The "African Grey Parrot" Story

Every morning she awakens from the twilight of the horizon to hear the African Grey parrot. Tying her curtain panels that are embroidered with pink roses and baby's breath to see the parrot and listen to its opera call for a companion, remind her of the adventures of a broken heart. She blows a kiss at the parrot that drinks water from the tiny birdbath on her window and watches him return to the African Oil Palm tree. She reaches for a favorite glass of wine and withdraws because of the poisonous affects that cause heartbreaking memories of her ex-husband. Tears stream down her face as every artifact and souvenir in the bedroom reminds her of forbidden thoughts that are cheerful and painful about her story of the "African Grey Parrot".

The same day she puts on her cotton robe and forces herself out of bed. She slowly walks down the stairs to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. After preparing her coffee in the same manner with creamer and two cubes of sugar, she cannot wait to put the coffee cup to her mouth, to remedy the morning chill.

She stares out of the kitchen window at the sunrise behind her African Oil Palm tree admiring the smartest most conversational parrot, the African Grey. The parrot clambers on the African Oil Palm tree from branch to branch and has the ability to speak over one thousand words, more than any other species of parrots.

Still thinking she tries to make up for her losses. She remembered the price her husband paid for a most treasured possession a little parrot “The African Grey”.

Now desperate for money she considers selling the parrot. But still treasuring those memories of how they nurtured the African Palm Oil tree and African Grey parrot she will not sell.

Still admiring the African Grey with its white hollow color surrounding its eyes, red dish tail, and grayish coloring she concedes its a beautiful parrot to discover. Although, the African Congo is dangerous, her team embarked on this trip to write her story about the African Grey Parrots origin.

The same morning gazing through her kitchen window the grey parrot startled her as it flung its wings, echoing the words "my name is The African Grey, what is your name"?

Sherry blows a kiss at the parrot and after awhile it returns to the African Oil Palm Tree located in her backyard. She walks over to her lounger , lies down and dreams of a vacation she can no longer afford because of hardships. She picks up her book that was dusty, polishes it with a cloth so that she could read the story about "The African Grey Parrot" tale.

She opens her book and begins to read.

Jenny recalls that her husband would tease her in the back yard, asking her what is your name? Unknowingly, the thought escaped her mind that “The African Grey” parrot had mimicked the same words.

 Jenny was a freelance photographer, that traveled to different countries to discover the wonders of the world. She collected exotic things. This time her travels would be to the Congo of Africa to collect the African Grey parrot and the African Olive Palm Tree. Beginning her trip at Cairo Egypt to capture the beauty of the Khufu pyramid.

Before this journey, she ordered wear that fit her physique. As usual she would find outfits that were inexpensive that appeared to be tailor made, but were not. Her assistant Chad was very handsome and wore safari wear, but there was no physical attraction. Chad would join her on these extensive travels.

Jenny planned the trip to locate the wonder.

Arriving at the airport, Chad grabbed the suitcases and walked at a steady pace to the ticket agent location. Jenny paid for valet parking. She gazes at her watch, and realized that too much time had passed by. She must arrive at the ticket counter in thirty minutes.

Jenny running at an alarming speed to the ticket stand to pay for her flight, dropped her purse. The money that was inside of her purse and other items fell everywhere. When she bent down to pick up the items from her purse, an eccentric gentleman, squatted down to help her pick the items up from the airport floor. She looked up and stared into his dark eyes. What is your name? asked the gentleman. Jenny, as she tried to refrain from starting a conversation.

Suddenly, standing at the ticket gate Chad shouts hurry Jenny the flight to Egypt will be departing in thirty minutes. The Gate agent collected tickets from her and Chad. The flight attendant escorted them to their seats.

Excuse me Jenny exclaimed, may I please sit by the window. The gentleman stood up, towering over her and extended his hand. My name is Matthew, sure you can sit by the window. In her wildest dreams, did she imagine that she would be seated next to the gentleman with the dark eyes.

On the way to Egypt, she refused to start a conversation. She was trained from birth, in her religion that there exist what is called a pagan. This meant that a man could be immoral. The handsome gentleman that helped her to pick up her things, did not second guess if she was married. A friend and he were embarking on the same trip to Egypt for pleasure, not business.

Finally the plane arrived in Egypt. Chad collected his bags and hers. Come on Jenny we are going to miss the Egyptian cruise liner.

Suddenly, she hears the phone ring behind her as she exits the plane.

Matthew is engaged in a serious conversation. She overheard him say, yes dad I will enjoy a safe trip.

Jenny did not know that this handsome dark eyed character was of the same faith. He was heir to his mom and dads, estate. As the only heir, his parents would reward him handsomely for every case that he helped his father the Judge solve. For pleasure he traveled to many countries to discover the wonders of the world.

Now boarding the cruise liner, the captain introduced himself to all the passengers. The coaches escorted all passengers to their cabins.

After relaxing Jenny decides to sunbathe by the pool. She dresses in her Egyptian bathing suit, and sandals. Her favorite drink is the apple martini. She relaxes on a lounger near the pool.

She writes about her assignment to collect an African artifact, to bring back home.

This time she would try to collect an exotic bird, the African Grey Parrot. The first, thing to purchase on her agenda was “The African Oil Palm tree native to the environment. Because the African Parrot would nest in this tree.

Oblivious to her environment, she looks up and someone waves from across the pool, sunbathing is Matthew and his friend Josh. For some reason an uneasiness, overcomes her and she thinks of that sly person.

Very attracted to this dark eyed man that she met at the airport, she will not allow him to conquer her heart. She rushes to her room, and trips over her Egyptian Sarong. Hoping nobody saw her fall, she is embarrassed when the coach extends his hand. She smiles as he slowly helps her get up from the hallway floor and said Thank you. She looks behind her to see if the dark eyed pagan had seen her.

This was her third encounter with a man that greatly intrigued her thoughts. But, knowing what is forbidden, she refused to allow the pagan to engulf her thoughts.

Finally, the Egyptian Cruise Liner arrived at Cairo, Egypt. Jenny, had already planned the itinerary. Chad who had learned about their first assignment to excavate the African Oil Palm Tree from its native environment, ran speedily ahead of her with their bags to the jeeps. The jeeps would travel for several miles to the desert of Cairo. The freelance photographer would take many pictures until she discovered the wonder, The Great Pyramid of Giza. Chad informed her about what she already knew of the pyramid. It was built by Pharaoh Khufu, whose reign started around 2551 B.C, the pyramid stands 455 feet tall.

One hundred miles away from the pyramid exist the African Oil Palm Tree, where the African Grey parrot clambers from branch to branch while feeding instead of flying. 

It would take two to three men to carry a mature African Oil Palm tree that was for sale and place it on the top of the jeep. The tree was not a year old.

Staring through her binoculars, she gazes at the immense height of the mature African Oil Palm Tree, and notices how the African Grey parrots or clambering from branch to branch. Chad, how long do you think it will take for the African Grey to migrate back to California. Before, he could answer, Matthew looked at her and said, it will take a while for the African Grey to migrate to California. May I assist you with loading the African Oil Palm Tree unto the jeep. Chad agreed and said follow me.

On this trip Chad learned that he was not a pagan. So he invited Matthew and Josh with them on this exotic journey. They collected several artifacts and souvenirs.

This would not be their first travels together as a team.

They embarked on many trips together as a group to discover all wonders.

One day Matthew arranged a dinner engagement for the team. That evening he proposed to Jenny.

She remembered how they planted the African Oil Palm Tree together. How the African Grey parrot appeared a month later.

She would never learn that Matthew had purchased and trained this very talkative bird to say “what is your name” and true enough, the parrot would migrate back and forth to the African Oil Palm Tree, in the back yard.

She recalls every morning how she would give her husband a kiss of affection before he left for work. How she would drink a fresh cup of coffee to listen for the African Grey parrot to ask the most winsome words.

Many years had passed by and she was in her fifties.

Matthew experiencing the mid-age crisis longed to marry a younger woman, divorced her.

He was disassociated from his faith. His new found love was the opposite of Jenny.

One wintery day, Blythe asked Mark could she see the African Grey parrot that clambers from branch to branch in his ex wife’s backyard.

Matthew thought that this was a wonderful idea. He still cared for Jenny, but he longed for this younger woman.

He arrived at Jenny’s home and she was not there. So Blythe walked into the home behind him with the present in her hands. She notices that artifacts and souvenirs from her travels are neatly located. Before he can introduce her to some of there exploitative findings as a team, she exclaimed, let me see the African Grey parrot. Now in the backyard together, they stare at the immense tree. She places the gift on the ground and hugs Matthew. 

There in the African Oil Palm Tree was the African Grey parrot that said what he programmed him to say “What is your name”?

Blythe smiled with assurance and gently kissed him on his cheek.

Before leaving the home she left a present with a red bow wrapped around it and a gift card in the living room.

Jenny after returning home from shopping opened the front door and noticed a cage with a covering over it, red bow and a card attached. She smiled as she read the card and tears streamed down her face. She knew the gift inside the cage was from Matthew. Excited and still hoping it would be another African Grey Parrot to breed with her parrot, she was joyous. The African Grey parrot adventure was the first memory of her encounter with her ex husband.

Ready for Matthew to come back home and start over, she uncovered the cage only to find an extremely white “Cockatoo”. Where did the exotic parrot come from? All my travels as a team are over, said Jenny.

She turned the gift card over and the signature read from Blythe.

Jenny knew the secret about her treasured memories of how they discovered the African Grey parrot had been discussed.

The Cockatoo had caused so much pain and emptiness. She would have to learn how to care for the exotic bird.

Heartbroken, she places the Cockatoo near the window. She opens the cage and kisses him on the back of the head.

Apparently, the African Grey Parrot that speaks everyday thinks she is showering to much love and attention on the Cockatoo, begins to squawk.

She uncovered the Cockatoos cage, the parrot screamed and flung his wings.

Jenny knew that the African Grey parrot was not acquired at a young age and would not be able to keep the peace. The African Grey the most talkative parrot would taunt the Cockatoo. Therefore, highly esteemed as a woman of knowledge she would learn how to train the Cockatoo to love the African Grey parrot.