Hide and Seek Amongst the Hyacinths.

Good day to you Dear Reader.

How do you have fun? Do you have fun, what do you do to have fun? One of the ways SHE says SHE used to have fun as a child was playing 'Hide and Seek' and SHE told ME a Tale about Dagga-the-Parrot, whom, it appears had a very childlike approach to life, I wonder did HE know that he would die so young?

One day SHE came home, shut Front Door and called out "Hello", normally Dagga-the-Parrot would respond or fly to greet HER, this time, no response and no Parrot-on-the-Wing.

How strange, SHE called his name again and then SHE SEARCHED and SHE searched but, horrifyingly, there was NO sign of HER fat, very beloved Grey Parrot-Person, he was not to be found. Now SHE knew HE had not left the flat as Front Door had been locked and the mosquito net was in place in the back window.

Had HE fallen and was he stuck behind ... No, there was NOTHING he could get stuck behind. SHE was totally mystified. HE had vanished... It was most upsetting and extremely curious, so curious that it was almost beyond belief.

By now it was late, so SHE went into the kitchen which is located in the middle of the flat with a big fire door which opens outwards and SHE was looking in the fridge when suddenly.... someone began to whistle the tune "If you knew Susie like I knew Susie".. Dagga-the-Parrot's famous whistle and SHE looked up at the top of the door and there, as large as life , and he was an extremely large African Grey Parrot, was Dagga-the-Parrot.

I regret to recount that he was looking very smug and frightfully pleased with himself.

SHE was speechless, it doesn't happen often so it must have shocked her, and HE wasn't telling HER where HE has been but HE obviously thought the whole escapade a 'Great Success', norty boy, that HE was.

SHE put HIM to bed in his cage, SHE went to bed and SHE puzzled and puzzled all night long, where HAD he been?

HE pulled this stunt FOUR times on her... and FOUR times she searched high and low for him to no avail, then the fifth time, he got sloppy and SHE got him!

SHE loved to have perfumed flowers in the flat and in the winter time, what are the most fragrant of all flowers, why yes, HYACINTH bulbs. SHE always planted big pots of the dark and the pale blue varities and on the desk, which was in their bedroom, there was an enormous pot of the pale blue variety.

Now SHE never knew when HE was going to play the Hiding Game and one day SHE came in and called out "HELLO".. No answer! SHE walked about the flat and when SHE was in HER bedroom thinking "where is this wretched Parrot", suddenly, her eye registered the most minutest movement, a movement from where there never was any movement.

The movement had come from the bowl of Hyacinths bulbs on her desk, SHE focused on the bowl of Hyacinths and suddenly there HE was, all scrunched up and squashed in between the bulbs.

An African Grey Parrot playing Hide and Seek.

SHE walked over to the desk and said to him in a little soft voice "You've won" and HE laughed.

A very good game indeed.

Geegee Parrot.
January 5th, 2012.