What is the situation in the beginning of the story “ a very old man with enormous wings”

The short story, A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings tells the story of Pelayo and his wife Elisenda, who find an old man with wings in their courtyard after killing crabs in a rainstorm. Pelayo gets his wife, and they try to communicate with him unsuccessfully. They eventually get their neighbor woman, who informs them that the old man is an angel.