria on her second night is rumoured on StreetEasy to exude the luxuries synonymous with a five-star hotel. However, Astoria remained blissfully unaware of this assertion, her primary concern being to secure a safe and secluded spot for the night.
Bypassing the presence of the ever-vigilant doormen, Astoria found solace in a serene garden, situated in front of this luxury building. The unsuspecting avian decided to set up her overnight roost on a tenant’s balcony, marking the end of another eventful day in the metropolis. Nestled in the heart of the city under the starlit sky, Astoria rested peacefully.
As the city woke to the hustle and bustle of Tuesday, so did Astoria, stirred from her sleep on the serene and secure balcony. With the new day unfurling before her, the intrepid turkey took to her wings once again, maneuvering her flight toward a nearby park. It appears that her motivation was more gastronomical in nature, as she seemed to be scouting the locale for a delayed morning feast, favoring insects over the city’s more standard breakfast fare.
However, the tranquility of her morning was soon disturbed when she chose to venture into the teeming morning traffic on First Avenue. Despite her natural camouflage, Astoria’s unusual presence in the midst of the city’s vehicle-infused chaos didn’t go unnoticed.
A concerned onlooker, in the swirling stream of commuters, took the initiative to dial 911 upon observing Astoria’s precarious predicament. Within minutes, the responsibility of ensuring the vagabond turkey’s safety fell into the capable hands of the local law enforcement.
The New York police responded promptly, dispatching an Emergency Services Unit to handle the unusual city dweller. As the team arrived, they were met with the curious sight of Astoria, a wild turkey, standing nonchalantly amid the flowing river of Manhattan’s rush-hour traffic.