Too Heavy

Photo by: Al Forbes

Vincenzo was proud of the metal eagle he’d bought. He couldn’t believe the low price he got for it at the market.

Giaco had concerns. “Why would such a beautiful sculpture be so cheap?” A powerful man, he tried to lift it but it wouldn’t budge. “What is it made of?”

“I don’t know,” said Vincenzo. “But it’s beautiful isn’t it? It’ll look great atop the City Building.”

They collected six strong men, but even they could barely move it. All agreed it was heavier than solid gold. They hastily assembled a crane from whole oak trees. It took days but they finally mounted the eagle on the City Building.

Unfortunately, their troubles weren’t over. Within a month stones began falling away from the building.

“It’s that damned eagle!” spat Giaco, dodging a piece of falling stone. “It’s too heavy.”

A week later, with the City Building’s facade threatening to collapse, they removed it. They towed it back to market on a cart used for giant marble columns. Giaco said, “Where on earth did this thing come from?”

Vincenzo sighed in embarrassment. “It used to be on the Tower at Pisa. You know, the leaning one.”
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Written for Sunday Photo Fiction: https://sundayphotofictioner.wordpress.com/2017/06/18/sunday-photo-fiction-june-18th-2017/

Author’s Notes:

Leaning Tower of Pisa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa