As a toddler and for what seemed like forever, my dad had a pet parakeet that he kept in a cage, which adorned his living room. It was in the corner of the room, so as not to block the view of his 100-gallon fish tank, which he built into the wall.
The parakeet sported the most beautiful shades of blue, and his name Blueboy fit him like a glove and we aren't talking Oj Simpson's gloves here!
Every evening, after my dad returned home from work, the first thing he would do was to release the bird from its confines. No one else dared to let the darn bird out of his cage, if you did, he'd still be flying around until Pop got home.
Now and then, Blueboy would miraculously escape. I was never too sure how he pulled off a Harry Houdini, and I would swear I knew nothing about the GREAT ESCAPE.😁
My Dad would simply stick out one of his huge fingers, whistle once or twice, and the darn bird would come flying in and perch himself on his buddy's finger.
As a kid, watching this interaction was better than watching the black and white TV.
These were the very fond memories that immediately made their way to my conscious, at the first glimpse of this Indigo Bunting.
It's always exciting to see a different bird for the very first time. Top that off with a good helping of fond memories and you've already got yourself one hell of a good day.
The initial sighting of the Indigo Bunting was about three weeks ago when I first saw him sharing a meal with a cardinal.
The Indigo Bunting didn't return for a couple of weeks after that,
but when the bunting decided to return, he/she/they, with all of this gender-neutral stuff going on, I'm a little perplexed as to what pronoun is politically correct these days, but let's just say he brought his girlfriend.
I blame @dandays for my hesitation and sheer panic over possibly offending someone, or in this case a bird, by using terms that signify gender.
Now that I got that off of my chest, let's get back to the bird.
The Indigo Buntings are now regular visitors and they bring with them a message of love from my hero,** DAD**. Happy to see you back in the picture POP.
What do you think Bob Sr, does he remind you of Blueboy.
Hey Dad, if you're feeling my vibes like I'm feeling yours, I've got a question.
How long did Blueboy live? I've read that parakeets can live for 20 years in captivity if they are cared for properly. I figure I can tell you this now, being that you're a couple of lightyears away, you spoiled the HELL out of that bird.
One little chirp and the bird got what it wanted.
When I would ask you for a little something extra, your standard reply was, "How does it feel to want, Robert."
Happy belated Father's Day, Dad.