Unearthed Photo: Aunt Rima’s Reluctant TV Star Toucan

Adventures of a Toucan and the Women Who Loved Him

I’m launching a new section of Love in Many Genres for paid subscribers. My regular content will remain free, and I’m infinitely grateful to everyone who reads it and shares their thoughts in the comments and over email. For those who want a little extra, I’m launching a monthly Unearthed Photo section, where I’ll post a photo (which everyone, paid or unpaid can see) and tell a story about it.

I’m opening with one of my favorite stories about one of my favorite people. I’ve spent decades interviewing my aunt Yarima Hidalgo, who has lived 87 thrilling lives in the 87 years she’s been in the world. This uncanny story of her beloved TV-starring toucan stems from an interview we did (over Skype, how quaint) 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

Aunt Rima feeding plantains to her toucan as her boyfriend Julio watches. Photo courtesy of Yarima Hidalgo.

Back in the 1970s, my aunt Rima found a toucan walking behind the papaya tent at the open-air market in Santa Elena, a small town in the Venezuelan Amazon. She noticed that many of the papayas had beak-shaped indentations and asked the salesman if she could buy the toucan from him. He looked around for his wife, and not seeing her nearby, whispered to Rima that if she promised to be good to the toucan, she could have him for free.