Memories of Robert DeNiro and Hummingbird Food

Springtime in New York always
comes with a sense of new beginnings.  The air has a fresh sweet smell.
People walk with renewed vigor.
There's a sense of something good
and important about to occur. 

I pull out my hummingbird feeders with anticipation of their arrival
...on the tail of Canada Geese, it's said. 

Of course, it's not literal.
The hummers move on their own
wing beats and have never been known
to hitch a ride on a goose tail. 

The sound of Canada Geese overhead, usually means that  hummers have completed their migratory journey
as well...back to their place of birth
...a homecoming...perhaps with a new spouse...to create the next generation.

For the past dozen years, the hummers have  been  on time. 
Males arrive on May first and my feeders will be ready with
homemade sugar syrup and hung in their usual location.

It's probably my thousandth time making their food. 
I pour a cup of white sugar and one cup water into a small saucepan.
As I stir over a high heat to dissolve,
my mind begins to wander. 

No longer in my kitchen, 
memory has me in NYC,
strolling  uptown on Columbus Avenue with two friends. 

A red light stops us  and we're being looked over
by a handsome Italian enjoying his drink at a corner cafe. 
He gives us a quick little smile of approval. 

Paige asks me, "Do you know that guy ?" 
I answer, "No...I have no idea who that is.  Do you, Callie ?" 
She shook her head  and we crossed the street as he watched.   
It was an uncomfortable  compliment. 

A block away Paige declared, " I know who that is ! 
That was Robert DeNiro ! 
That's why he looked so familiar. 
We have to go back. 
I have to see if it's really  him or just a look alike."

And so we did. 

A small crowd had now gathered around the window, chatting eagerly and finger pointing . 

Yes,
it was Robert DeNiro,
wearing a corduroy jacket with suede elbow patches,
Touki Smith at his side with an incredibly tight fitting short dress. 

Just then, Richard Belzer, who's very very tall, emerged from the place, 
hailed a cab, popped in and was gone as folks shouted,
"It's the BELZ !  It's the BELZ !  It's the BELZ !"

Back in the kitchen,
my sugar syrup has begun to boil. 
I take it off the heat and put it in the fridge to cool.

Again, I'm taken by memory. 
This time to Junction Pool in Roscoe, NY, { The best Trout Fishing Town in the USA }. 
I'm walking my Chowmation dog, Miss Abbey at the river edge where two men are fishing. 

The short older man turns and calls to me with excitement,
"Ooh-ooh...miss...would you come here ? 
See this dawg ?  Look at this dawg ! 
This is exactly the kinda dawg I was telling you about ! 
This is the kinda dawg  you should get !" 

I could hear the other fellah say,
"What are ya doin, man ? 
I told you, I don't wanna be bothered by anyone today."  

"But we talked about this in the car and this is the kinda dawg I was talkin' about.
You gotta see it !" 

The man turned. 
It was Robert DeNiro...or his twin. 
He seemed very annoyed.

The syrup has cooled off. 
I add two and a half cups cold water,
stir and pour into feeders.

The hummingbirds will be happy. 
I hang one at my kitchen window and the second near the porch swing.

Spring is here and anything can happen.

Maybe I'll go see one of DeNiro's new movies:
THE  BIG  WEDDING
GRUDGE  MATCH 
FIRST  MAN

Whaddya  think  ?

---

De Niro at a ceremony to have his hands and shoe prints placed in cement in front of TCL Chinese Theatre in February 2013