Many Lament The Loss Of The Obtuse Rd Giraffe

By Jan Howard

It appears that replicas of insects and animals are not safe in Newtown these days. While The Newtown Bee’s distinctive weathervane is undergoing repairs from recent vandalism, the giraffe featured on the front page of the July 9 issue of The Newtown Bee has escaped from his barn on Obtuse Road and is lost, perhaps forever.

Dot Dwyer, who made the papier-maché giraffe head and neck about a year and a half ago, said she and her husband, Tom, were away for a few days and upon returning home realized the whimsical giraffe, which had entertained passing motorists for a couple of weeks, was missing from the barn window.

She is hopeful the giraffe will come home; it has a lot of nostalgic value for her family. Mrs Dwyer said she often would have him peering out from trees on their property to delight their grandchildren when they visited.

Mrs Dwyer said on Monday that at least 30 people have stopped by her house to say how sorry they were about the loss of the giraffe.

“The response is amazing,” she said. “Many of them said the giraffe lifted their spirits.”

Two Brookfield residents stopped by early this week to express their regrets “and were very sad,” Mrs Dwyer said. In fact, they appeared so sad that Mr Dwyer said it was as if they were attending a wake.

Those responsible for the giraffe’s disappearance should know that this is not just an everyday papier maché giraffe. Not only does he have sentimental value for Mr and Mrs Dwyer, he now has a name, thanks to 5-year-old Andriana Bonadio who cut his picture out of The Bee and named him Jeffrey. After writing “I love you” on the photo, it was placed on her family’s refrigerator.

Her mother, Janine, noted that it is unfortunate that someone would do something to an object that has “a little hope to it,” particularly on someone else’s property.

Many who pass the Dwyer home feel the same way and miss Jeffrey’s whimsical presence. Perhaps someone will find him and return him to his barn window where a homemade sign seeks his return.