parrots

A friend sent me an article from the NYT about parrots today. I do not know why – it came with no text. And so I read it, to see what about parrots reminded him of me.

Perhaps he thought I should get one. No, no parrot for me. I travel too much. And their droppings are disgusting. I had parakeets once, to appease a universal longing children have for pets. Naturally, one died and had to be replaced. Years later the other one died and had to be replaced. I realized then that unless miraculously two died at the same moment I would be replacing parakeets for the rest of my life. Eventually one died and I told the other that she would just have to live out her final years solo.

I think she kind of enjoyed being on her own. She lived forever.

Maybe the article was sent to me as a question. The person interviewed in the article is a parrot fan but he admits to having once eaten a parrot. I did answer my friend and assured him that I had never eaten a parrot. Not even when visiting places where parrot consumption is the norm.

(But I do eat chicken so perhaps I should not brag about my parrot avoidance.)

In the article, it was mentioned that parrots are smart and loyal. Perhaps my friend was suggesting that I am both, but I do not think so. There are more efficient ways of telling someone they are smart or loyal or both.

I am hoping it is a hint at future travel. Perhaps he is suggesting that we should visit parrot-inhabited regions of the world. I’m happy to do that. Friend – if you are reading this, the answer is yes! Preferably this winter, as winters in Wisconsin are long and tedious and a parrot-break would be most welcome. And I mean some place further than the bird house in the zoo.

It is the first day of Law School today. I cannot post much, as I worked from before sunrise. I cannot include a photo from the day, as my new camera is, according to UPS, halfway between a warehouse and the loft and the old one, the one I dropped on the sidewalks of New Haven, is being inspected (I am paying $5 so that the repairperson can assess the shattered plates and pronounce the damage as complete). All you get, therefore, is this musing on what is it about me that prompted my friend to send me this link about parrots.