Parrot Nation

Little by little, Maisy got more comfortable with staying with Mattie, the birds and me in the afternoons and early evenings. She actually started plopping down on the rug with Mattie. Mattie didn’t seem to mind the company, although she did give Maisy an occasional “correction” to her manners. Maisy picked up on it right away and Mattie only had to growl at her a couple of times to set her straight. After that, they got along like peas and carrots. In writing her letters, I began finding Maisy’s way of communicating and found her jogging and lilting manner of “speaking,” so to speak, by watching her shift her attention from one thing to another. She would walk around my condo checking everything out and seemed to notice if something had been moved. She would look at a pair of shoes on the floor and then look at me quizzically, and continue to search for other things that had magically changed since her last visit. I felt that I had to find a particular writing style to portray Maisy’s personality. As I wrote each letter, it became easier to reflect Maisy’s rapid redirection of her attention from one thing to another.

2.19.08

Dear Mom,

Today I got to go out again. I really like that part. I get to pee and poop…two of my favorite things! Lady didn’t quite know what to do…she thought I was done and then 2 minutes later I pooped again! Yeah! So I guess it was kind of a post-script.

Lady didn’t even have to call me when she came to get me…I went right out to see her when I heard the locks turn. I did!

Mattie was bitching up a storm because she tells me (in our language)…that she’s over this totally going out all the time.  I told her to shut her yap. I LOVE going out! But Mattie was in a good mood today and actually tried to keep up with me. Did I tell you she has very short legs? She actually ran to Lady’s door with me when Lady let us loose at the elevator.  Lady thinks I am the best example.

Got the brush action again….any more of this and I’m going to like, object or something.  But it kinda feels good. I’m lighter than air after the Lady is done. But my God, how pretty do I have to be, really? I am pretty already…Aren’t I?

Oh!  Did I tell you I trot right out when Lady comes to get me? Yeahhh! I do! And she refills my water bowl because I pretty much nail it down to nothing by the time she shows up. Oh, I told you about that already…the lock-turn part… Sometimes I get so excited telling you about my day I forget what I told you.

I found more work! I now stand outside in the wind and make sure that the plants don’t walk around…Lady found me rooting around in one of her pots. I got the “Maisy! No!” thing again, There wasn’t anything important in there anyway, but I think Lady was worried about me. I think I’m a digger with my nose.  Remember that raise we were talking about? It just went up if I can’t root around in her pot of nothing…

But I am happy to be with the Lady and Mattie. You see, I have this job now and I found it. I have a purpose and I’m very important. So, yeah. But Lady says I don’t ever let it go to my head. I’m the same old Maisy no matter how important I become. And did you know that she keeps treats on her desk? I found I get attention when I try to put my paws on her desk. “Maisy! No!” But then I get a butt scratch instead, so I kind of forget what I was after…

This “job” thing has me working every minute. Don’t listen to the Lady when she tells you that I “lie down” on the job.  I just rest a little.

“Hoover time” was vacuuming Mattie’s bean sprouts. Mattie doesn’t finish them. Mattie is an idiot. I however am a very smart creature. I have even learned it’s not polite to drag Lady around.  Lady stresses manners and I get high praise when I stay by her side when we walk. So I do! Yeah! She doesn’t say anything when I don’t, so I’d rather stay by her side and get praise than hear nothing. She says I am doing very good. “Good Girl Maisy! Good Girl!”

Oh and I found a bone!  And that was fun. Hey, did you know these birds talk? Mouthy little guys…

Well, I’ll see you when you get home. Bye.

Love,

Maisy