Goodnight Bird

My bird, Daisy, died yesterday. I loved “that stupid bird” (as she was known by everyone in the family but me). We don’t know why she died. She was only 6 years old- very young for a parrot. She has been eating fine, has been more well behaved than usual lately.

I raised Daisy, hand fed her when she was a baby chick. She thought I was her mother.

When I was out of work I spent a lot of time with her. Lately I realize how much I relied on her for support. Over the past 6 years she has also been with me regularly at my jobs when I was working. In my new job she couldn’t come with me and she had to spend a lot more time by herself than she was used to. She was mad at me and had some behavior problems related to being by herself (parrots are very emotional animals). So I have given her lots of attention when I’m home and got into the habit of making sure she spent time with me before I went to work- which required me to get up a half an hour earlier (my job involves a vanpool commute that has me out of the house by 5:45 am and home around 7 pm).
The last week or so she seemed to be adjusting. She has been happier.
The night before last she was so sweet. She was especially affectionate, wanted her head rubbed but not being obnoxious at all. She talked up a storm, mostly “Hi!” or “Hello Bird! Are you a bird?” or about being a good bird, a pretty bird or asking questions of a similar nature (are you a good bird? are you a pretty bird?) and near bedtime she spent some time singing in her tone deaf way “I love love love good daisy bird, daisy is a pretty good girl, love love love”.
I always loved the songs she made up when she was sleepy- they were so bad.
Then yesterday morning when I got up at 4:30 she was dead.

I’ve realized that I was very used to having her around.

I loved that stupid bird.

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