I've seen the face of war. A young man, still in his thirties, a neighbor, served I've just found out from my son, age eleven, in the Gulf war. Oh my God how can I explain this? So help me I was involuntarily shown his condition during our discussion of the care and maintenance of two finches in a cage. The cage, and one of the birds, he had given my son as a gift when he moved to the house next door and decided to give up trying to have his female finch lay fertile eggs. He has children roughly the same age as mine.
The female bird he gave my son had twice lain eggs but they were not successfully fertilized. Furthermore the female could not fly. Now she flies with astounding skill, and is coupled already with a new lover. The latter is preparing the nest, while she keeps watch. At night they stay together in the nest not yet prepared for eggs. I bought the male for $9.95 at a pet store my neighbor directed me to. I've never owned a bird. Everything else, but never a bird. This bird converses with me when I whistle softly, improvising. I tried to woo her. Now I don't have to. I step aside. Of course.
In discussing how to support the couple my new neighbor becomes manic, his face twisting and eyes spreading wide. It's as if he needed to rebuild the cage with metal-working tools, shift the cage to another spot, add another wooden perch add drops to their water and cover the entire cage at night. With intense urgency he almost ordered me to remove the tiny round mirror (a mirror HE gave us!) from the cage lest one or the other become jealous seeing the other peruse the feathers of the mirror image of a 'stranger' bird. (I will do no such thing!) He reached, and almost began the removal; I didn't flinch or change my expression, just remained benign and still, smiling. He withdrew his hand as if almost caught in violence. What on earth can be going on inside? What conflagration can he have witnessed?
Much earlier in the day I met him crossing the street as I was driving off to find a male finch at a pet store. My neighbor came to the window and gave me directions to a second pet store since the other store was closed. In giving directions his face had contorted then too. At first I felt I was 'doing it' to him, that I was being too difficult in not immediately getting the details of his directions. Almost as if it were life and death.
How on earth am I going to handle this?
At present, she is sitting high in the cage on top of the mirrror frame, and he is hopping down lower from 'his' nest to one of the perches, all the while perusing his beloved higher up. Such dear devotion. Inspirational really.
Barry
4 comments:
Who knows what happened to your neighbor, but obviously he is distressed. All you can do is thank him each time he "helps" you.
I give all of my birds mirrors. They don't have self recognition, you know. My 51 year old Macaw, greets herself cordially upon each approach. "Hello. How are you today? Oh...tsk, tsk.....my,my, my", she coos.
My Finches laid many eggs, but none ever hatched. Jody, the last surving Finch lived to be 14 years old. (The Finches were named Buffy, Jody, Uncle Bill, and Mr Finch...lol.)
h
"A young man, still in his thirties, a neighbor, served I've just found out from my son, age eleven, in the Gulf war." -- Barry
The above sentence is proof positive that UCLA was giving away English degrees back in the late '70's.
There is no telling that what happened in the Gulf War is the cause of your neighbor's condition. As you get to know him more, and sounds like you will, you will likely come to understand him better. Perhaps you will see him in situations that don't cause such responses. You have the introspection necessary to ponder these things, and the good sense not to over-react when someone else seemingly does. He is lucky to have you for his neighbor... another would not be so understanding, nor patient, nor helpful. I had a miniature parrot when I was a teen, but no experience with eggs. Perhaps doing a search on caged birds, or finches and their mating habits would turn up some info that will help you in this endeavor? I'd love to have a pet bird, but my husband is totally against it. We have dogs who live in the house with us, and that was a compromise on his part. He's old school... dogs should live outside. But since 1993, all that changed. There is a story to be told there, but not today. So, for now, no birds. Have you read the journal of Penny, From Here to There? She has several birds. She knows a thing or two about them.
Here is her journal address: http://journals.aol.com/firestormkids04/FromHeretoThere/
Good luck with the finch couple, Barry. And may it go well with your neighbor. Bea
http://journals.aol.com/bgilmore725/Wanderer/
http://journals.aol.com/bgilmore725/Wanderer/
Post a Comment