Colorful Tale

* Re “A Most Beautiful Nuisance,” Feb. 22: The plague of peacocks in various Southern California communities brought back fond memories. One peacock in particular used to visit me and my large garden daily, departing from his harem across the street. He was not destructive, but loved to stroll through my plants, picking off insects. He’d eat a rose petal or two, but wouldn’t eat tomatoes, beans or flowers; he would devour the corn borers and kernels as I cleaned off the ears and warned me of strangers and snakes. Best of all, he would perform on cue when I had company. “Show time,” I would yell. Up went his tail feathers, and parade around he would. I thought peacocks were cool.

But one day he disappeared--nary a feather, not a drop of blood, not a sound. A mystery.

TOM LUBISICH

Malibu