I Know Why The Caged Birds Talk....

.... Because they have a lot to say, that's why.

A simple trip to the dry-cleaners can be cause for joy, if your dry-cleaner happens to have two pet birds in his store. Our local dry-cleaner has just that...... a black mynah bird, and a gray parrot. Both in separate cages in the shop, near the windows and near the counter where you drop off the clothes.

Lucy is the gray parrot.... she doesn't say all that many words, but her whistles and sounds are numerous. Her "wolf whistle" is very impressive... so much so that the first time you hear it, you would swear that a man is whistling at you. Most of all, Lucy likes to make friends, and she has done so with me. I swear, that bird recognizes me when I come into the door of the shop.

Lucy's cage is very big, compared to her size, but she comes right up to the front of the cage when I walk into the store. She looks at me closely--- maybe to make sure it's me? Then when she's satisfied that I am who she thinks I am, she puts her head down near the door of her cage so I can stick my fingers inside and pet her head and her neck. Very trusting, wouldn't you say?

So I stand there and talk to her, saying her name with each sentence and phrase, because her owners have said that she indeed knows her name. Her feathers are soft, for the most part, but just a teeny bit prickly near the tips. Gorgeous shades of gray and white and cream, with a splash of orange near her tail-feathers.

The black mynah bird has lots of words and phrases. Besides the usual hello and good-bye, he will ask Can you talk? I would imagine that nearly everyone coming into that store has asked the bird that same question, so it was only a matter of time till he started to mimic that. Today, after the mynah bird bathed himself in his extra-large water dish, he clearly said "Starch or no starch?" I laughed out loud at that, and I think I scared the mynah bird a little bit because he hopped up to a higher perch in his cage and didn't say peep after that.

I will have to remember not to laugh so loud. Gracious, I hope the birds understand that I'm laughing with them, not at them. I truly enjoy those birds. The dry-cleaners has a drive-up window at the side of the store, but I wouldn't think of using it. I would miss not seeing the birds. Especialy Lucy.

I will have to ask the owner if the mynah bird has a name. Imagine if his name is Ricky!? (Oops.... don't laugh so loud!)