What's Up With the Flamingos?

I love pink flamingos. Not because they win beauty contests, have historical significance, or taste great. No, I'm attached to pink flamingos because of the ideas behind them. We keep a large plastic pink flamingo proudly displayed in our front flowerbed. We had two, but they were stolen. Now we have the lone soldier who migrates around the front yard. I don't know what the neighbors think about it, but since it's not their property, well, I guess it doesn't concern them!

There's a hometown garden/nursery store in Austin, TX called "Pots and Plants." Actually it's in Westlake, but that's close enough. To make sure I'm citing a real place, check out the website www.plasticpinkflamingos.com. Every year, Pots and Plants puts out plastic pink flamingos on the front of it's property as a sign of spring. During football season, it's not uncommon to see burnt orange and crimson flamingos arranged like a football lineup. In the winter, the pink flamingos hibernate and plastic penguins take their place. You can always tell the seasons are changing by the flamingos.

Now, that's not so bad, a bit irreverent, but a fantastic marketing concept! 

Westlake is a suburb west of Austin, TX. It's a higher income area with great schools and is well known for it's snob appeal. I lived in Westlake during high school (Go Chaps!), having moved their from the more elitist Highland Park of Dallas. Back then, mind you this was 20 years ago, Westlake was already known for being the rich kid school of the area. Now, with many people migrating to the area from California, it's snob appeal and "we're just a little better than you" aura is growing. Think gated communities and rules on what you can display in your own front yard.

About 10 years ago, my husband and I stumbled upon an article about the flamingos at the Pots and Plants nursery. The community of Westlake was fighting the nursery about their right to display their flamingos. The idea was the flamingos brought down the value of the area, making it look trashy, attracting the wrong type (immigrant flamingos?!) of people, and generally making a mockery of Westlake. Gimme a break. This is Austin, Texas, the freest place in the state. In response to the communities arguments, Pots and Plants did exactly what I had hoped - they put out MORE flamingos. Touche! At some point the nursery wins the battle, Westlake got over itself, and now it's a bit of a landmark for the natives - people, that is, not flamingos.

OK, so how does this relate? We live in Lubbock, Texas. If you have never been here, well, it's in the panhandle of west Texas. The terrain is flat, the wind blows, and it's very conservative. There are more churches in Lubbock than any other place I know. While you can order an alcoholic drink in a restaurant or a bar, you cannot buy alcohol within the city limits. We're the home of Texas Tech University and Buddy Holly. 

About this same time, my husband - then boyfriend - and I started building a home. The neighborhood at the time was a new one with many retirees. Our home was between two retired couples, both with large religious statues in the front flowerbeds. A school principal lives across the street.

At the time, Alan had long blond hair. It was so great. He drove a black sports car, and listened to lots of loud music. Those who didn't know him sometimes thought he might sell drugs. Little did they know he's just a fun loving guy. We met the neighbors on the west one evening:

Them: "How long have we been married?" 

Us: "We're not married." 

Them: "When's the big day then? Surely it's right around the corner?"

Us: "Nothing scheduled yet. Here. Come by for a beverage some time!" (Alan hands them a business card with the words "Alan and Rachel are shackin' up! Come by the house for a free adult beverage!"

After that we didn't see them so much. A bit standiffish, they were. Perhaps we didn't fit their model of the perfect neighbors. Thinking of Pots and Plants, we put two very large and very bright pink flamingos in the flowerbeds. It was our way of saying don't judge us, don't make assumptions. We'll do our thing, and you can do yours! Kind of like a "right back atcha" to the establishment.

Since then, numerous pink flamingos have found their way to the White home: glasses, ornaments, pictures, flags, refrigerator magnets, and even a wine bottle holder. We have a pink flamingo Christmas tree every year.

So, when you get tired of doing what everyone expects, your rut gets too deep, or you want to fight the good fight, become a follower of the pink flamingo. Hold your head high, act gracefully, and be the beautiful bird that you are!