1 YEAR OLD TOYS BEST

OK, settle down for a good story.

When I got to the bird store today, I was wandering around waiting for them to get around to bringing out my baby bird, and I noticed on the white board that they had written that they'd gotten in an adult Quaker Parrot, 7 years old, and he was up for adoption. He would cost $80. I paid $200 for my baby, so I was curious. I waited an hour while I played with my baby Wesley and when I was done with my time with him, I asked about the little Quaker for adoption. Both women behind the counter got very sour looks on their faces and said, almost in tandem,
"Oh, he's....well, he's not very nice - in fact, he's mean. He bites. We tried putting his cage out here on the floor, but he bit everyone who tried to touch him and WE can't even get him out of the cage - he won't come to any of us. - Even Barbara can't get him out of the cage and i've never seen a bird Barbara couldn't get out of a cage."

"Hmmmmm", I said. "Could I possibly see him?"

To say they were reluctant to let me see him, would be a gross understatement. I had to push my way through the whole process.

I'll cut to the chase - Sunshine came to me immediately as soon as I opened his cage door. The woman from the store nearly fainted on the spot. She was speechless. I even put him back in and put my hand in first - he raised his foot to reach for me!!! It was kinda funny, really. H never bit me..he jumped on my shoulder and crawled around behind my head and when I reached around for him with my finger, (the perfect opportunity for him to bite me) he jumped right on...the other lady (Barbara) had to come to the back room to see this to be sure it was true. They know the baby bird is my first bird and they just kept staring at him and shaking their heads while I talked to him and petted him.

At one point, I asked them,
"So, why do think this is happening? Can he just tell that I don't know what I'm doing?"

"No," one of them said, still not looking at me but staring at him - he just knows you're not afraid."

ANother thing, he was in a very big cage and his former owner had had loaded it with so many toys that you could barely see the bird!!!! Not good.

He is a little skittish of having a finger come in from above, but I got him over that in a few seconds.

I just think someone bought him and then lost interest and bought alot of toys for him because they felt guilty. BUT, somebody taught him to talk. - a lot!!!! He has a big vocabulary. The last time I put him on his perch and was ready to leave, I said, "bye bye" and plain as you please, he said,
"Bye Bye!" THen he said
"Sunshine's a good boy!"

I bought him and got all the toys in the bargain. We've ordered cages for them and when they come we can bring home Sunshine and about 3 more weeks for Baby.

Who have thunk it!

Taken with Smena 8 almost 30 years ago. The camera was lost by a tourist, found by my grandfather some 7 years earlier and had a timer ! The film roll was hidden among my toys for 30 years and I have just rediscovered it.
So... the young couple are my parents, the old woman is my mother's godmother and guess who is the boy...