I read a disturbing article in The Oregonian the other day that started out like this: “The famous flamingos of Nakuru are fading away.” I had no idea where Nakuru was, but found that it’s in Kenya and is a lake that is disappearing due to environmental problems. The lake has lost about half its water in the past few years. Many birds have relocated to other lakes which are also shrinking. Many carcasses litter the dried sections of lake beds. The entire article made me very unhappy as I think flamingos are beautiful creatures.

But then, to my dismay, I find that the company that makes the pink plastic flamingos is going out of business! The Orlando Sentinel states: “The pink plastic flamingo, a Florida-inspired icon that has been reviled as kitschy bad taste and revered as retro cool, is dead at age 49.” Union Products, the manufacturer, was scheduled to close November 1 due to increased production costs. Robert Thompson, professor of popular culture at Syracuse University says: “As iconic emblems of kitsch, there are two pillars of cheesy, campiness in the American pantheon. One is the velvet Elvis. The other is the pink flamingo.”

The birth of the pink flamingo began in 1957. By the ‘70s, it had become a symbol of bad taste and was considered trash culture. But by the ‘90s we had learned to make fun of pop culture items and appreciate them. Now the pink flamingos are no longer a symbol of trash culture but a combination of kitsch, history and elegance. And I must say, I have done my part in bringing them to the forefront.

A few years ago I found one in a funny little shop and snapped it up. Now it sits along side my fern and watches over the rest of my flowers. I was hoping it would inspire the other residents in my condo group to do the same thing, but no one has. They have completely ignored it. I’m wondering if they think it’s just another crazy thing I do such as raising goldfish and a bullfrog on my deck until a raccoon ate them . . . or could it be the fact that after it rains I pick up the night crawlers and other earthworms I find on my sidewalk and parking lot and put them back on the grass to keep them from being squashed by cars or people. I don’t see anyone else doing that. Whatever the reason, I wasn’t able to promote pink flamingos around here. I guess I’m the only one who appreciates kitsch, history and elegance. The way I look at it, it’s their loss.

Now I’m thinking of finding a velvet Elvis to put on the window behind my flamingo. I couldn’t get more cheesy or campy than that!