Bird Brain

Bright light. Shimmering trees. A new day.

I preen.

The world begins again. Much like yesterday.

Through the glass a single fluttering leaf. A few more join. Soon a silent chorus strives heavenward.

The tree is well grounded.

The cat enters and eyes me. Expectant. Patient. Predictable.

What a fool. Wings flap. I taunt. Thinks I don’t know.

Can’t trust anything with teeth.

Except for Joey.

They cover my cage for me. So, I can sleep. I hear them talk.

Morning ritual. Young Joey folds the fabric cage cover and sets it aside.

He said, “Good morning, Peekaboo.”

I said, “Good morning, Peekaboo.”

The boy laughed. “My name is Joey, silly.”

“Good morning, Joey silly.”

He filled my food drawer. Ahh! Bird seed.

Little birds flit about the branches.

Not my type.

The cat watches through the window.

What do my brothers do in the wild? Live in freedom, but in jeopardy. Survival. Forage for food. Ever vigilant against predators. The price of freedom. I prefer freedom from such anxieties.

Bars protect me.

Thanks to Joey, I’m safe.

I have wings. I could fly.

I’m well cared for.

And Joey needs me.

Having never flown, don’t miss it. I do wonder, sometimes, how soaring would feel.

But if I’d lose my connection with Joey…

Perch on finger. Ride his shoulder.

He’s a good boy. Life is good.

He pulled the tray from the cage floor.

Tour the house. Hold on for the journey. Enjoy swaying to his walk.

Cat follows.

While doing chores, Joey talked. “You know, Peek, you’re my only friend.”

I said, “Eat your beans.”

“You listen to me.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

I don’t parrot whatever he says.

I’m not a parrot. What’s a parrot?

He said, “I have fun with you.”

“Clean your room.”

“First things first, Peek. Once I finish your cage…”

“I can sing…”

“But really, Peek. I don’t know what it is. I don’t fit in at school. Don’t have any friends. Maybe a couple. Sort of… But I have you.”

The girl. Joey’s sister, Crystal, stood behind us.

She scolds. “Why can’t you do that outside?”

“Mom said to do it here.”

“Yuck!”

Joey wiped down the sink. He shut the laundry room door behind us. I rode him back to the room. Home again.

“Back off!”

Joey laughed. “Should’ve said that to Crystal, Peek.”

“I’d rather not.”

He laughed. “I get that. She wouldn’t know what to do…”

“Get thee to a cannery.”

Joey said, “You talk a lot, Peek. Over a hundred words. More than some people I know.”

What are words?

My cage is empty. Just me. No words lying around. Not a hundred of anything. Maybe bird seed?

Words? Why would I have them? Where would I get them? What are they for?

Joey always had a project. One day, leaning down, he put something behind the curtain.

Parakeets have peripheral vision like no one.

He said, “Time for school.”

What is time?

I spent my day, eating, ignoring the cat, making comments.

No one but Joey ever comes into his room.

But that day, Crystal came in. Leaned in close. She has teeth.

“Hi, Puke-a-doo-doo. Want to visit the cat? Go ahead, talk all you want. No one will believe you.”

I said, “What a liar!”

Crystal growled something and threw papers off his desk. Pulled clothes down from the closet. She stripped his bed. Couldn’t see the floor.

Joey came back. He couldn’t believe the mess.

He muttered, “Crystal…”

Mother stood at the door. “Clean your room, Joey. This isn’t acceptable.”

“Crystal did it.”

Crystal echoed from the hallway. “Did not! He always blames me for his crap. What a liar!”

Mother looked at them. Bored. “Clean it up before your father comes home.”

I said, “Do I have’ta?”

Mother gave me a look.

Joey said, “Mom! That’s not fair. I didn’t do it. Why should I?”

She pointed at the mess and turned. “Now!” Her voice echoed in the hallway.

Joey straightened his room.

In a while, Dad came in. He looked around. He said, “You, okay?”

Joey said, “Sort of…”

“What would your friends think about your mess?”

“I told you, Dad. I don’t have any friends.”

“Of course you do. Everyone had friends. What’s wrong with you?” He looked into the closet. “Passed inspection. We’ll talk at dinner. Let’s eat.” Joey followed him out.

I said, “What’s for dessert?”

No one answered.

Joey came back. He filled up my food. He sat at his desk. He opened a book, but stopped.

He reached behind the curtain and put something on his desk. He looked at me and said, “I wanted to see if you talked when I’m not here. If you did, I’ll have proof for the kids at school.”

He pushed some buttons. A voice came from the object.

“Eat your beans.”

It sounded like me, but it didn’t.

There were pauses. The voice said, “Go to school… Go to bed… Do your homework… Bingo…! What’s for dinner…?”

I said those things. Did I? But the voice sounded different. Strange. How could it be me?

The sounds of rustling in the cage, told me it was me. It had to be me.

Who else rummages like that?

Joey let it play on. After a pause, Crystal’s voice came from the object. “Hi, Puke-a-doo-doo. Want to visit the cat? Go ahead, talk all you want. No one will believe you.”

Then I said, “What a liar!”

The sounds of papers falling and other commotion followed.

Joey looked at me. His eyes were round. He smiled but looked sad.

He left with the object.

Joey came back.

He laughed. Crystal followed.

Joey pointed at the doorway. “Stay out. Mom says you can’t come in here.”

She yelled. “You’re just stupid. How convenient! Your stupid little recording is fake. That wasn’t me. Go ahead. You and that stupid bird can laugh all you want. But you can’t just lie, Joey… You’re such a phony… And a snitch too. Making stuff up.”

I said, “Leave Joey alone. He’s smarter than you’ll ever be.”

Stunned, Crystal’s mouth dropped open. For once silent. She stared.

Joey spoke like me. “Yeah, Crystal… Leave Peekaboo alone. He’s smarter than you’ll ever be.”

He laughed as she stormed down the hall.

I didn’t see Crystal again for a long time.

The next day, Joey told he played the recording for kids at school. They wouldn’t believe it was a bird saying all those things.

But you have to believe me. I heard it. No lie. It was me.