What Did Gabby Learn

Midge crawled out the doggie door and ran around to the front of the house and met Booker-T coming through the front gate.

“Hi Midge,”said Booker-T. “Where are you going in a big hurry?”

“Hi Booker-T,” said Midge. “I was coming to get you.”

“Well, here I am,” smiled Booker-T. “What is going on?”

“Have you seen Gabby today?” asked Midge.

“No,” said Booker-T. “Not since he came to the zoo the other day to see the Macaw birds, why?”

“I want to see what they taught him to do,” said Midge. “They were going to teach Gabby some tricks after their show.”

“What kind of tricks?” asked Booker-T.

“I don't know,” replied Midge. “Only easy ones I think.”

“Maybe Jake knows where Gabby is,” said Booker-T.

“Lets go see Jake,” said Midge as she started to go through the gate with Booker-T following behind.

They started walking along the side walk and didn't realize that Gabby was flying above them.

“Do you think that Gabby learned a lot?” asked Booker-T.

“He is smart,” said Midge. “Maybe he did. I think Gabby can do anything those big fancy birds can do.”

Gabby swooped down and landed on Midge's head.

“Where are you guys going?” asked Gabby.

“Hey Gabby!” said Midge. “We were just talking about you.”

“I know,” said Gabby. “I heard you mention my name. What did you say?”

“We wanted to know what tricks you learned from the Macaw parrots,” said Booker-T.

“Did you learn a lot from them?” asked Midge. 

“Not really,” said Gabby. “You know me, I already know a lot of things.”

“You are really smart Gabby,” agreed Midge.

“I know more than they do,” said Gabby. “They are just trained by the humans to do things and I do them by myself. They do one thing that I can't do and that is talk to the humans.”

“They can't tell you how to do that?” asked Booker-T.

“No,” sighed Gabby. “I tried, but to a human, I just sound like I'm squawking.”

“Aw, Gabby,” sighed Midge. “You don't squawk. Not to us anyway. We understand you when you talk to us.”

“Maybe only certain kinds of birds can talk to the humans and your kind of bird can't,” said Booker-T.

“It's okay Gabby,” said Midge. “Be happy because your friends understand you just fine. they really aren't talking to the humans.  They only say what the humans tell them to say.”

“I guess I really don't have any thing to say to a human like you do,” said Gabby. “I don't live with any humans.”

“But you are around them sometimes,” said Midge.

“Not really,” said Gabby. “I fly high above them and fly away if they get too close. Humans take care of your every day things like water and food. I go out and find my own.”

“But maybe you might need to ask a human to give you water,” suggested Midge. “Than it would be nice if you could talk to them.”

“The humans didn't want me talking to the Macaws,” sighed Gabby. “They saw me standing with them and waved their hands at me until I flew away.”

“That's sad,” said Booker-T. “They just don't know you Gabby.”

“We like you Gabby,” said Midge. “Do you want to come with us to Jake's house?”

“I'll race you there,” said Gabby.

“Oh very funny Gabby,” laughed Midge. “You can fly faster than we can run there.”

“I know,” laughed Gabby. “I can always win that race. Lets go and I will fly above you all the way.”

“Okay,” agreed Midge as they started running to Jake's house.

Booker-T and Midge hurried through the gate into Jake's front yard with Gabby flying above them.

“Hey you guys,” said Jake. “What are you doing?'

“Gabby wanted to race us here,” said Booker-T. “But Midge told him he can fly faster then we can run.”

“Gabby can run faster than I can run too,” said Jake. “And I can beat you two. I'm a very fast runner.”

“I know,” said Midge. “That's why Booker-T and I don't race with you.”

“That's okay Midge,” said Jake. “Not all of us can run fast. But you can dance better than I can.”

“What can I do that is better?” asked Booker-T.

“You can climb trees,” said Midge. “Jake and I don't know how to do that.”

“Oh yes,” smiled Booker-T. “I'm really good at climbing trees. But birds don't like me to climb trees. They are sacred of me until I tell them it is okay and I only want to be friends.”

“I guess we all have something we are good at that others can't do,” said Midge.

“That makes everyone of us special in some way,” smiled Jake.

“I guess you are right,” said Gabby. “I guess we weren't made to talk to humans like the Macaws can.”

“They have a special kind of thing that they can do too,” said Jake.

“Do you want to go to the park and play in the pond?” asked Midge.

“Sure,” said Jake.

“Lets go,” said Booker-T.

“I'll race you there,” laughed Gabby.

“Very funny,” said Midge as they all started to the park.