Thalia's Imagination

The cage was pink wire in the shape of a split-level house. Inside the cage were an assortment of hanging brightly colored toys, food and water dispensers and a small parakeet whose feathers were perfectly white. This is what Thalia saw when she opened her front door to the loud and persistent knocking that had awoken her. Dark circles hung baggily under her squinting blue eyes- a sign of her constant lack of sleep. Her insomnia had returned, as it often did when she was anxious or worried- which was often as of late. She rubbed at her eyes in an attempt to get rid of her blurred vision and the too-bright early morning sunlight assaulting her eyes. She had been up past 3:am trying in vain to have her creative juices flow. Her publisher was expecting another book by the end of this week. Her writing had always been eclectic and scattered. She had had great success with the seven children's stories that she had written and illustrated. The publishing company had decided that it was time for a series of books about one character, her editor had informed her last time they met. Something like the "Frances" or "Frog and Toad" series seemed like a reasonable request, but had created her extreme case of writer's block. Each book she had written was unique, each story had only her style of writing and illustrating in common. This week she had to decide on a children's story series and she could not come up with a theme character to write about in the series.

"What in the world?! Where did you come from?!", she pondered as she peered into the crowded and messy cage, finally spotting the white feathered resident.

"You are very pretty, but who left you at my doorstep?", Thalia asked the bird as it mutely stared back at her.

Being a person who often saw circumstance as fate, she would take events as omens or signs. Was this her answer to the next step required in her writing career? Was she sent this bird by her muse and name-sake, Thalia?

She smiled to herself as she told the parakeet, "You are a messy-bessy little songster", noticing that the food and water cups were nearly empty and the cage bottom was littered with bird-droppings, feathers and seed shucks.

"Yucko-bucko! Let's get you inside and cleaned up, little chickee". Thalia took one more glance around for the perp who had dumped this neglected creature on her doorstep. Seeing no one in sight, she sighed deeply and bent down to pick up the cage. As she was bending over, a piece of paper with a message came into her field of vision: I'm free" was written in pencil. It must have been on the cage and then fell off. Thalia picked up the cage, along with the note and carried both inside.

By the huge farmhouse sink in the kitchen, she placed the cage on the marble counter top. She studied the cage and noticed a removable tray underneath the soiled paper towel that she carefully folded up from corner to corner to avoid coming in contact with the bird poop. She removed the tray and then saw that the cage top could be lifted out of a deep pink plastic base. Popping the cage top free, she set it in the sink and started the water running gently as she turned on the sprayer, creating a shower stream of warm water. The bird came alive and hopped under the gentle sprinkle of water, shaking and flapping her wings with delight.Thalia smiled at these antics and continued to spray out the cage wires as the parakeet chirped and hopped about playfully. Satisfied that all the filth on the cage was gone, Thalia placed the cage back on the counter. Next she placed the cage base and tray into the sink and cleaned them with hot soapy water and bleach. Cage cleaned up, she reassembled it all and placed clean paper towels in the bottom.The snowy white guest seemed pleased to have a clean abode and did not mind Thalia's hand reaching into the cage as she placed the fresh paper towels down. Thalia needed to clean the food and water cups, but had no seed to give her guest. She googled parakeets and got some info on what they eat. Bird seed- of course. She would get some of that today, but for now, some fruit or vegetables would have to keep "Blanca" happy. The name just came to her as she searched in the fridge for some spinach leaves.

"Are you a Blanca or Blanco?", Thalia queried for gender clarification. Another quick google search and she discovered that "Blanca" was to be her name as indicated by the light tan cere (the skin around her nostrils), versus the blue or violet colored ceres of males.

"OK then! Let's look up the meaning of a white bird and what it symbolizes."

"Why are you here and what are you trying to tell me?" Thalia wanted an answer.

Thalia discovered that a white bird represents innocence, hope and a fresh start. That's perfect! Innocence for children's stories, hope for always having a happy ending, and a fresh start is what Thalia was experiencing with her plans for a new series of children's books.

"It is meant to be!", she decided.

"This is a sign to tell me that I am free to write about Blanca. She is my new character for the series."

On her way to the pet store for bird seed, Thalia's mind was forming the basis for Blanca's adventures in story-land. At the pet store she purchased a 5 lb. bag of seed, some new wooden perches and a colorful mirror that rotated. She read that parakeets love to look at themselves and think that they are seeing another bird.

Back home Thalia decided to leave Blanca's cage door open. With a clothespin holding it in place the little chirper could come out and fly around if she pleased. Thalia wanted the "I'm free" message to also include some sense of freedom for Blanca to be able to come and go as she pleased from the not-too-large cage. It would also allow the creative energy Blanca brought to her to flow freely as well.

Thalia got right to work with fresh vigor and enthusiasm. The title would be "Blanca Learns to Fly (in her imagination)". That evening, after writing a rough draft and sketching out some of the illustrations Thalia took a break to just sit and watch her new muse. In spite of the door to the cage being wide open, the bird remained timidly settled in her cage. Exhausted from their mutual adjustment, Thalia and Blanca quietly sat and contemplated each other. Thalia sipped her tea and felt relaxed and calm. The week of worry and anxiety was now replaced with confidence and direction. Soon her eyes began to droop and she nodded off to sleep in the big comfortable lounger.

The dream came to Thalia and Blanca was in it. She dreamed that Blanca flew out of her cage and landed on her shoulder. The little bird chirped softly and cuddled close to Thalia's cheek. She felt a soft peck on her ear, then felt movement in her hair. She startled awake- slapping at what she thought was a bug crawling on her. There was a squawk and flutter of wings as Blanca flew off back to her cage.

"Oh, Blanca, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you!". Thalia walked slowly over to the cage trying to not startle the parakeet again. She put out her finger and Blanca hopped on. She walked up her wrist onto the arm and settled back on Thalia's shoulder.Thalia felt a surge of joy as the little bird chirped and nibbled at her hair again.

"OK, Blanca, let's get to work on this book again! You and I are ready to begin what was meant to be."

Now the story formed and flowed out of Thalia's imagination effortlessly: Blanca had to learn to fly and when she did, the adventures in her imagination began. The illustrations would take up the rest of the week, but Thalia knew she would be ready to submit a new storybook to her editor by the deadline.

Satisfied with her days work, grateful for a new muse to guide her, Thalia returned Blanca to her cage, covered it with a towel and went to bed. She slept through the night deeply and peacefully.

By the end of the week Thalia had the book completed along with a list of the Blanca series proposal for her editor to approve. She emailed the work and would hope for a good response from the publisher and her editor.

It was later in the day that Thalia was getting a pedicure when she saw the email from her editor, Janice.

"Love the story! Love,love,love the illustrations. Not sure if this is a viable series", was the short but encouragingly negative response from Janice.

Feeling undeterred and certain that Janice would change her opinion, she wrote back quickly, "What if I combine all of Blanca's adventures into one book with chapters?"

Thalia saw Janice's response as her blue toenail polish was drying:

"No, keep it as is and we'll see what happens with the second book. If it doesn't sell as well as the first we'll know that Blanca wasn't meant to be a series character. Let's meet for lunch tomorrow and discuss it some more."

Doubt and anxiety filled Thalia's mind again. It must be fate-why would Blanca have come into her life if not for the purpose of providing the creative ideas and energy with her white-bird-ness? Time would tell if her muse belonged to a successful book series, though Thalia still felt that her fate and Blanca's were intertwined. Just as she was having these thoughts she became aware of the music playing in the background . Thalia smiled and was able to relax again knowing she was in Fate's and her muse's warm embrace as Tom Petty sang, "I'm free-eee....."