Meeting Charlie

 

Gabby flew down from the trees and landed on the porch railing at Midge's house where Midge was sitting on the porch swing in the sun.

“Hi Midge,” greeted Gabby. “What are you doing?”

“I'm just sitting here enjoying the early morning sun,” said Midge.

“Where are Jake, Booker-T and Lucy?” asked Gabby.

“They will be here soon,” said Midge. “We are excited to go see the bird in the cage. Is it outside this morning?”

“I will go fly over there and see if he is outside and you wait for them,” said Gabby. “I will be right back.”

“Okay,” said Midge.

Gabby flew away and in a few minutes, Booker-T walked over to Midge's house and then Jake and Lucy entered the yard through the gate.

“Hi guys,” said Midge.

“Where is Gabby?” asked Booker-T. “I thought I saw him over here this morning flying around.”

“He was here,” said Midge.

“Did he leave?” asked Lucy. “I thought he was going to take us to the house with the bird in a cage?”

“He is,” said Midge. “But he went to see if the bird is outside before we walk over there.”

“Okay,” said Jake. “We will sit here in the nice sun and wait for him to come back.”

“What are we going to do if the bird in the cage isn't outside?” asked Booker-T.

“I don't know,” said Midge. “We could go see what animals are in the zoo transfer building. We haven't been there in a while.”

“That's a good idea,” said Booker-T. “I like seeing the animals there.”

They sat trying to think of something to do if the bird in the cage isn't outside. In a few minutes, Gabby flew down from above and landed on the porch railing.

“Hi guys,” said Gabby.

“Hey there Gabby,” said Jake. “Is the bird in the cage outside?”

“Yes,” said Gabby. “Lets go see him. He is a pretty bird with blue and yellow colors. He is a really big bird.”

The friends hurried out the gate and started their walk to the school with Gabby flying above them. When they got near the school, Gabby flew lower along the sidewalk so they could follow him to the house with the bird. In the back yard, they found a large cage with a pretty blue and yellow bird in it.

“Wow!” said Midge. “That is a big bird. He is bigger than you are, Gabby.”

“What kind of bird is that?” asked Booker-T. “He is almost as big as I am.”

“I'm a parrot,” said the bird in the cage. “Who are you? They won't hurt me, will they Gabby?”

“No,” said Gabby. “They are my friends.”

“Hi,” said Midge coming close to the cage. “We won't hurt you. I'm Midge and that's Jake. That one is Lucy and the cat is Booker-T. What is your name?”

“I'm Charlie,” said the big bird.

“Why are you in the cage?” asked Booker-T. “Don't you want to come out here and play with us?”

“My owner keeps me in the cage so I don't fly away and get lost,” said Charlie. “I'm safe in the cage too.”

“Gabby said you can talk to your owner and she knows what you are saying,” said Jake. “Does she talk to you too?”

“How did you learn to talk like a human?” asked Lucy.

“My owner taught me to say things,” said Charlie. “I can't talk to my owner like I am talking to you right now.”

“Why?” asked Jake.

“I only can say things to her that she taught me to say,” said Charlie.

“That is strange,” said Midge. “Our owner's talk to us but they don't understand anything we say to them.”

“What do you say that your owner understands?” asked Jake.

“When she says good morning to me,” said Charlie. “I say Good morning. I am Charlie.”

“Don't she know your name is Charlie?” asked Booker-T. “Why do you keep tell her who you are all the time? Does she forget who you are?”

“I think I am just saying what she says,” said Charlie. “For a long time, she kept saying over and over, I am Charlie and then I said it one day.”

“So, you only say what she says over and over,” said Lucy.

“Yes,” said Charlie.

“What else can you say that she understands?” asked Jake.

“I can say, What are you doing,” said Charlie. “I can ask for a cookie.”

“So, you can't talk to her like you are talking to us,” said Booker-T.

“Right,” said Charlie. “I like talking to Gabby when he comes by to see me.”

“Don't you want to come out of the cage and fly around with Gabby?” asked Midge.

“I would like that, but my owner won't let me out of the cage outside,” said Charlie. “She lets me out of the cage in the house so I can fly around the house.”

“That's nice,” said Booker-T.

“She is nice,” said Charlie. “I am happy in the house and in the cage outside.”

“You are like our friend, Snappy,” said Midge.

“Who is Snappy?” asked Charlie.

“He is a tiny turtle and lives with me and our owner in a small tank where he is safe and happy,” said Midge.

“If you are happy,” said Lucy. “And your owner takes good care of you, that is most important.”

“I think so too,” said Jake.