Bird Lady of Adams Morgan - a memory collage

In a recent reminiscence with family, I shared the story of the Bird Lady of Adams Morgan. I lived in Washington, DC for a decade.  In 1983, we lived in the Adams Morgan area at 16th & Columbia Road, in the Park Plaza apartments, which are still there, but now as trendy condominiums. Adams Morgan, very hip now,  was then a vibrant, but rather funky area; with a plethora of Ethiopian restaurants and ethnic foods of all types.  My metaphysical bookstore, Synchronicity Bookshop, was at 18th and Wyoming. with a pre-school right across the street.

Along our usual walk home, we often stopped in a small pocket-park on Columbia Road and regularly saw the Bird Lady.  She stood tall and regal and fed the pigeons copious amount of Wonder Bread. She had decorated her dress with empty Wonder Bread wrappers, attached with safety pins. In the winter she had an equally adorned long coat.  She rarely spoke to anyone and did not ask for money.  

My young four year old was quite attracted to her and established a rapport with her. One day I was asked for a quarter to give to the Bird Lady for bread and that became our tradition whenever we came across her. Never more than a quarter, because she said it would be too much.

There are no photos of the actual Bird Lady, only a salute to her in this constructed memory collage.

Bird Lady of Adams Morgan

For Alexander.

Till next time.