I have my own personal story of a lifelong association with Flamingos. In more recent years they have come back to haunt me because of my Airstream interest.
I grew up in the 50' and 60's in Miami Heights, an old neighborhood right across the Miami River from downtown Miami, Florida. The house that we lived in was built in 1915, and had a basement which is very uncommon for house in Miami. The neighborhood was comprised of houses from the same era. Many of these houses, including ours, had an abundance of various yard art which always included at least one Pink Flamingo. Most were of the plaster variety in those days and were hand painted. Also common in the old neighborhood were Flamingos made of aluminum which adorned the front screen door on many of the homes. Yard art was quite prolific in Miami in those days.
As I moved into my teen years, I started to look at the traditional Miami yard art as tacky. I guess that it is a right of passage for a young man to perceive his parents' style as being in bad taste. I clearly remember thinking how embarrassing it was to have all that "junk" in our front yard.
My parents passed on and I moved away. I had long forgotten about the Pink Flamingos. Then in my fifties, I got an Airstream Travel Trailer, and realized that Pink Flamingos were part of the Airstream lore. A flood of memories came rushing back to me from my childhood, and I embraced the Pink Flamingo connection probably more than most Airstreamers do.
Our dear Lucy is adorned with Flamingos, inside and out. For me, they bring back warm memories of a simpler time and place. What I wouldn't give to be able to walk through Miami Heights in
1955 for a few moments, and take in the ambiance and the yard art of those days.
Please excuse my regressions.
Brian