Well, here it is, the fourth adventure of The Feathered Four. This particular 'episode' was written by Tim with idea inputs from me. Tim was in journalisim for 20 years and his writing show's his skill beautifully. Although he and I always seem to be on the very same wave lenght, I have a tendency to be more detail oriented and he's more to the point oriented. In my opinion, our two styles blend beautifully together.
The Las Vegas idea was totally Tims. But, my best friend, and the creator of Elsie, lived in Vegas just before she passed away. Dolly and I were the best of best friends for about 9 years. She was friends with my first two tiels, R.B. Bird and Moana (his biological sisiter). Dolly, on December 13, 2001 became a God-Mommy to her very first tiel, AsaMina Sura. Dolly is also the one who named AsaMina, 'Asa' and her 'Mina' is in honor of Dolly, who was as Italian as Italian can be. So, when Tim approached me with this Vegas idea, I added in my two cents worth, Dolly and her history with one of The Asha Chronicles main characters, my AsaMina Sura, and below is the end result. I hope it makes you smile.
Flight of Feathers Part 4
by Tim Graham
Feb 25, 2008
What Happens in Vegas……
One of the main methods the Feathered Friends kept in contact with each other were the blogs at the Bird Channel. Each bird had their own web page complete with pictures and the opportunity to send messages back-and-forth to the other birds on the channel.
One of Asha’s biggest friends on the BC was Beavis. Beavis was a Quaker from Virginia who was more than twenty years old. Beavis was small like most of his breed, but he was a fun-loving bird who liked to go by the nickname of Yoda. Beavis was much respected by the other birds in the community for the wisdom garnered from such an advanced age. Asha-for instance-was the oldest for the Feathered Four at nine.
One sunny day Asha-a Blue-Front Amazon- went on line to talk to her friends when she noticed that she had not heard from Beavis in several days. She checked his site and saw that he not been online for almost a week. Asha began to get worried. Twenty was pretty old for a Quaker and Asha’s first concern was that her friend had passed over to the Rainbow Bridge, where all pets go to await being reunited with their human companions.
The problem kept gnawing at Asha until one day when she knew her Daddy was going to be away from the home for the day, she took off north and flew to Virginia to find out what had happened to her friend. Asha got the advantage of some good tailwinds and soon arrived at Beavis’ hometown of Virginia Beach and landed in the front yard of his human companion, Joyce.
Asha had never tried to communicate directly with humans before so she wandered around the outside of the house hoping to see some sign of what had happened to Beavis. Soon she peeked in a window and saw Beavis’ mother sitting in front of an empty cage with tears in her eyes. She got up and walked out of the room but as she left she dropped a piece of paper to the floor. Asha squeezed through a small crack in the window and glided over to where the paper lay on the floor.
“Dear Mom,” the note began. “I don’t want to hurt you but I was so upset over not being named Bird of the Week that I just have to do something. I know that if I stay here I will just turn into a mean and vicious bird and you do not deserve that. I have left for Las Vegas where I will live out the remainder of my days gambling and doing other bad things. Love, Beavis.”
Asha was horrified. She had heard many humans talk about what an evil place Las Vegas was. She did not want a friend of hers to go to a place like that. She decided to return to Georgia and call together the Four Friends and lead them to Nevada and rescue her friend.
When the other three members of the group had arrived Asha showed them the note.
“Why, that Bird of the Week contest is just a silly popularity poll,” squawked the Orange-Wing Amazon BabyGirl.
“The worst part is that it is all for the egos of the humans,” said Asa, a cockatiel. “The birds could not care less for the most part. I’m surprised that Beavis got so worked up over it.”
“Well, what’s done is done and we need to do something to rescue him,” said Asha. “Las Vegas is no place for a parrot like Beavis. There is no telling what the humans there would do to him. I’m really worried,” Asha turned her head from the others but it was clear that she was crying.
“Don’t worry pal,” said Cecil, a budgie. “We’ll get your friend out of that place and back home where he belongs.”
“Thanks you all, I knew I could depend on you,” Asha said with a smile on her sharp, black beak.
The four took off together and headed due west to Las Vegas. Asha had checked a map before leaving, and was glad that they would not have to fly over something called the Rocky Mountains. The Feathered Friends were tough birds, but that might have been more than they could have hoped to achieve. After a couple of days flying over the heartland of America, the four reached the deserts of Nevada and soon sighted in the distance the lights of Nevada.
“Wow!” said BabyGirl. “That is bright! And there are so many different colors. I didn’t humans could make something so beautiful.”
The four spend the remainder of the night in a small woods park on the outskirts of town. They all noticed that there were very few trees in the area. It was obvious that they would have to do the majority of their perching on buildings and not trees.
“I suggest that we try to blend in with the community,” said Asa. “Maybe we could try to get some jobs and try to find some clues of where Beavis might be. And we can stay with my human God-Mother Dolly. She lives here and makes the best spaghetti noodles you’ve ever tasted.”
“Well, I will certainly give a ‘talons up!’ To that idea,” said Asha. “I’m as hungry as a vulture. I could slurp noodles all day!”
The four headed to the home of Asa’s God-Mother who welcomes then with open arms and soon had a pot of noodles on to boil. They quickly told her of their mission and she agreed to help them as much as possible.
“If you want to get jobs the best places are the casinos,” Dolly said. “They should be able to find positions for four parrots as talented as you are.”
They set out from Dolly’s the next morning and headed for the area she had called ‘the strip’.
“There are plenty of casinos here,” said Cecil. “Where do we start?”
“That’s easy,” quipped Asha. “We’re birds. We start at the tallest one and work out way down!”
“They picked the tallest building they could see and headed for the top floor. They spied a garden on the top of the building and an older man with a full head of blonde hair man lying on a couch next to a swimming pool. Asha pointed her head in his direction and the four landed next to the reclining man.
“Hello sir,” said Cecil. “We were wondering of you knew where four young parrots new in town might be able to find a job?”
The man looked quite shocked to have a parrot address him in such a manner but quickly gathered his wits and said with a smile: “I might have jobs for you. What can you do?”
“Well, Asha is our Diva while BabyGirl is pretty good with her hands,” said Cecil. “I’m pretty good at communicating with people and Asa is just about the cutest thing in the world,” he finished with a blush.
“Well, I’ve had auditioned many people for jobs, but this is truly a first,” said the man. “I might just have to turn this into another television series,” he said as he reached for a telephone. “Hello, this is Trump. Send up the manager.
“Asha, you I’m going to have work in our chorus line tonight. BabyGirl I think you will do well as a dealer at the blackjack tables. Asa, you can work as a receptionist at the front desk and Cecil, you might as well help her out. I can tell I’d have a hard time keeping you away from her anyway,” he said with a wide grin.
Another man had arrived and asked: “What can I do for you Mr. Trump?”
“There four parrots are now on the payroll,” Mr. Trump said. “Take them down and get the paperwork started.” He turned to the four friends and said: “Just to make it official, You’re Hired!”
What followed was a hurricane of activity as the four friends put their claw-prints to as long series of forms, most of which had to do with something they were unfamiliar with called ‘taxes.’ They were then whisked off to separate areas where they were fitted for clothes and given training for their jobs. They were finally able to get together again in a coffee shop at about 5 p.m.
The other three had to marvel at the outfit Asha had been fitted with. Since she supplied all the feathers needed, her uniform consisted mainly of jewels of many different colors. They all contrasted with her natural green, yellow, and blue feathers to cast off a rainbow that shifted hues as she moved from underneath one different colored light to another.
“Hubba, hubba!” gasped Cecil! “That is one nice outfit! It’s a good thing your Daddy isn’t here or he would lock you up and never let you out!”
Cecil had on a black-and-white uniform similar to the ones which Asa and Baby-Girl wore.
“Guess they figured these lilies didn’t need any gilding,” Cecil said with a smirk.
“My first show is at 7 p.m.,” said Asha, trying hard to ignore Cecil’s crack. “I hope you all will be able to come and watch. I’m as nervous as can be! I’ve never performed for humans before.”
“Don’t worry,” said Asa. “They’ll be looking at the human females you’ll be working with. You’ll do fine! Anyway, I got a chance to call Dorothy and she said that she will contact the parrot underground here in Las Vegas and see if they have heard anything about Beavis.”
“Parrot underground?” asked BabyGirl. “I’ve never heard of a parrot underground. What is it?”
“It is a group of humans who love and respect parrots and try to help any who are in need,” said Asa. “They try to get parrots out of abusive homes and help any who are wandering around homeless like Beavis must be.”
They split up and went to their separate jobs. Asa and Cecil helped at the receptionist’s desk at the front of the casino while BabyGirl got ready to deal out hands of Blackjack. BabyGirl was surprised when one of her first players was a blue-front Amazon just like Asha.
“What are you looking at?” he asked. “You look like you have never seen a parrot play blackjack before.”
“Sorry,” said BabyGirl as she dealt the cards. The humans had been forced to trim her claws to keep her from scratching the cards. She noticed that the design on the back of the cards was an eagle. ‘Dang vermin think they are such a big deal.’ She thought to herself. ‘Nothing but vultures in prettier clothing.’
“Actually one of my best friends is a blue front,” BabyGirl said, “and to be honest, by now I should have learned to never be surprised by anything.”
The parrot player busted on four cards and looked up at BabyGirl.
“Who is this friend on yours?” he asked. “I haven’t met many blue fronts here in Las Vegas.”
“Her name is Asha and if you hurry you might just be able to catch the start of her show in the auditorium,” said BabyGirl. “By the way, what is your name?”
“It’s Stubby,” he said as he left the table.
“Hey,” BabyGirl said to herself. “He was pretty cute. Too bad he didn’t like orange wings, I’d have played a few hands with him!”
Stubby got tired of trying to dodge the feet of hundreds of humans and finally took wing and flew into the auditorium where the show was just beginning. There wasn’t much to hold his attention until a line of chorus girls came out. The middle one-a tall redhead human who was so obviously top-heavy that it was a wonder she did not fall on her face-had a parrot sitting on her shoulder. But it wasn’t just any parrot, it was a blue-front Amazon bedecked in more jewels than you could find in the Tower of London.
“Oh….My…..God!” gasped Stubby. “That is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life!”
Stubby’s attention was glued to Asha as she continued through the act which consisted of her slowly peeling off pieces of the human’s costume until she was as naked as the local laws would allow. The line of girls then exited the stage to loud applause and whistles and one parrot who flew behind them and followed them to the dressing rooms behind the stage.
Stubby quietly kept to the shadows and followed the tall redhead until she reached her room.
“That was a great job Asha,” the woman said. “That was quite a twist to the usual striptease we do.”
“You’re welcome Joyce,” said Asha. “I was pretty nervous at first but the audience seemed to like it and that helped.”
“Well, you keep cool there while I take a shower,” said Joyce. “Those lights are hot!”
Joyce walked into the bathroom just as Stubby stepped from the shadows.
“I hope I’m not bothering you but I saw your show and I just had to come and see you,” stammered Stubby. “You’re fabulous!”
“Why, it’s no bother,” Asha purred as she looked over the male parrot. Stubby was a handsome young blue front with obvious intelligence showing from his eyes. He didn’t have as much yellow highlights as Asha did, but she told herself she had to give him points for courage.
“What are you doing in Las Vegas,” Asha asked.
“I live here,” Stubby said. “What about yourself?”
“Tell you what,” said Asha. “It’s a long story and it will be a while before my next show. Why don’t we grab some fruit juice somewhere and I’ll tell you all about it.”
Stubby agreed and that is where, a couple of hours later,that the other three friends found them when they went off shift. Asha introduced him to her friends and it was obvious from the gleam in her eye that she had quickly become quite smitten with the local parrot.
“Stubby said he can help show us around as we look for Beavis,” she said.
“Well, maybe he can help us find the Open Wings Ministry,” said Asa. “Dolly called and said that the word was that there was a parrot there who was from out of town. They said that he was apparently working off a cheerios jag. It might be Beavis.”
“Wait, a second,” said BabyGirl. “What is a cheerios jag?”
“Some parrots have a weakness for breakfast cereals,” said Asa. “Must be all the sugar. My Daddy had a weakness for Cheerios. He’d eat all he could until he would about explode. Sounds like this parrot has the same problem.”
“Let’s get going,” said Stubby. “Just follow me and we’ll be there in about ten minutes.”
The five parrots landed in front of a storefront in a section of Las Vegas that had not seen its better days in many years. They could see ‘Open Wings Ministry’ scripted on the window so they went inside. Asha explained to the lady at the front desk that she was looking for a friend from out of town who might be staying there. After describing Beavis the receptionist left the room and came back with a man in a white coat who sat down with the friends.
“It sounds like you r are describing our new resident,” the doctor said. “He just came to us this morning. Apparently he had been keeping company with a street pigeon down on the strip. They were allegedly crushing cheerios and snorting them. Pretty hardcore stuff. The pigeon brought him here when she couldn’t wake him up this morning.”
“Will he be all right?” asked Asha, close to tears. “We’ll do whatever is necessary to help him. Does he need blood? I’ll be glad to donate.”
“No transfusions will be necessary,” said the doctor. “But it might not hurt to see a friendly face. Why don’t you come with me and we’ll see if he is awake enough to have some company.”
The doctor led Asha down a long hallway and then left into another corridor before stopping in front of a small door with 139 stenciled at the top. He opened the door and Asha was almost overwhelmed with the smell of alcohol and bleach. She could see a small body nestled in the bed. It was definitely Beavis, although it was obvious that he had lost weight and his previously bright green and white feathers had lost most of their sheen. Asha and the doctor stood beside the bed for a couple of minutes until Beavis stirred his small body and turn his head their way. Immediately a smile came to his beak.
“Asha, is that really you?”
“It’s me Beavis,” Asha said with a quaver in her voice. “How’ve you been?”
“I was just dreaming of you and the good old days swapping blogs on the Bird Channel,” Beavis said. “That seems so long ago….”
“Not that long old friend,” Asha said. “All we need to do is get you better and then take you back to your momma and things will be just like they always were, you just wait and see.”
“I’ve been thinking a lot about why I came here and I know I was just being stupid,” Beavis said. “I don’t care who those stupid birds name Bird of the Week. It’s the love of my mom and friends like you that really matters. Heck, I’m twenty years old. That’s ancient for a Quaker. I don’t need to be wasting even a single day worrying about stuff like that. I need to be living.”
“We better be going,” the doctor said gently as Beavis’ head lolled over and he went back to sleep.
On the way back to the reception area Asha was thinking about what Beavis had said. The first nine years of her life had been spent going from one human home to another. Some had neglected her and some had just not known how to live with a parrot. But now she had a wonderful Forever Home with her daddy. She had started hanging out with a group of fellow parrots who had opened her eyes to the wide world around her and to some of the bad things that were happening in that world every day. And they had been able to, in their small feathered way, do some good and help make things better. If it hadn’t been for their help she would never had her eyes opened to those things and she would not have been able to save her friend Beavis from death. And if it hadn’t been for them she would have never met a certain blue front who she hoped would become a very important part of her life.
So it was when she got back to the reception area Asa asked: “Well, how are things?”
“Things couldn’t be going better,” Asha said as she wrapped her green wings around Asa, Cecil, BabyGirl, and Stubby. “They couldn’t be going better at all.”
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
The Asha Chronicles- Part 3
I've never been one to 'journal', yet I do love to write a good story. I've been writing longer than I could either read or write. Hours upon hours were spent as a child with my Grandma G and her antique typewriter pounding out one fantastic story after another. I lost both my Grandparents G&G 6 years ago now and truely missed working and collaborating on stories together. That is until Tim flew into my life. Ok, not Tim, but his Amazon parrot Asha who actually flew into my grandbirdie, AsaMina Sura's life. On a request, as was previously posted, I wrote a story featuring Asha, his Amazon. That simple act has sent the two of us off into 'story-land' and we've been producing one adventure after another together using our birds and those of our friends birds on Bird Channel .Below is the third entry into what's now being called 'The Asha Chronicles'. This story was written 50/50 by both myself and Tim. I hope it makes you smile.
The Asha Chronicles
Adventure Number 3
The room was a stark and sterile white. The equipment in the room, the Feathered Four noticed, was in shades of cockatiel grey, gunmetal grey, and black. The liquid in the vials was a pale orange, but, once processed into a pill, it came out a pretty buttery cream color. The humans in the room matched the room, stark and sterile white in color. The humans, all 6 of them, were covered from head to toe in white attire. Something called a sterile suit to keep the stuff the humans were working with from being contaminated or to keep the humans from being contaminated by it.
The human with the eyes as green as Asha’s feathers was measuring out a minute amount of the orange liquid into a Petri dish. To that the human added a red liquid and a white paste and mixed them up slowly and very carefully, as if moving too fast would cause the concoction to explode.
“Why are we here?” asked Asa from the windowsill just outside the labs one window.
“Yeah, why are we here Asha?” asked Cecil as he took his jet black eyes off the labs contents and placed them on Asha, the blue fronted Amazon with luxurious emerald green feathers who’d called them there. “Not that I’m not grateful for being here, since I did hear my Mom mention that today was supposed to be cage cleaning day and I HATE when she messes with my stuff while forcing me to stay put in a tiny travel cage.”
“Dad had the news on last night and they did a report on some cholesterol medication that is supposed to be a miracle cure for humans. Charles Gibson, the news reporter human who said all of this, said that there are rumors that the Michaela-Jones Drug Company is recycling toxic waste, turning it into a liquid, that orange stuff there,” Asha paused to tilt her yellow, blue and green feathered head in the direction of a tray of four dozen vials of orange liquid, then continued, “and then making it into pills for the humans to take to cure this stuff they get called cholesterol.”
“But, if it’s toxic, won’t that kill the humans instead of cure them?” BabyGirl, the orange winged Amazon, asked logically.
“Yeah, it would kill them.” said Asa simply.
“That’s why I brought you all here. We need to get whatever papers we can for proof for the other humans to see that the Michaela-Jones Company is trying to kill humans, not save them,” said Asha.
“Still doesn’t make sense. Why would the humans want to kill sick humans?” asked BabyGirl, still puzzled.
“I bet it has to do with the cost of that stuff the humans call health insurance. I bet that if there are no more sick humans the insurance companies will get super rich. Humans go a bit nuts around this stuff called money. Kind of like we do with millet sprays, or Asa does with Cheerios.” Cecil thought out loud.
“Hmmmm…Cheerios,” whispered Asa thoughtfully. “I sure hope no humans ever poison Cheerios. Then I’d get really mad and turn into what my Grandma calls my alter ego Psyco Birdie.”
“Well, it would help if we keep our minds on the job here Convicts Chick,” hissed Asha “We’ll have to figure out how to get in and find the papers that tell what the humans are doing here in this lab and then get them to this Charles Gibson news guy so he can hopefully stop them from killing sick humans and making the insurance companies rich. “And since you are our official lock-pick, get your mind off cereal and onto the job” finished Asha.
“We seem to be spending a lot of time trying to keep humans from killing each other,” asked Cecil. “What’s the story on that? Why can’t they live together like we do? We’re a cockatiel, a budgie and two Amazons and we seem to be able to get along. Why can’t humans do the same?”
“I sure wish I knew,” Asa said. “Most of the time when my grandma watches the news on television she tells me how the humans take out all the good parts and only keep the bad parts. She says that more humans like the bad than like the good. She tells me that we were sent here from beyond the Rainbow Bridge to love and protect humans, like angels. Like my Daddy Bird. And I do what my grandma tells me to do….most of the time.”
“Well, you do what I tell you to do now and that is find us a way into that office behind those men,” said Asha. “Let’s fly around and see if there are any windows we can get through.”
The four avian adventurers flew to the other side of the building where they found a small window that looked onto a room filled with computer screens and filing cabinets. The window was open just a crack and emanating from that crack was the sounds of a parrot of some sort.
“This is what we are looking for, an open window” said Cecil. “Do you girls…uh, Diva’s and Asa…hear what I ear?” Cecil added as the parrots desperate calls reached his tiny ears.
“Yeah, I hear it.” Said Asha, Asa, and BabyGirl simultaneously.
“What’s a parrot doing in a lab?” asked BabyGirl.
“I think it’s like Frankenstein or some movie like that. They use animals, usually rats and monkeys, as experiments. Humans inject the stuff they invent into them to see what happens. If they don’t die and sometimes if they do, the humans sell the stuff to other humans, like this cholesterol medication stuff.” said Asa knowledgably.
“Where on earth do you get this stuff?” asked BabyGirl.
“Grandma reads to us mystery books and we watch PBS all the time.” Asa said simply, before adding, “You know, I think I’m going to give Cecil the honor of getting into the room. I think this opening is too small for anyone but him.”
“Isn’t is always ‘ladies first’?” Cecil joked as he ducked down and easily slipped through the tiny opening and into the room.
“It’s one of those new fangled pop out windows, Cecil. Just put your talons on the glass and your beak on those latches and push them out toward the room, then stand back.” Asha instructed.
Cecil did as he was instructed and, once the two latches were pointing toward the room, Cecil silently flew to the computer on the extremely neatly organized desk and immediately left a ‘little something’ on the keyboard for the office’s owner.
Before they entered the room Asha whispered a warning.
“Remember, these people are willing to kill their own kind for something called money. You can be sure they would kill us if they catch us. Be careful and watch each other’s tail feathers.”
The three Feathered Friends still outside, put all their weight against the glass of the window pane. Slowly it began to move and finally, with way too loud of a thunk, it popped open.
“SHHHHHH!!!” The foursome all whispered at the window as they immediately took flight and landed on the ceiling fan.
“What was that?” said a human voice from the other room.
“Uh, probably my window again.” Another human sighed from the same room as the first human, “I’ve put in a dozen requisitions to Maintenance to fix it, but so far no luck. One good deep sigh from the wind and it flops open. I’ll go shut it as soon as we’re done injecting this new batch of Orange 66 into Mergatriod and Zippy.”
“Weren’t we supposed to inject a 6 mm dose into that stupid bird, too?” asked the first human.
“Uh, nah, we need to inject that bird with the Yellow 99.” answered the second human.
“We need to get that parrot out of there before we even think of rescuing any papers!” whispered Asha heroically.
“Yeah.” agreed Asa also in a whisper.
“I can see that the next room, where I’m sure the humans and the parrot is, has a transom just above the door. Lets get out tails over there and wait for the humans to leave.” whispered BabyGirl.
“Why don’t you Amazon Ninjas go paper hunting while the Convicts Chick and I go after the parrot.” whispered Cecil.
“We don’t know what’s in that room, Cecil.” whispered Asa, It may take all of us to get that parrot out. There are also two other critters, a Mergatriod and a Zippy. We can’t leave them behind if there is any hope of saving them.” Asa added. It was her turn to be heroic, as well as logical.
“Ok, ALL of us will go to that transom and wait.” Said Asha decisively.
Asha had apparently had the last word, as without further ado, the Feathered Four took off silently for the transom of the room just across the hall.
With talons gripping the soft pine frame of the transom so as not to slip on the slick frosted glass, the Feathered Four, took in the contents of the room: in a hospital green colored room stood two men in lab coats, each with a big hairy rat in their heavily gloved hands.
“Got Yellow 99 into Zippy.” said one of the lab men
“And, we got Orange 66 into Mergie.” the other said cheerfully.
Mergie and Zippy both began to seize, causing each man to drop his rat. Upon hitting the floor, both rats passed over the Rainbow Bridge, causing the parrot, a blue and gold Macaw, to cry out in sorrow and heartbreak at the loss of her only friends. Asa opened her beak in an automatic attempt to comfort the partially bald blue and gold, but remember at the last moment where they were, and closed it again. Cecil, Asha, and BabyGirl all sighed audibly.
“Sounds like the wind is picking up.” said the skinny lab guy with the wild red hair. “I’ll go close that window.” he concluded as he turned to leave the room and remedy the sound he interpreted as the wind through the window.
“I’ll join you. We need to document the deaths of these rats and requisition a couple more for the adjustments on Yellow 99 and Orange 66.” Said the slightly heavier lab guy with wild snow white hair.
“Yeah, we’ll need a few more rats for tests when 66 and 99 are combined.” said the red headed lab guy.
“Hmm, forgot about those tests. Will do.” said the second lab guy as he exited the room via the door just below the Feathered Four, who were still perched precariously on the transom, and turned and went left down the hall, probably to put in that requisition they’d just heard him mention.
“I’ll join you in a moment.” said the first lab guy as he locked the lab door behind him.
Once both lab guys were out of sight, the Feathered Four entered the room through the transom they’d been perched on. Asa and Cecil went immediately over to the blue and gold macaw while Asha and BabyGirl went to check on the two rats who were still lying on the floor.
“They’re dead, just like all the rest.” said the macaw.
“Did they pluck all your feathers off? Or did you lose your feathers from that stuff they gave the rats?” asked Cecil, genuinely concerned.
“No, I pulled my own feathers out.” Stated the macaw in a very depressed tone of voice. “They think I’m diseased and have been too scared to get near me, so I just keep plucking my feathers so they don’t kill me, too.”
“Smart.” Stated Asa with a beak full of padlock. “I don’t think even I can chew through this, but those wing nuts should be a piece of cake to turn.”
Cecil joined Asa at the top of the Macaws cage and helped her turn the wing nut on the left side while Asha and BabyGirl, after watching the odd couple for a moment, began the same process on the second wing nut on the other side of the cage.
“What’s your name?” asked Asa as the first of the two wing nuts came loose and fell noisily to the floor.
“SHHHHH!!!” said Asha in her most undiva like tone.
“Names Halon. And, don’t worry about the noise. The lab guys will just assume it’s me throwing my food bowls again.” Halon said in a monotone voice.
“Did you get that side Asha and BabyGirl?” asked Cecil.
“Just got in now!” said Asha as BabyGirl pitched the wing nut across the room.
“I can push my roof off, I’ve done it before. But, it’ll make way too much noise if it falls.” said Halon with a bit more happiness in her voice due to the thought of finally being free.
“We can slide it just far enough for you to squeeze out, ok?” said Asa.
“Sure, good thinking.” said Halon.
The nearly bald blue and gold macaw climbed up her rusted cage bars and with the top of her head lifted the cage top just enough for the Feathered Four to grab it with their beaks and slide it about eight inches, more than enough space for Halons skinny body to squeeze out.
“Ok, do you think you can keep up with us, or would you like me to get you outside where you can hide in the bushes till we find what we came here for?” asked Asa.
“I think I can keep up with you guys. I haven ‘t eaten in quite a while, but I think the idea of freedom is more powerful than my empty tummy at the moment.” Halon began. “What do you need to find?” she ended.
“Papers telling about that new cholesterol drug made from toxic waste. Do you know where the humans keep them?” asked Asha.
“I can do better than papers.” smirked Halon “I know where they keep those shiny circles things that all the information and test results are kept. That cholesterol stuff is what killed my friends Mergie and Zippy.” said Halon, a burst of energy just found.
“Well, lets hurry before those humans come back in!” said Cecil as he got airborne and circled the four still perched on the top of Halons rusty cage.
“Right over there…um…didn’t catch any of your names.” said Halon
“Sorry for the bad manners.” Asa apologized before introducing her ninja team, “I’m Asa. The blue buzzard is Cecil. And the blue fronted Amazon is Asha and the orange winged one is BabyGirl.”
“Ok, now we’re officially friends.” said Halon as she joined Cecil in the air and led the Feathered Four to a computer across the room. “Here, the shiny disks are kept in that locked box. I have no clue how you’ll get them out, but that’s where they’re kept.” said Halon, her still fully feathered wing extended toward the small locked plastic box.
“Piece of cake!” said Asa as she literally began to chew right through the plastic.
“Ok, how does he do that?” asked Halon, honestly puzzled at the rate of speed Asa was able to chew through the heavy plastic encapsulating the computer disks.
“First off, she’s a she. A girl ‘Asa’. Asa is short for AsaMina Sura.” began Cecil, as he defended his ladies honor. “Her friend Rosalie named her the Convicts Chick, you name it, she can break into it or out of it. Heck the girl can chew through concrete!”
“Wow.” said Halon astonished.
Asha and BabyGirl giggled, both at Halons astonishment at the Convicts Chicks speed at chewing through the plastic box and the fact she was actually a little girl.
“Ok, there are four disks in here. I say we each take one and get out tail feathers out of here.” said Asa as she peered into the now open box.
“Lets do it!” said Asha a bit too loudly.
“That air duct up there leads to the outside. “said Halon as she tilted her head toward a duct just to the left of the smoke alarm on the wall they were sitting before. “There are a couple of raccoons who come through there all the time, but only at night, to see if they can get in. Not sure why they want in, but I’m sure raccoons just aren’t very smart.”
“Ok Asa, do it again.” said BabyGirl as Asa flew up and quickly chewed through the mesh in front of the air duct.
The Feathered Four and Halon cautiously made their way through the air duct toward a breeze that came from somewhere just beyond their sight. After about a five minute waddle, they made it to the end of the duct and the outside.
“Where to from here?” Asked Halon.
“We’re going to take you to Eva’s in Charleston South Carolina. She’ll take you right in and take the best care of you you could ever imagine. She’s Mom to a couple of my best friends, Leah Danielle Sharon and Ruby Francesca Begonia. She is also Mom to the famous Rosalie Hale Bopp, who gave me my nickname. Rosie and Ruby and blue and golds just like you. Leah is a hawk head parrot and is really cool, you’ll like her a lot, too. Then the four of us are headed to Cecils in New York to get these disks to Charles Gibson so he can help the humans.” Asa said, then quickly added, “Eva will get you your own message page on Bird Channel. That’s how we all stay in touch, so no worries, we’re hard to get rid of. Once our friend, your our friend for life, thick and thin and we’ll always be there for you.”
“Amen sister!” said Asha and BabyGirl.
“Sounds ok.” said Halon uneasily.
“You’ll be fine.” reassured Cecil. “Trust us.” he added as he nuzzled Halons bare chest, which was as high up as he could reach on the nearly naked macaw.
The Feathered Four and Halon headed for Charleston. Once there, they made sure Halon and Eva were properly introduced and Halon felt relatively safe in her new home. Eva was one of those rare humans, like Asa’s Grandma, Asha’s Dad and BabyGirl and Cecils Mom and Dad, they understood birds and even were able to interpret some of their sounds, enough to know what they wanted or needed most of the time. Halon would be safe and happy from now on, they knew that for a fact.
The four friends flew back to Cecil’s home in Tonawanda, New York and found a lost cell phone. With Asa’s help, Cecil called Charles Gibson’s office and left an anonymous tip that Mr. Gibson could find some important information on the new cholesterol drug in the crevice of a gargoyle located on 5th Avenue near 123 Street.
The four friends shared the narrow ledge just above the gargoyle, yet very hidden from human view, as they watched Gibson approach the hidden information and pick it up.
“Well, I guess we did pretty good today,” said BabyGirl.
“We sure did,” said Asa. “But you don’t look too happy Asha, what’s the problem?”
“I didn’t get to mess up a single one of those nasty humans. I was hoping to get to kick tail feathers on all six of them in that first lab plus their scummy bosses! And those two evil lab guys who killed those poor rats!” hissed Asha.
The other three companions laughed as Asha took off and conspicuously pooped on the windshield of a BMW 930i parked nearby.
“Here’s what I think of humans and their stupid money,” she shouted as she headed back home to Georgia.
BabyGirl, Asa and Cecil, still laughing as Ashas tirade of disapointment, also took off for home.
Adventure Number 3
The room was a stark and sterile white. The equipment in the room, the Feathered Four noticed, was in shades of cockatiel grey, gunmetal grey, and black. The liquid in the vials was a pale orange, but, once processed into a pill, it came out a pretty buttery cream color. The humans in the room matched the room, stark and sterile white in color. The humans, all 6 of them, were covered from head to toe in white attire. Something called a sterile suit to keep the stuff the humans were working with from being contaminated or to keep the humans from being contaminated by it.
The human with the eyes as green as Asha’s feathers was measuring out a minute amount of the orange liquid into a Petri dish. To that the human added a red liquid and a white paste and mixed them up slowly and very carefully, as if moving too fast would cause the concoction to explode.
“Why are we here?” asked Asa from the windowsill just outside the labs one window.
“Yeah, why are we here Asha?” asked Cecil as he took his jet black eyes off the labs contents and placed them on Asha, the blue fronted Amazon with luxurious emerald green feathers who’d called them there. “Not that I’m not grateful for being here, since I did hear my Mom mention that today was supposed to be cage cleaning day and I HATE when she messes with my stuff while forcing me to stay put in a tiny travel cage.”
“Dad had the news on last night and they did a report on some cholesterol medication that is supposed to be a miracle cure for humans. Charles Gibson, the news reporter human who said all of this, said that there are rumors that the Michaela-Jones Drug Company is recycling toxic waste, turning it into a liquid, that orange stuff there,” Asha paused to tilt her yellow, blue and green feathered head in the direction of a tray of four dozen vials of orange liquid, then continued, “and then making it into pills for the humans to take to cure this stuff they get called cholesterol.”
“But, if it’s toxic, won’t that kill the humans instead of cure them?” BabyGirl, the orange winged Amazon, asked logically.
“Yeah, it would kill them.” said Asa simply.
“That’s why I brought you all here. We need to get whatever papers we can for proof for the other humans to see that the Michaela-Jones Company is trying to kill humans, not save them,” said Asha.
“Still doesn’t make sense. Why would the humans want to kill sick humans?” asked BabyGirl, still puzzled.
“I bet it has to do with the cost of that stuff the humans call health insurance. I bet that if there are no more sick humans the insurance companies will get super rich. Humans go a bit nuts around this stuff called money. Kind of like we do with millet sprays, or Asa does with Cheerios.” Cecil thought out loud.
“Hmmmm…Cheerios,” whispered Asa thoughtfully. “I sure hope no humans ever poison Cheerios. Then I’d get really mad and turn into what my Grandma calls my alter ego Psyco Birdie.”
“Well, it would help if we keep our minds on the job here Convicts Chick,” hissed Asha “We’ll have to figure out how to get in and find the papers that tell what the humans are doing here in this lab and then get them to this Charles Gibson news guy so he can hopefully stop them from killing sick humans and making the insurance companies rich. “And since you are our official lock-pick, get your mind off cereal and onto the job” finished Asha.
“We seem to be spending a lot of time trying to keep humans from killing each other,” asked Cecil. “What’s the story on that? Why can’t they live together like we do? We’re a cockatiel, a budgie and two Amazons and we seem to be able to get along. Why can’t humans do the same?”
“I sure wish I knew,” Asa said. “Most of the time when my grandma watches the news on television she tells me how the humans take out all the good parts and only keep the bad parts. She says that more humans like the bad than like the good. She tells me that we were sent here from beyond the Rainbow Bridge to love and protect humans, like angels. Like my Daddy Bird. And I do what my grandma tells me to do….most of the time.”
“Well, you do what I tell you to do now and that is find us a way into that office behind those men,” said Asha. “Let’s fly around and see if there are any windows we can get through.”
The four avian adventurers flew to the other side of the building where they found a small window that looked onto a room filled with computer screens and filing cabinets. The window was open just a crack and emanating from that crack was the sounds of a parrot of some sort.
“This is what we are looking for, an open window” said Cecil. “Do you girls…uh, Diva’s and Asa…hear what I ear?” Cecil added as the parrots desperate calls reached his tiny ears.
“Yeah, I hear it.” Said Asha, Asa, and BabyGirl simultaneously.
“What’s a parrot doing in a lab?” asked BabyGirl.
“I think it’s like Frankenstein or some movie like that. They use animals, usually rats and monkeys, as experiments. Humans inject the stuff they invent into them to see what happens. If they don’t die and sometimes if they do, the humans sell the stuff to other humans, like this cholesterol medication stuff.” said Asa knowledgably.
“Where on earth do you get this stuff?” asked BabyGirl.
“Grandma reads to us mystery books and we watch PBS all the time.” Asa said simply, before adding, “You know, I think I’m going to give Cecil the honor of getting into the room. I think this opening is too small for anyone but him.”
“Isn’t is always ‘ladies first’?” Cecil joked as he ducked down and easily slipped through the tiny opening and into the room.
“It’s one of those new fangled pop out windows, Cecil. Just put your talons on the glass and your beak on those latches and push them out toward the room, then stand back.” Asha instructed.
Cecil did as he was instructed and, once the two latches were pointing toward the room, Cecil silently flew to the computer on the extremely neatly organized desk and immediately left a ‘little something’ on the keyboard for the office’s owner.
Before they entered the room Asha whispered a warning.
“Remember, these people are willing to kill their own kind for something called money. You can be sure they would kill us if they catch us. Be careful and watch each other’s tail feathers.”
The three Feathered Friends still outside, put all their weight against the glass of the window pane. Slowly it began to move and finally, with way too loud of a thunk, it popped open.
“SHHHHHH!!!” The foursome all whispered at the window as they immediately took flight and landed on the ceiling fan.
“What was that?” said a human voice from the other room.
“Uh, probably my window again.” Another human sighed from the same room as the first human, “I’ve put in a dozen requisitions to Maintenance to fix it, but so far no luck. One good deep sigh from the wind and it flops open. I’ll go shut it as soon as we’re done injecting this new batch of Orange 66 into Mergatriod and Zippy.”
“Weren’t we supposed to inject a 6 mm dose into that stupid bird, too?” asked the first human.
“Uh, nah, we need to inject that bird with the Yellow 99.” answered the second human.
“We need to get that parrot out of there before we even think of rescuing any papers!” whispered Asha heroically.
“Yeah.” agreed Asa also in a whisper.
“I can see that the next room, where I’m sure the humans and the parrot is, has a transom just above the door. Lets get out tails over there and wait for the humans to leave.” whispered BabyGirl.
“Why don’t you Amazon Ninjas go paper hunting while the Convicts Chick and I go after the parrot.” whispered Cecil.
“We don’t know what’s in that room, Cecil.” whispered Asa, It may take all of us to get that parrot out. There are also two other critters, a Mergatriod and a Zippy. We can’t leave them behind if there is any hope of saving them.” Asa added. It was her turn to be heroic, as well as logical.
“Ok, ALL of us will go to that transom and wait.” Said Asha decisively.
Asha had apparently had the last word, as without further ado, the Feathered Four took off silently for the transom of the room just across the hall.
With talons gripping the soft pine frame of the transom so as not to slip on the slick frosted glass, the Feathered Four, took in the contents of the room: in a hospital green colored room stood two men in lab coats, each with a big hairy rat in their heavily gloved hands.
“Got Yellow 99 into Zippy.” said one of the lab men
“And, we got Orange 66 into Mergie.” the other said cheerfully.
Mergie and Zippy both began to seize, causing each man to drop his rat. Upon hitting the floor, both rats passed over the Rainbow Bridge, causing the parrot, a blue and gold Macaw, to cry out in sorrow and heartbreak at the loss of her only friends. Asa opened her beak in an automatic attempt to comfort the partially bald blue and gold, but remember at the last moment where they were, and closed it again. Cecil, Asha, and BabyGirl all sighed audibly.
“Sounds like the wind is picking up.” said the skinny lab guy with the wild red hair. “I’ll go close that window.” he concluded as he turned to leave the room and remedy the sound he interpreted as the wind through the window.
“I’ll join you. We need to document the deaths of these rats and requisition a couple more for the adjustments on Yellow 99 and Orange 66.” Said the slightly heavier lab guy with wild snow white hair.
“Yeah, we’ll need a few more rats for tests when 66 and 99 are combined.” said the red headed lab guy.
“Hmm, forgot about those tests. Will do.” said the second lab guy as he exited the room via the door just below the Feathered Four, who were still perched precariously on the transom, and turned and went left down the hall, probably to put in that requisition they’d just heard him mention.
“I’ll join you in a moment.” said the first lab guy as he locked the lab door behind him.
Once both lab guys were out of sight, the Feathered Four entered the room through the transom they’d been perched on. Asa and Cecil went immediately over to the blue and gold macaw while Asha and BabyGirl went to check on the two rats who were still lying on the floor.
“They’re dead, just like all the rest.” said the macaw.
“Did they pluck all your feathers off? Or did you lose your feathers from that stuff they gave the rats?” asked Cecil, genuinely concerned.
“No, I pulled my own feathers out.” Stated the macaw in a very depressed tone of voice. “They think I’m diseased and have been too scared to get near me, so I just keep plucking my feathers so they don’t kill me, too.”
“Smart.” Stated Asa with a beak full of padlock. “I don’t think even I can chew through this, but those wing nuts should be a piece of cake to turn.”
Cecil joined Asa at the top of the Macaws cage and helped her turn the wing nut on the left side while Asha and BabyGirl, after watching the odd couple for a moment, began the same process on the second wing nut on the other side of the cage.
“What’s your name?” asked Asa as the first of the two wing nuts came loose and fell noisily to the floor.
“SHHHHH!!!” said Asha in her most undiva like tone.
“Names Halon. And, don’t worry about the noise. The lab guys will just assume it’s me throwing my food bowls again.” Halon said in a monotone voice.
“Did you get that side Asha and BabyGirl?” asked Cecil.
“Just got in now!” said Asha as BabyGirl pitched the wing nut across the room.
“I can push my roof off, I’ve done it before. But, it’ll make way too much noise if it falls.” said Halon with a bit more happiness in her voice due to the thought of finally being free.
“We can slide it just far enough for you to squeeze out, ok?” said Asa.
“Sure, good thinking.” said Halon.
The nearly bald blue and gold macaw climbed up her rusted cage bars and with the top of her head lifted the cage top just enough for the Feathered Four to grab it with their beaks and slide it about eight inches, more than enough space for Halons skinny body to squeeze out.
“Ok, do you think you can keep up with us, or would you like me to get you outside where you can hide in the bushes till we find what we came here for?” asked Asa.
“I think I can keep up with you guys. I haven ‘t eaten in quite a while, but I think the idea of freedom is more powerful than my empty tummy at the moment.” Halon began. “What do you need to find?” she ended.
“Papers telling about that new cholesterol drug made from toxic waste. Do you know where the humans keep them?” asked Asha.
“I can do better than papers.” smirked Halon “I know where they keep those shiny circles things that all the information and test results are kept. That cholesterol stuff is what killed my friends Mergie and Zippy.” said Halon, a burst of energy just found.
“Well, lets hurry before those humans come back in!” said Cecil as he got airborne and circled the four still perched on the top of Halons rusty cage.
“Right over there…um…didn’t catch any of your names.” said Halon
“Sorry for the bad manners.” Asa apologized before introducing her ninja team, “I’m Asa. The blue buzzard is Cecil. And the blue fronted Amazon is Asha and the orange winged one is BabyGirl.”
“Ok, now we’re officially friends.” said Halon as she joined Cecil in the air and led the Feathered Four to a computer across the room. “Here, the shiny disks are kept in that locked box. I have no clue how you’ll get them out, but that’s where they’re kept.” said Halon, her still fully feathered wing extended toward the small locked plastic box.
“Piece of cake!” said Asa as she literally began to chew right through the plastic.
“Ok, how does he do that?” asked Halon, honestly puzzled at the rate of speed Asa was able to chew through the heavy plastic encapsulating the computer disks.
“First off, she’s a she. A girl ‘Asa’. Asa is short for AsaMina Sura.” began Cecil, as he defended his ladies honor. “Her friend Rosalie named her the Convicts Chick, you name it, she can break into it or out of it. Heck the girl can chew through concrete!”
“Wow.” said Halon astonished.
Asha and BabyGirl giggled, both at Halons astonishment at the Convicts Chicks speed at chewing through the plastic box and the fact she was actually a little girl.
“Ok, there are four disks in here. I say we each take one and get out tail feathers out of here.” said Asa as she peered into the now open box.
“Lets do it!” said Asha a bit too loudly.
“That air duct up there leads to the outside. “said Halon as she tilted her head toward a duct just to the left of the smoke alarm on the wall they were sitting before. “There are a couple of raccoons who come through there all the time, but only at night, to see if they can get in. Not sure why they want in, but I’m sure raccoons just aren’t very smart.”
“Ok Asa, do it again.” said BabyGirl as Asa flew up and quickly chewed through the mesh in front of the air duct.
The Feathered Four and Halon cautiously made their way through the air duct toward a breeze that came from somewhere just beyond their sight. After about a five minute waddle, they made it to the end of the duct and the outside.
“Where to from here?” Asked Halon.
“We’re going to take you to Eva’s in Charleston South Carolina. She’ll take you right in and take the best care of you you could ever imagine. She’s Mom to a couple of my best friends, Leah Danielle Sharon and Ruby Francesca Begonia. She is also Mom to the famous Rosalie Hale Bopp, who gave me my nickname. Rosie and Ruby and blue and golds just like you. Leah is a hawk head parrot and is really cool, you’ll like her a lot, too. Then the four of us are headed to Cecils in New York to get these disks to Charles Gibson so he can help the humans.” Asa said, then quickly added, “Eva will get you your own message page on Bird Channel. That’s how we all stay in touch, so no worries, we’re hard to get rid of. Once our friend, your our friend for life, thick and thin and we’ll always be there for you.”
“Amen sister!” said Asha and BabyGirl.
“Sounds ok.” said Halon uneasily.
“You’ll be fine.” reassured Cecil. “Trust us.” he added as he nuzzled Halons bare chest, which was as high up as he could reach on the nearly naked macaw.
The Feathered Four and Halon headed for Charleston. Once there, they made sure Halon and Eva were properly introduced and Halon felt relatively safe in her new home. Eva was one of those rare humans, like Asa’s Grandma, Asha’s Dad and BabyGirl and Cecils Mom and Dad, they understood birds and even were able to interpret some of their sounds, enough to know what they wanted or needed most of the time. Halon would be safe and happy from now on, they knew that for a fact.
The four friends flew back to Cecil’s home in Tonawanda, New York and found a lost cell phone. With Asa’s help, Cecil called Charles Gibson’s office and left an anonymous tip that Mr. Gibson could find some important information on the new cholesterol drug in the crevice of a gargoyle located on 5th Avenue near 123 Street.
The four friends shared the narrow ledge just above the gargoyle, yet very hidden from human view, as they watched Gibson approach the hidden information and pick it up.
“Well, I guess we did pretty good today,” said BabyGirl.
“We sure did,” said Asa. “But you don’t look too happy Asha, what’s the problem?”
“I didn’t get to mess up a single one of those nasty humans. I was hoping to get to kick tail feathers on all six of them in that first lab plus their scummy bosses! And those two evil lab guys who killed those poor rats!” hissed Asha.
The other three companions laughed as Asha took off and conspicuously pooped on the windshield of a BMW 930i parked nearby.
“Here’s what I think of humans and their stupid money,” she shouted as she headed back home to Georgia.
BabyGirl, Asa and Cecil, still laughing as Ashas tirade of disapointment, also took off for home.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
The Asha Chronicles- Part 2
I've had a couple of requests to continue posting my stories on my blog. No arguments, of course, from me on that! The first story I posted on my blog, A Culinary Adventure, was read by a gentleman named Tim Graham. Tim then asked me to write a story about his Blue Fronted Amazon, Asha, and I did. That was the Flight of Feathers Fantasy story I posted a couple of weeks ago. Tim was a journalist for 20 years, but always wanted to write fiction. My two stories gave him that 'push' and he took 'Flight of Feathers' and wrote a sequel to it, now known at Part 2 of the Asha Chronicals. The below story is his very first attempt at fiction writing. There are now 5 parts in the Asha Chronicals and I'll post a new one every now and then. Part 2 is all Tim's writing, but the next story, Part 3, is a 50-50 collaberations by the two of us. You'll just have to be patient to read the next chapter in the Asha Chronicles. For now, enjoy Part 2.
AsaMina Sura was a patient cockatiel. She had learned patience over the years while watching her grandmother work at her sewing business. Asa had always enjoyed the hours spent looking over her grandmother’s shoulder as she worked but something had happened lately that took away her patience and filled her with a need for action and excitement.
Asa and three of her parrot friends had just returned from a most unbirdlike adventure in Georgia. Along with a budgie named Cecil and a pair of Amazons named Asha and BabyGirl, Asa had helped foil a plot to murder thousands of humans. They had discovered three humans attempting to poison peaches and had stopped them in their tracks. Asa had to admit that she had really enjoyed her adventure and was really hoping that something else might happen to bring together the intrepid four avian adventurers.
“But what is the chance of that?” she asked herself. “It isn’t every day that a cockatiel gets to help save the world,” she said as she chuckled to herself and prepared to tuck her head under a wing for an afternoon nap.
But, before she could escape into sleep she heard her grandmother call to her from her place in front of the computer. “Asa,” her grandmother said. “One of your birdie friends has a message for you that I just do not understand. Do you want to come here and try to make some sense of it?”
Asa communicated with her friends through the Bird Channel on the internet where they could blog back and forth to each other . That way birds who lived far apart could keep in touch. While Asha lived in Georgia-the site of their recent adventure-Asa lived in Arkansas. Asa spread her winds and flew over to where her grandmother was sitting in front of the computer.
“Look at this message,” her grandmother said. “It is from your friend Cecil.”
Asa looked at the message and her feathers suddenly puffed up in excitement. “We need to meet.” was all the message said. But Asa knew exactly what Cecil meant. He wanted her to meet him just like they had met together in the peach orchard behind Asha’s house in Georgia prior to their last adventure.
Asa pretended that she wasn’t interested in the message and her grandmother gave up and went back to sewing. Asa knew it was better to keep the humans out of the loop. They were way too emotional and tended to cause more trouble than was necessary.
Cecil lived in New York so it would be a long flight for him to get to Arkansas. Asa tucked her head under a wing and took a nap. Suddenly she heard a sound and she woke up and looked to the window nearest her cage. She could see a vague blue shape through the glass. Cecil the Budgerator for sure. She opened the window and let him in from the frigid Arkansas night.
“I thought it was cold up in New York, but it has nothing on this Ozark Mountain cold,” Cecil said as he shook his feathers. Cecil was small as parrots go, but he had a ton of personality and was very smart. He was also hopelessly in love with Asa but was too shy to admit it. Of course, he was about the only bird in the world who did not realize how he felt.
“We need to get the gang together,” Cecil said as soon as he got warm enough to speak coherently. “I think we might have another mission.”
“Ok, I’ll get in touch with them,” said Asa. “It won’t take long for BabyGirl to get here from Missouri. But it might be later tomorrow before Asha can get here from Georgia. I’ll hide you out until everyone gets here and then we can talk together out in the garage.
BabyGirl, an orange winged Amazon arrived about noon but it was nearly dark before Asha, a blue fronted Amazon, dipped down from out of the evening sky. While Asa and Cecil could be considered the ‘brains’ of the group, the two Amazons were clearly the more physical of the quartet. The two Amazons were nearly twice the size of both Asa and Cecil. They had stubby-shaped green bodies with large beaks and long claws.
“I was wondering when you would call,” said Asha. “I just hope ninjafying Arkansas humans is as fun as it was doing it to Georgians.” Asha had the reputation in the Bird Channel of being a bit of a spoiled Diva. But the truth was that she liked nothing better than to slap a bad guy with her green wings and then poop on him just to rub it in.
“Me too,” said BabyGirl. “That peach thing was fun. What you got for us this time?” BabyGirl was younger than Asha and the older Amazon had taken her under her wing when she first came to the BC blogs.
“Well, I’ll try to explain it as best as I can but it barely makes sense to me,” said Cecil. “Did you all see the latest video from that Osama human?” The other three birds all shook their heads in affirmation. Cecil could tell that he had their attention by mentioning Osama. Parrots might make fun of their human companions, but they loved them dearly and any threat to them was taken very seriously. The most recent tape from the human terrorist had spoken of a strike ‘at the heartland of America’ but there were no clues what his intentions were. The government had downplayed the message and said they had no evidence of any threat to the country.
“You may have noticed that in the background of the video there was a small bird,” Cecil said. “It was just in view for a second or two.”
“Yes, I remember that,” said Asha. “I also remember that the bird seemed to say something but I couldn’t make out what it was.”
“Right,’ said Cecil. “Well I could tell that it was a budgie like me and I could just make out what he was saying, but it didn’t make a lot of sense until I remembered where Asa lived and it all sort of fell into place.”
“What does Springdale, Arkansas have to do with someone like Osama?” asked Asa. “About all we are famous for is being the headquarters for Tyson Foods.”
“Exactly,” said Cecil. “And what that budgie on the tape said over and over was ‘tastes like chicken, tastes like chicken.’”
The four birds suddenly felt a shared chill. A few hundred poisoned peaches was one thing, but a potential terrorist attack on the world’s largest chicken processing plant was something else altogether. They just might have beaked off a little more than four parrots could possibly chew.
At that moment Asa’s flockmate Tyson Parker fluttered up to the garage and hollered for Asa. Tyson was know as ‘the parrot who fell to Earth’ as he mysteriously landed in the middle of a church picnic one day and eventually wound up in Asa’s flock.
“Asa,” Tyson said. “Come quick. There has been anew video from that Osama creature. You need to come look.”
“Wait,” said BabyGirl. “What will your grandmother say when she sees all of us?”
“Don’t worry, she’s working in the sewing room. We can watch the television in the kitchen.” said Asa.
The four parrots flew into the house and watched as one of the all news channels broadcast the new terrorist video on a loop. Cecil was especially attentive as he looked to see if the budgie on the previous tape was also on this one.
“There he is!” Cecil squawked. “There is the budgie! Turn up the sound so I can see if he is saying something!”
Tyson turned up the sound and- although it was very faint- the birds could hear the parrot saying something over and over. A human would never be able to tell if the bird was speaking at all, but the parrot’s superior hearing could tell. And Cecil-being of the same species as the bird in the video- could tell what he was saying.
“What is it Cecil? What is he saying?” asked Asha.
“Three if by air, three if by air. That is what he is saying over and over.” whispered Cecil.
“Well, whatever they are going to do, they will be doing it from the air.” said Asa
“Heck, they’re just trying to make it easy on us,” said Asha. “Ain’t no human yet been able3 to beat a bird in the air. That’s like trying to out swim a fish.”
The four heroes went back to the garage where they discussed their plans for stopping the terrorist threat. They decided to divide up and investigate all airports in the area to see if there was anything suspicious going on.
“We need to work quickly.” warned Asa. “We have no idea when they plan on attacking the plant or just what they intend to do. Keep your eyes open and report back here by sun-up.”
The four feathered friends took off in different directions and went about their tasks with gusto. These were intelligent creatures that had spent almost all of their lives sitting on perches and performing silly tricks for their human companions. Now they had a chance to do something exciting and important. It was if a great weight had been lifted from their souls. They had never flown as high or as fast. Their eyes had never been as clear or their hearing as sharp.
Hours later three of them gathered at Asa’s garage.
“Where is BabyGirl?” asked Asha. “Did either of you hear anything from her?”
“She might have gotten lost,” suggested Cecil. “She isn’t familiar with the terrain here.”
The three waited for a couple of more hours and were just about to fly off looking for their companion when they heard a fluttering of wings at the front door of the garage.
“I have never been so scared!” BabyGirl said.
The other three parrots gathered around intent on her every word.
“I was on my way back here,” BabyGirl said after finally calming down. “I had not been able to find anything suspicious and was ready to give up when I saw a small airfield just outside of town. It looked like it had just recently been cut out of a field. I decided to go down and take a look and I saw just what we have been afraid of.” BabyGirl took a break to sip on some pineapple juice Tyson Parker had brought from the house.
“What did you see?” begged Asha. “And, what is more important, do we get to go ninja on some more bad humans?”
“I saw three men working on a small airplane,” said BabyGirl. “They were painting over the old name on it and painting Tyson Foods on it. I think that is what they are going to try to get into the plant without raising suspicions.”
“Good work BabyGirl.” said Asa. “We better get airborne and head for that field. There is not telling when they plan on making their move.”
The four feathered friends immediately took to the air and headed west out of town with BabyGirl in the lead.
“Oh, no!” BabyGirl shouted as they neared their target. “We’re too late! They’ve already taken off.”
“No, we’re not too late, we’re right on time!” shouted Asha as she pointed a long flight feather off to the north. “There they are. Put on the speed and we’ll be able to catch tem before they get to the plant.”
The four parrots flew faster than they had ever flown before and slowly caught up to the small plane. They landed on the rudder and made plans.
“Ok,” said Asa. “Since I’m known as the Convicts Chick, I will open up the door on the plane and Asha and BabyGirl will go after the pilots while Cecil and I check out the back of the plane and try to figure out what these humans are trying to do. Are you ready?”
The four feathered avengers each raised a claw and touched talons.
“When this is over I think I need to have a long talk with your Dad about the kind of stuff he lets watch on television.” Asa said with a grin.
Asa flew up and, using her beak and talons, jimmied open the door to the small plane and opened it just enough for Asha and BabyGirl to sneak in. Asha headed for the pilot, blinding him immediately. It didn’t stop him from pulling a gun from his pocket which he started firing wildly. His second shot caught his co-pilot in the chest. Asha and BabyGirl ganged up on the helpless pilot who soon hit his head on the instrument panel rendering him unconscious.
Meanwhile the third terrorist, alerted by the gunshot, stormed into the cockpit with a knife. Asha and BabyGirl were waiting as they both bit down hard on his ankles. The man fell forward and knocked himself out on the co-pilot’s chair frame.
Asha landed on a switch labeled ‘auto pilot’ and pushed down as hard as her small body could. “Baby Girl!,” Asha hollered. “Come here quick. We need to turn this on or all of our efforts will be wasted!” The two birds pushed on the switch with all of their feathery might and were finally rewarded as it turned on.
The two birds flew to the back of the plane where they found Asa and Cecil looking at several large drums labeled Anthrax.
“I’m guessing they were going to try to land near the plant and smuggle this stuff in and poison the machinery with it.” said Asa. “That way any chicken processed by the machinery would be deadly.”
“We were able to turn on the auto-pilot so the plane will keep flying until it runs out of fuel.” said Asha. “We need to contact the authorities to blow this sucker up.”
“Cecil can do that.” said Asa “He’s good at impersonating humans and he knows how to use a phone. Hey, how did you know about the auto-pilot?”
Asha smiled and winked at her friend. “Just one of those awful television shows my Dad lets me watch.” she said.
The four friends were soon back at Asa’s garage resting over some pineapple juice and birdie snacks.
“I heard on the news that the Air Force was able to shoot down that plane and destroy all of the Anthrax.” said Cecil. “Somebody named ‘Bush’ is taking credit for stopping the attack.”
“That’s ok.” said Asa. “We know who the real hero was. Let’s raise our glasses for a salute to that courageous budgie in Afghanistan who alerted us to the awful plot.”
“Salute!” they all said in unison.
“I just hope I’ll get the chance to shake his talons some day.” said Asha.
The Asha Chronicles- Part 2
by Tim Graham
AsaMina Sura was a patient cockatiel. She had learned patience over the years while watching her grandmother work at her sewing business. Asa had always enjoyed the hours spent looking over her grandmother’s shoulder as she worked but something had happened lately that took away her patience and filled her with a need for action and excitement.
Asa and three of her parrot friends had just returned from a most unbirdlike adventure in Georgia. Along with a budgie named Cecil and a pair of Amazons named Asha and BabyGirl, Asa had helped foil a plot to murder thousands of humans. They had discovered three humans attempting to poison peaches and had stopped them in their tracks. Asa had to admit that she had really enjoyed her adventure and was really hoping that something else might happen to bring together the intrepid four avian adventurers.
“But what is the chance of that?” she asked herself. “It isn’t every day that a cockatiel gets to help save the world,” she said as she chuckled to herself and prepared to tuck her head under a wing for an afternoon nap.
But, before she could escape into sleep she heard her grandmother call to her from her place in front of the computer. “Asa,” her grandmother said. “One of your birdie friends has a message for you that I just do not understand. Do you want to come here and try to make some sense of it?”
Asa communicated with her friends through the Bird Channel on the internet where they could blog back and forth to each other . That way birds who lived far apart could keep in touch. While Asha lived in Georgia-the site of their recent adventure-Asa lived in Arkansas. Asa spread her winds and flew over to where her grandmother was sitting in front of the computer.
“Look at this message,” her grandmother said. “It is from your friend Cecil.”
Asa looked at the message and her feathers suddenly puffed up in excitement. “We need to meet.” was all the message said. But Asa knew exactly what Cecil meant. He wanted her to meet him just like they had met together in the peach orchard behind Asha’s house in Georgia prior to their last adventure.
Asa pretended that she wasn’t interested in the message and her grandmother gave up and went back to sewing. Asa knew it was better to keep the humans out of the loop. They were way too emotional and tended to cause more trouble than was necessary.
Cecil lived in New York so it would be a long flight for him to get to Arkansas. Asa tucked her head under a wing and took a nap. Suddenly she heard a sound and she woke up and looked to the window nearest her cage. She could see a vague blue shape through the glass. Cecil the Budgerator for sure. She opened the window and let him in from the frigid Arkansas night.
“I thought it was cold up in New York, but it has nothing on this Ozark Mountain cold,” Cecil said as he shook his feathers. Cecil was small as parrots go, but he had a ton of personality and was very smart. He was also hopelessly in love with Asa but was too shy to admit it. Of course, he was about the only bird in the world who did not realize how he felt.
“We need to get the gang together,” Cecil said as soon as he got warm enough to speak coherently. “I think we might have another mission.”
“Ok, I’ll get in touch with them,” said Asa. “It won’t take long for BabyGirl to get here from Missouri. But it might be later tomorrow before Asha can get here from Georgia. I’ll hide you out until everyone gets here and then we can talk together out in the garage.
BabyGirl, an orange winged Amazon arrived about noon but it was nearly dark before Asha, a blue fronted Amazon, dipped down from out of the evening sky. While Asa and Cecil could be considered the ‘brains’ of the group, the two Amazons were clearly the more physical of the quartet. The two Amazons were nearly twice the size of both Asa and Cecil. They had stubby-shaped green bodies with large beaks and long claws.
“I was wondering when you would call,” said Asha. “I just hope ninjafying Arkansas humans is as fun as it was doing it to Georgians.” Asha had the reputation in the Bird Channel of being a bit of a spoiled Diva. But the truth was that she liked nothing better than to slap a bad guy with her green wings and then poop on him just to rub it in.
“Me too,” said BabyGirl. “That peach thing was fun. What you got for us this time?” BabyGirl was younger than Asha and the older Amazon had taken her under her wing when she first came to the BC blogs.
“Well, I’ll try to explain it as best as I can but it barely makes sense to me,” said Cecil. “Did you all see the latest video from that Osama human?” The other three birds all shook their heads in affirmation. Cecil could tell that he had their attention by mentioning Osama. Parrots might make fun of their human companions, but they loved them dearly and any threat to them was taken very seriously. The most recent tape from the human terrorist had spoken of a strike ‘at the heartland of America’ but there were no clues what his intentions were. The government had downplayed the message and said they had no evidence of any threat to the country.
“You may have noticed that in the background of the video there was a small bird,” Cecil said. “It was just in view for a second or two.”
“Yes, I remember that,” said Asha. “I also remember that the bird seemed to say something but I couldn’t make out what it was.”
“Right,’ said Cecil. “Well I could tell that it was a budgie like me and I could just make out what he was saying, but it didn’t make a lot of sense until I remembered where Asa lived and it all sort of fell into place.”
“What does Springdale, Arkansas have to do with someone like Osama?” asked Asa. “About all we are famous for is being the headquarters for Tyson Foods.”
“Exactly,” said Cecil. “And what that budgie on the tape said over and over was ‘tastes like chicken, tastes like chicken.’”
The four birds suddenly felt a shared chill. A few hundred poisoned peaches was one thing, but a potential terrorist attack on the world’s largest chicken processing plant was something else altogether. They just might have beaked off a little more than four parrots could possibly chew.
At that moment Asa’s flockmate Tyson Parker fluttered up to the garage and hollered for Asa. Tyson was know as ‘the parrot who fell to Earth’ as he mysteriously landed in the middle of a church picnic one day and eventually wound up in Asa’s flock.
“Asa,” Tyson said. “Come quick. There has been anew video from that Osama creature. You need to come look.”
“Wait,” said BabyGirl. “What will your grandmother say when she sees all of us?”
“Don’t worry, she’s working in the sewing room. We can watch the television in the kitchen.” said Asa.
The four parrots flew into the house and watched as one of the all news channels broadcast the new terrorist video on a loop. Cecil was especially attentive as he looked to see if the budgie on the previous tape was also on this one.
“There he is!” Cecil squawked. “There is the budgie! Turn up the sound so I can see if he is saying something!”
Tyson turned up the sound and- although it was very faint- the birds could hear the parrot saying something over and over. A human would never be able to tell if the bird was speaking at all, but the parrot’s superior hearing could tell. And Cecil-being of the same species as the bird in the video- could tell what he was saying.
“What is it Cecil? What is he saying?” asked Asha.
“Three if by air, three if by air. That is what he is saying over and over.” whispered Cecil.
“Well, whatever they are going to do, they will be doing it from the air.” said Asa
“Heck, they’re just trying to make it easy on us,” said Asha. “Ain’t no human yet been able3 to beat a bird in the air. That’s like trying to out swim a fish.”
The four heroes went back to the garage where they discussed their plans for stopping the terrorist threat. They decided to divide up and investigate all airports in the area to see if there was anything suspicious going on.
“We need to work quickly.” warned Asa. “We have no idea when they plan on attacking the plant or just what they intend to do. Keep your eyes open and report back here by sun-up.”
The four feathered friends took off in different directions and went about their tasks with gusto. These were intelligent creatures that had spent almost all of their lives sitting on perches and performing silly tricks for their human companions. Now they had a chance to do something exciting and important. It was if a great weight had been lifted from their souls. They had never flown as high or as fast. Their eyes had never been as clear or their hearing as sharp.
Hours later three of them gathered at Asa’s garage.
“Where is BabyGirl?” asked Asha. “Did either of you hear anything from her?”
“She might have gotten lost,” suggested Cecil. “She isn’t familiar with the terrain here.”
The three waited for a couple of more hours and were just about to fly off looking for their companion when they heard a fluttering of wings at the front door of the garage.
“I have never been so scared!” BabyGirl said.
The other three parrots gathered around intent on her every word.
“I was on my way back here,” BabyGirl said after finally calming down. “I had not been able to find anything suspicious and was ready to give up when I saw a small airfield just outside of town. It looked like it had just recently been cut out of a field. I decided to go down and take a look and I saw just what we have been afraid of.” BabyGirl took a break to sip on some pineapple juice Tyson Parker had brought from the house.
“What did you see?” begged Asha. “And, what is more important, do we get to go ninja on some more bad humans?”
“I saw three men working on a small airplane,” said BabyGirl. “They were painting over the old name on it and painting Tyson Foods on it. I think that is what they are going to try to get into the plant without raising suspicions.”
“Good work BabyGirl.” said Asa. “We better get airborne and head for that field. There is not telling when they plan on making their move.”
The four feathered friends immediately took to the air and headed west out of town with BabyGirl in the lead.
“Oh, no!” BabyGirl shouted as they neared their target. “We’re too late! They’ve already taken off.”
“No, we’re not too late, we’re right on time!” shouted Asha as she pointed a long flight feather off to the north. “There they are. Put on the speed and we’ll be able to catch tem before they get to the plant.”
The four parrots flew faster than they had ever flown before and slowly caught up to the small plane. They landed on the rudder and made plans.
“Ok,” said Asa. “Since I’m known as the Convicts Chick, I will open up the door on the plane and Asha and BabyGirl will go after the pilots while Cecil and I check out the back of the plane and try to figure out what these humans are trying to do. Are you ready?”
The four feathered avengers each raised a claw and touched talons.
“When this is over I think I need to have a long talk with your Dad about the kind of stuff he lets watch on television.” Asa said with a grin.
Asa flew up and, using her beak and talons, jimmied open the door to the small plane and opened it just enough for Asha and BabyGirl to sneak in. Asha headed for the pilot, blinding him immediately. It didn’t stop him from pulling a gun from his pocket which he started firing wildly. His second shot caught his co-pilot in the chest. Asha and BabyGirl ganged up on the helpless pilot who soon hit his head on the instrument panel rendering him unconscious.
Meanwhile the third terrorist, alerted by the gunshot, stormed into the cockpit with a knife. Asha and BabyGirl were waiting as they both bit down hard on his ankles. The man fell forward and knocked himself out on the co-pilot’s chair frame.
Asha landed on a switch labeled ‘auto pilot’ and pushed down as hard as her small body could. “Baby Girl!,” Asha hollered. “Come here quick. We need to turn this on or all of our efforts will be wasted!” The two birds pushed on the switch with all of their feathery might and were finally rewarded as it turned on.
The two birds flew to the back of the plane where they found Asa and Cecil looking at several large drums labeled Anthrax.
“I’m guessing they were going to try to land near the plant and smuggle this stuff in and poison the machinery with it.” said Asa. “That way any chicken processed by the machinery would be deadly.”
“We were able to turn on the auto-pilot so the plane will keep flying until it runs out of fuel.” said Asha. “We need to contact the authorities to blow this sucker up.”
“Cecil can do that.” said Asa “He’s good at impersonating humans and he knows how to use a phone. Hey, how did you know about the auto-pilot?”
Asha smiled and winked at her friend. “Just one of those awful television shows my Dad lets me watch.” she said.
The four friends were soon back at Asa’s garage resting over some pineapple juice and birdie snacks.
“I heard on the news that the Air Force was able to shoot down that plane and destroy all of the Anthrax.” said Cecil. “Somebody named ‘Bush’ is taking credit for stopping the attack.”
“That’s ok.” said Asa. “We know who the real hero was. Let’s raise our glasses for a salute to that courageous budgie in Afghanistan who alerted us to the awful plot.”
“Salute!” they all said in unison.
“I just hope I’ll get the chance to shake his talons some day.” said Asha.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
My AREtsy Valentine
I am a very proud member of the AREtsy Street Team of Arkansas Crafters. The skill and talent of all the AREtsy crafters is amazing as is the range of crafts created by these extremely talented ladies.This year, due to all of us being up to our eyeballs in craft projects at Christmas, opted to have a 'Valentines Day Swap' instead of a Christmas one. Sally of Dogwood Lane coordinated this little swap. She gave each of us participating a name of a fellow AREtsy to make a little something for. That AREsty may or may not be the one making a little something for us. It was fun trying to figure out what our given name liked, didn't like, and what would make them smile the most.
Laurie of Glassbead drew me. Laurie does amazing handcrafted glass beads. Just check out her Etsy shop to see for yourself. When I recieved my little package and opened it, what I saw truly touched me. Laurie, not a bird expert, put a lot of effort into making me three very, very special little cockatiel beads. She doesn't seem to have the high opinion of her creations as I do, so I thought I'd share so you could also let her know how absolutely amazing a job she did.
This is the first one I pulled out of the little package. Cleo saw it and thought it looked a lot like her. She really wanted me to give to her and got awfully mad at me when I said no. It does look like my Cleo, doesn't it? This second one looked a lot like AsaMina's Momma Bird. She went over the rainbow bridge 5/21/2007 and that makes this little bead a bit more special
This is the first one I pulled out of the little package. Cleo saw it and thought it looked a lot like her. She really wanted me to give to her and got awfully mad at me when I said no. It does look like my Cleo, doesn't it? This second one looked a lot like AsaMina's Momma Bird. She went over the rainbow bridge 5/21/2007 and that makes this little bead a bit more special
The third little tiel bead looks like my 40th birthday present, my little Worthington Israel Wentworth, himself (he's still working on growing into that name)
I will always treasure these three little tiel beads. A lot of thought, patience, artestry, and friendship went into each one. And, neither to be made light of, nor forgotten, is my little white chicken (I think she looks like a Gertrude, don't you?), the glass heart at the beginning of this post, (which I've already worn several times and gotten many compliments on (totally my colors!)), and an icicle that I couldn't figure out how to photograph and do justice to. No self respecting Yankee should be without an icicle. It reminds me of New Hampshire, where I've spent most of my life and still am a bit homesick over having to leave.
Thank you again Laurie.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Ahh, Snow!
Snow is nothing more than frozen rain, but it's arrival is one that's sparked the imaginations of poets and writers alike. It's welcomed with open arms by kids and cursed at by adults too busy to stop and throw the snow ball. For me, snow is an excuse to curl up under a fleece blanket with a couple of my tiels, normally AsaMina Sura and Worthington Israel Wentworth, and a really good book---or sewing project. I sit so I can see the flakes gently flutter to the frozen earth, sewing slowly as the snow is so much more mesmerizing than one would think. AsaMina Sura, who hatched during a snow storm December 13, 2001, is also mesmerized by the snow. She'll yell really rude things (in cockatiel, fortunately) at the wild birds who land in our backyard and disturb the serenity of the snowflakes fluttering to earth like graceful little prima ballerinas and then disappearing into the millions of other snowflakes forming a very thin coating over the uneven dead lawn. (below picture is of Elsie, my cow-car, without snow on her--she's the one with the mags)
Snow brings back memories of Kypy Mountain when I was a teen up in Washington State. Kypy Mountain was a pile of dirt with tiny pine trees on it that our family dog Kypynykh decided he owned. The most fun was the skill required to aim my sled so it'd go between the pine trees, not up them. My aim? Not that great. I'm glad they were baby pine trees and Kypy Mountain, not that steep.
Snow reminds me of Delaware, where I was born and going for sled rides with my Mom and our then Husky Pooka pulling us. It was blast until he saw a cat. Rollercoaster rides dream of being that thrilling!
Snow is something I look forward to every winter. It means no migraines, it mean hot cups of cocoa, it means warm snuggly sweats and fleece blankets. It's a good excuse to snuggle with the one you love, too. Being in Arkansas, after living up North for most of my life, makes me appreciate the snow, what little of it we get here, even more. I love to watch the faces of AsaMina and Cleo when it snows. They're Yankees like I am and are from New Hampshire, too. I think they miss the northern winters as much as I do.
Cleo Chaquita Pattee (left- below) and AsaMina Sura (right -above)
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Asha Chronicles--The Conclusion!
“Well, I know that my Mom says if one is ‘idle’, like in the first line of that note, one is lazy. Maybe we should look for something lazy?” BabyGirl offered.
“Well, what about that building over there?” Asha asked, trying to add in her two cents worth, as she looked toward an old wooden shack that was leaning slightly to the right.
“We can check it out.” Asa and Cecil said in chorus as the mismatched flock took flight and headed for the rickety looking building. As they landed upon its roof, the building groaned slightly under their weight.
“Careful, this place seems even more dangerous than my Grandma’s craft closet.” Asa whispered.
“Shhhh! Listen!” Cecil said in a melodious but hoarse whisper.
The foursome listened intently to a faint scraping noise coming from somewhere below them.
“Humans.” Asha said in a barely audible whisper.
“Doing what?” BabyGirl asked, also in a barely audible whisper.
“Can’t tell.” Said Cecil as he tilted his head to one side, hoping to hear the sound a bit clearer.
“Let’s check it out.” Asha and Asa said bravely together.
“Asha-Asa…” BabyGirl began.
“Gesundheit.” Cecil said politely.
“…are you two crazy?! That noise could be anything! And probably an anything that will eat us!” BabyGirl continued over Cecil’s remark, her natural and wild bird instinct kicking in on turbo for just a brief moment.
“What’s to be afraid of? I’ll go in first and check it out. They won’t see me in the dark or even in shadow. My brown feathers blend in really well.” Asa said as she made her way down the left side of the rickety building and into an open window on the side of the shack.
The two Amazons and one Budgie waited impatiently for what felt like hours. They were all about to agree that Asa was no longer alive when she emerged, slightly out of breath, from the window she’d entered just fifteen minutes earlier.
“Are you ready for this?” she panted
“Where were you?! Are you ok?! What’s going on in there?!” Cecil asked before the Amazon duo could open their beaks.
“They are trying to poison the humans!” Asa began, “There are three big human men in the basement of this shack and they are using needles to put poison called arsenic into a lot of peaches!” Asa paused for a breath.
“What’s arsenic? And what are needles? And how do you know all of this?” Asha asked almost way too fast to be understood.
Grandma and I watch Arsenic and Old Lace a lot. It’s a really cool movie, although I don’t see the fascination with the human called Cary Grant. Doesn’t look like he could deal with bird poop very well…anyway, in the movie these old ladies kill people by putting arsenic in stuff called elderberry wine. And, the needles are something my Grandpa has to use for his diabetes.” Asa explained.
“Ninja the bad guys?” Asha asked hopefully.
“Yeah, you and BabyGirl go down there and stop them and Cecil and I will go into the Byron Depot and call the police…”
Oh, sure!” said BabyGirl incredulously, “You two call the cops? How?!”
“I know how to push phone buttons down and all you gotta do is push the 9 button down and then push the 1 button twice. I saw it on the Danger Rangers on PBS. And, Cecil speaks fluent human and can get the police to come running here fast.”
“Yeah, I see that open window too, Asa.” Cecil commented as he looked toward the Byron Depot building, then added, “Asha, you and BabyGirl go ninja the bad guys. We’ll be right back.” He concluded as he and Asa wasted no more time on explanations as they took off for the main depot building.
With Asha leading the way and BabyGirl close behind her, the pair climbed down the left hand side of the building and into the same open window they’d seen Asa do not 20 minutes before. Once inside the orange wing Amazon nudged the blue fronted Amazon as she lifted her left foot in an attempt to point her best friend toward the hole in the shacks rickety old wooden floor boards.
“I’ll bet that’s where Asa found the bad guys.” BabyGirl whispered.
“Yeah, I see her talon prints in the dust over there.” Asha whispered back as she tilted her head in the direction of the talon prints Asa had left earlier under a chair that was precariously balanced on its remaining three legs.
BabyGirl took a deep breath in preparation to say something, but got a beak full of dust particles instead and began to sneeze.
“What was that?” The Amazons heard emanate from just below the rickety and rotted old wooden floor boards and apparently from one of the three bad guys Asa had told them about.
“Mice.” came the response from Bad Guy Number Two
“More like big disease infested rats.” chuckled Bad Guy Number Three, “Hey Dweeble Head, pass me ‘nother one dem viles of arsenic before I poundya.” Bad Guy Number Three ended, still chuckling under his breath at the thought of a giant monster diseased rat lurking just above them.
“Well, I’m just going to have to double diva ninja that bad guy! Can you believe he called us ‘rats’?” Asha whispered to BabyGirl.
“’Diseased monster rats’ to be exact.” BabyGirl correct Asha, “you are welcome to Rat Guy, I’ll work on Dweeble Head and the other one since any human called ‘Dweeble Head’ can’t be too tough.” BabyGirl reasoned as she sneezed again, before adding, “The humans who own this place obviously are owned by a dog! Only a dog could live in filth like this. A human owned by a bird would never have allowed this place to have gotten to this condition.”
“Amen, Sister!” Asha sneezed.
“The Amazon duo stealthily crept across the dusty rickety floor boards to the basement opening. With Asha still leading the way, the Amazons crept with all the grace of a pair of prima ballerinas and the stealth of Bruce Lee down the first three ladder rungs from the main floor into the basement. They stood there for a moment as they silently pondered their next move.
The three bad guys were standing around an old Formica table that was colored in shades of faded mauves and greens, injecting peach after peach from the crate closest to where the Amazons sat silently on the third ladder rung to the nearly full crate on the other side of the table with both a powdered arsenic and a liquid arsenic poison. Without stopping to confer neither with her best friend and partner, nor with a moments thought of her own safety, Asha, in total Jackie Chan style, leapt and flapped wildly into action.
“ Kowabunga! The mighty Diva Ninja has come to foil your evil plot, demolish your evil deeds, and send you to the pokey!!!” Asha shrieked at the three startled humans as she flew wildly around their heads, hitting them in the faces with her wings in the process.
“AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!” screamed Dweeble Head at the top of his lungs as he covered his face from Asha’s wing assault.
“Not ‘rats’! BATS!!! Big hideous GREEN ones, too!!!” shrieked Rat Guy as he ran for the ladder and what he thought was safety. He didn’t see BabyGirl still sitting oh-so calmly on the third ladder rung.
“Oh no you don’t, Rat Guy.” BabyGirl said in a sticky sweet girlie tone as she leaned slightly forward and bit Rat Guy as hard as she could on his nose.
Rat Guy recoiled away from BabyGirl in excruciating pain, then promptly passed out cold at the sight of his own blood.
“One down, two to go.” BabyGirl said casually as she hopped daintily off the ladder and onto Rat Guys unconscious body. She sauntered up his torso and over to his right hand, biting his index finger as hard as she could for good measure. “Yup, he’s out.” she added triumphantly as she flapped her wings and became air borne.
“The little one stuck himself with one of those needles and doesn’t have much fight left, but Dweeble Head here is refusing to go down!” Asha screeched over Dweeble Heads panicked cries.
“We’re here! Let me at-tum!!” Cecil said as he soared majestically through the opening in the shack floor and into the basement.
“Coming through!” Asa screeched as the buzzed through the center of one of Asha’s mid air loop-tee-loops.
“Help me get Dweeble Head!” Asha called out to no bird in particular.
“The Great Cecinator of the Great Budgie Divide will eradicate the human Dweeble Head menace!” Cecil crooned as Bad Guy Number One dropped dead of arsenic poisoning in the pile of tainted peaches.
Cecil, with Asa on his left and Asha on his right circled in unison around the room and, as the threesome passed over Dweeble Heads head, Dweeble Head looked up just in time to be nailed right in the face with Cecil’s, Asa’s, and Asha’s ‘processed leftovers’.
“Oh…ewwwwwww!!” Dweeble Head exclaimed as he passed out cold.
“HAH! Works every time!!” Asa beeped victoriously.
“Humans are such babies!!” Asha warbled jubilantly.
“I’ll be bach you puny human!” Cecil exclaimed in the most macho tone of warble he could muster.
As the three feathered dive bombers landed gracefully on the back of one of the five wooden chairs scattered about the small room, BabyGirl waddled proudly over to Dweeble Head and just for good measure, bit him as hard as she could on his nose.
“There, they all match.” BabyGirl said as she joined her fellow crime fighters on the chair.
“We’d better fly. I think that’s a siren I hear.” Asa said.
“Are you sure? Don’t we need to make sure these guys don’t wake up or something?” BabyGirl asked.
“Well, that’s not my sister Cleo I hear. She’s too busy with Huey to follow me here and I doubt if these guys will go anywhere. They’re out snow cold.” Asa answered.
“They won’t wake up if they know what’s good for them!” Cecil said smugly.
“Let’s fly.” Asha said as she flapped and became airborne. “That is a siren and we don’t want to get caught here with these evil humans.”
The four feathered crime fighters flew out of the basement of the rickety shack and then out the open window and up onto the shacks roof to catch their breaths and to make sure the bad guys didn’t try to get away before the police arrived and could arrest them.
“Here they are.” BabyGirl stated when she saw the six police cruisers pull up to the shack.
“What on earth did you tell the police, Cecil?” Asha asked as she preened her ruffled feathers.
Asa giggled as Cecil repeated for Asha and BabyGirl what he’d told the police, “I told them Cynthia and Jack were lovers, but Cynthia’s husband Damon found them getting jiggy in the basement of the shack behind the Byron Depot and lost it and shot them then seriously wounded himself.” Cecil paused as they all heard at least three of the police officers exclaim, ‘What on earth happened here?!!?’ before adding, “My Mom leaves the soap operas on for me and Irwin sometimes.”
“Where on earth did all these green feathers come from?” one of the officers asked another.
“There are blue, brown, and a few orange feathers, too.” the other officer added.
“We’d better fly guys. They’ve got everything under control here.” Asha stated.
The mismatched flock took off from the shack roof and headed for Asha’s home. Upon arriving safely on the still open windows windowsill Asha noted the football game was nearing the end of the fourth quarter, Dads team was still losing, and Dad was still sound asleep on the sofa and snoring softly.
“Asa, can you lock me back in and fix this screen so my dad doesn’t get mad?”
“Sure, no problem.” Asa said as she entered Asha’s home, locked Asha back into her cage and then let herself out, closing the window screen behind her.
“Does anyone know what the first part of that note meant?” BabyGirl asked no one in particular.
“No.” Cecil twittered.
“Not a clue.” Asa beeped.
“Does it matter?” Yawned Asha.
“Nope. The bad guys have been terminated by the King Budgerator of the Great Budgie Divide…and company…so nope, doesn’t matter.” Cecil yawned.
“Better fly before we wake up Asha’s Dad and we’re missed back home.” Asa said as she helped Cecil with a couple of hard to reach feathers on the top of his head.
“See you on BC, Asha.” BabyGirl said as she flapped her wings, became airborne, and headed for home.
“I’ll message you that I got home to Arkansas safely, kay?” Asa said as she too became airborne and headed for home.
“See you in the BC pages Asha!” Cecil called back as he too headed for his home in New York.
Asha preened her feathers for a good five minutes, making herself once again look like her perfect diva self before tucking her head under her wing and settling down for a much needed nap.
“Asha Princess….” Asha’s Dad cooed sweetly at his sleeping angel.
Asha sleepily opened her eyes, blinked several times and yawned.
“I made you your favorite, fresh fruit salad with walnuts.” Dad cooed as he opened Asha’s cage and placed the dish on the bottom.
Asha yawned again and murmured a sweet thank you to her Dad in Amazon, but was still too tired from her adventure that afternoon to move.
“You are such a lazy bird.” Asha’s Dad said as he shook his head and closed her cage door.
‘Yeah, very lazy bird.’ Asha thought to herself. ‘I just saved the whole human race from poisoned peaches while you slept on the sofa. Yeah, I’m a very lazy bird.’ Asha yawned, tucked her head back under her wing, and fell sound asleep.
“Well, what about that building over there?” Asha asked, trying to add in her two cents worth, as she looked toward an old wooden shack that was leaning slightly to the right.
“We can check it out.” Asa and Cecil said in chorus as the mismatched flock took flight and headed for the rickety looking building. As they landed upon its roof, the building groaned slightly under their weight.
“Careful, this place seems even more dangerous than my Grandma’s craft closet.” Asa whispered.
“Shhhh! Listen!” Cecil said in a melodious but hoarse whisper.
The foursome listened intently to a faint scraping noise coming from somewhere below them.
“Humans.” Asha said in a barely audible whisper.
“Doing what?” BabyGirl asked, also in a barely audible whisper.
“Can’t tell.” Said Cecil as he tilted his head to one side, hoping to hear the sound a bit clearer.
“Let’s check it out.” Asha and Asa said bravely together.
“Asha-Asa…” BabyGirl began.
“Gesundheit.” Cecil said politely.
“…are you two crazy?! That noise could be anything! And probably an anything that will eat us!” BabyGirl continued over Cecil’s remark, her natural and wild bird instinct kicking in on turbo for just a brief moment.
“What’s to be afraid of? I’ll go in first and check it out. They won’t see me in the dark or even in shadow. My brown feathers blend in really well.” Asa said as she made her way down the left side of the rickety building and into an open window on the side of the shack.
The two Amazons and one Budgie waited impatiently for what felt like hours. They were all about to agree that Asa was no longer alive when she emerged, slightly out of breath, from the window she’d entered just fifteen minutes earlier.
“Are you ready for this?” she panted
“Where were you?! Are you ok?! What’s going on in there?!” Cecil asked before the Amazon duo could open their beaks.
“They are trying to poison the humans!” Asa began, “There are three big human men in the basement of this shack and they are using needles to put poison called arsenic into a lot of peaches!” Asa paused for a breath.
“What’s arsenic? And what are needles? And how do you know all of this?” Asha asked almost way too fast to be understood.
Grandma and I watch Arsenic and Old Lace a lot. It’s a really cool movie, although I don’t see the fascination with the human called Cary Grant. Doesn’t look like he could deal with bird poop very well…anyway, in the movie these old ladies kill people by putting arsenic in stuff called elderberry wine. And, the needles are something my Grandpa has to use for his diabetes.” Asa explained.
“Ninja the bad guys?” Asha asked hopefully.
“Yeah, you and BabyGirl go down there and stop them and Cecil and I will go into the Byron Depot and call the police…”
Oh, sure!” said BabyGirl incredulously, “You two call the cops? How?!”
“I know how to push phone buttons down and all you gotta do is push the 9 button down and then push the 1 button twice. I saw it on the Danger Rangers on PBS. And, Cecil speaks fluent human and can get the police to come running here fast.”
“Yeah, I see that open window too, Asa.” Cecil commented as he looked toward the Byron Depot building, then added, “Asha, you and BabyGirl go ninja the bad guys. We’ll be right back.” He concluded as he and Asa wasted no more time on explanations as they took off for the main depot building.
With Asha leading the way and BabyGirl close behind her, the pair climbed down the left hand side of the building and into the same open window they’d seen Asa do not 20 minutes before. Once inside the orange wing Amazon nudged the blue fronted Amazon as she lifted her left foot in an attempt to point her best friend toward the hole in the shacks rickety old wooden floor boards.
“I’ll bet that’s where Asa found the bad guys.” BabyGirl whispered.
“Yeah, I see her talon prints in the dust over there.” Asha whispered back as she tilted her head in the direction of the talon prints Asa had left earlier under a chair that was precariously balanced on its remaining three legs.
BabyGirl took a deep breath in preparation to say something, but got a beak full of dust particles instead and began to sneeze.
“What was that?” The Amazons heard emanate from just below the rickety and rotted old wooden floor boards and apparently from one of the three bad guys Asa had told them about.
“Mice.” came the response from Bad Guy Number Two
“More like big disease infested rats.” chuckled Bad Guy Number Three, “Hey Dweeble Head, pass me ‘nother one dem viles of arsenic before I poundya.” Bad Guy Number Three ended, still chuckling under his breath at the thought of a giant monster diseased rat lurking just above them.
“Well, I’m just going to have to double diva ninja that bad guy! Can you believe he called us ‘rats’?” Asha whispered to BabyGirl.
“’Diseased monster rats’ to be exact.” BabyGirl correct Asha, “you are welcome to Rat Guy, I’ll work on Dweeble Head and the other one since any human called ‘Dweeble Head’ can’t be too tough.” BabyGirl reasoned as she sneezed again, before adding, “The humans who own this place obviously are owned by a dog! Only a dog could live in filth like this. A human owned by a bird would never have allowed this place to have gotten to this condition.”
“Amen, Sister!” Asha sneezed.
“The Amazon duo stealthily crept across the dusty rickety floor boards to the basement opening. With Asha still leading the way, the Amazons crept with all the grace of a pair of prima ballerinas and the stealth of Bruce Lee down the first three ladder rungs from the main floor into the basement. They stood there for a moment as they silently pondered their next move.
The three bad guys were standing around an old Formica table that was colored in shades of faded mauves and greens, injecting peach after peach from the crate closest to where the Amazons sat silently on the third ladder rung to the nearly full crate on the other side of the table with both a powdered arsenic and a liquid arsenic poison. Without stopping to confer neither with her best friend and partner, nor with a moments thought of her own safety, Asha, in total Jackie Chan style, leapt and flapped wildly into action.
“ Kowabunga! The mighty Diva Ninja has come to foil your evil plot, demolish your evil deeds, and send you to the pokey!!!” Asha shrieked at the three startled humans as she flew wildly around their heads, hitting them in the faces with her wings in the process.
“AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!” screamed Dweeble Head at the top of his lungs as he covered his face from Asha’s wing assault.
“Not ‘rats’! BATS!!! Big hideous GREEN ones, too!!!” shrieked Rat Guy as he ran for the ladder and what he thought was safety. He didn’t see BabyGirl still sitting oh-so calmly on the third ladder rung.
“Oh no you don’t, Rat Guy.” BabyGirl said in a sticky sweet girlie tone as she leaned slightly forward and bit Rat Guy as hard as she could on his nose.
Rat Guy recoiled away from BabyGirl in excruciating pain, then promptly passed out cold at the sight of his own blood.
“One down, two to go.” BabyGirl said casually as she hopped daintily off the ladder and onto Rat Guys unconscious body. She sauntered up his torso and over to his right hand, biting his index finger as hard as she could for good measure. “Yup, he’s out.” she added triumphantly as she flapped her wings and became air borne.
“The little one stuck himself with one of those needles and doesn’t have much fight left, but Dweeble Head here is refusing to go down!” Asha screeched over Dweeble Heads panicked cries.
“We’re here! Let me at-tum!!” Cecil said as he soared majestically through the opening in the shack floor and into the basement.
“Coming through!” Asa screeched as the buzzed through the center of one of Asha’s mid air loop-tee-loops.
“Help me get Dweeble Head!” Asha called out to no bird in particular.
“The Great Cecinator of the Great Budgie Divide will eradicate the human Dweeble Head menace!” Cecil crooned as Bad Guy Number One dropped dead of arsenic poisoning in the pile of tainted peaches.
Cecil, with Asa on his left and Asha on his right circled in unison around the room and, as the threesome passed over Dweeble Heads head, Dweeble Head looked up just in time to be nailed right in the face with Cecil’s, Asa’s, and Asha’s ‘processed leftovers’.
“Oh…ewwwwwww!!” Dweeble Head exclaimed as he passed out cold.
“HAH! Works every time!!” Asa beeped victoriously.
“Humans are such babies!!” Asha warbled jubilantly.
“I’ll be bach you puny human!” Cecil exclaimed in the most macho tone of warble he could muster.
As the three feathered dive bombers landed gracefully on the back of one of the five wooden chairs scattered about the small room, BabyGirl waddled proudly over to Dweeble Head and just for good measure, bit him as hard as she could on his nose.
“There, they all match.” BabyGirl said as she joined her fellow crime fighters on the chair.
“We’d better fly. I think that’s a siren I hear.” Asa said.
“Are you sure? Don’t we need to make sure these guys don’t wake up or something?” BabyGirl asked.
“Well, that’s not my sister Cleo I hear. She’s too busy with Huey to follow me here and I doubt if these guys will go anywhere. They’re out snow cold.” Asa answered.
“They won’t wake up if they know what’s good for them!” Cecil said smugly.
“Let’s fly.” Asha said as she flapped and became airborne. “That is a siren and we don’t want to get caught here with these evil humans.”
The four feathered crime fighters flew out of the basement of the rickety shack and then out the open window and up onto the shacks roof to catch their breaths and to make sure the bad guys didn’t try to get away before the police arrived and could arrest them.
“Here they are.” BabyGirl stated when she saw the six police cruisers pull up to the shack.
“What on earth did you tell the police, Cecil?” Asha asked as she preened her ruffled feathers.
Asa giggled as Cecil repeated for Asha and BabyGirl what he’d told the police, “I told them Cynthia and Jack were lovers, but Cynthia’s husband Damon found them getting jiggy in the basement of the shack behind the Byron Depot and lost it and shot them then seriously wounded himself.” Cecil paused as they all heard at least three of the police officers exclaim, ‘What on earth happened here?!!?’ before adding, “My Mom leaves the soap operas on for me and Irwin sometimes.”
“Where on earth did all these green feathers come from?” one of the officers asked another.
“There are blue, brown, and a few orange feathers, too.” the other officer added.
“We’d better fly guys. They’ve got everything under control here.” Asha stated.
The mismatched flock took off from the shack roof and headed for Asha’s home. Upon arriving safely on the still open windows windowsill Asha noted the football game was nearing the end of the fourth quarter, Dads team was still losing, and Dad was still sound asleep on the sofa and snoring softly.
“Asa, can you lock me back in and fix this screen so my dad doesn’t get mad?”
“Sure, no problem.” Asa said as she entered Asha’s home, locked Asha back into her cage and then let herself out, closing the window screen behind her.
“Does anyone know what the first part of that note meant?” BabyGirl asked no one in particular.
“No.” Cecil twittered.
“Not a clue.” Asa beeped.
“Does it matter?” Yawned Asha.
“Nope. The bad guys have been terminated by the King Budgerator of the Great Budgie Divide…and company…so nope, doesn’t matter.” Cecil yawned.
“Better fly before we wake up Asha’s Dad and we’re missed back home.” Asa said as she helped Cecil with a couple of hard to reach feathers on the top of his head.
“See you on BC, Asha.” BabyGirl said as she flapped her wings, became airborne, and headed for home.
“I’ll message you that I got home to Arkansas safely, kay?” Asa said as she too became airborne and headed for home.
“See you in the BC pages Asha!” Cecil called back as he too headed for his home in New York.
Asha preened her feathers for a good five minutes, making herself once again look like her perfect diva self before tucking her head under her wing and settling down for a much needed nap.
“Asha Princess….” Asha’s Dad cooed sweetly at his sleeping angel.
Asha sleepily opened her eyes, blinked several times and yawned.
“I made you your favorite, fresh fruit salad with walnuts.” Dad cooed as he opened Asha’s cage and placed the dish on the bottom.
Asha yawned again and murmured a sweet thank you to her Dad in Amazon, but was still too tired from her adventure that afternoon to move.
“You are such a lazy bird.” Asha’s Dad said as he shook his head and closed her cage door.
‘Yeah, very lazy bird.’ Asha thought to herself. ‘I just saved the whole human race from poisoned peaches while you slept on the sofa. Yeah, I’m a very lazy bird.’ Asha yawned, tucked her head back under her wing, and fell sound asleep.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Brain TV
Brain TV- what you see in your mind when you read a story. The authors job is to paint in your mind what they see in theirs when they put pen to paper and assemble words into a picture they hope the reader will see as clearly as they do. The below story was a fun project done for a friend I met on Bird Channel, the 'My Space' pages for bird people. Our birds met due to the similarity in their names; my Asa and his Asha. The pair were a story looking for a place to happen. Upon hearing the possiblity of being in a story, one of Asha's best friends and one of Asa's best friend also wanted in on the action. I took the birds real names and real personalities and wove them into a totally fictitious story. Although, the picture I hope to paint in your mind is one that will make you wonder what your critter is doing when you're not home...
‘Perfect day.’ Asha mumbled to herself as she luxuriously stretched her emerald green right wing and dainty right foot. Asha adjusted her position slightly to the right on the perch she was sitting on in her cage. From this new position she could see everything. Her human Dad was sound asleep and snoring softly on the living room sofa. The football game he’d been intently watching was in its third quarter and his team was still losing. Asha figured that’s why her Dad fell asleep in the first place.
Asha turned her blue and yellow head to the left and looked out the open living room window. She lazily absorbed the sights before her, the well trimmed lawn that was actually greener than she was, and then the peach trees that lay just beyond on the edge of her yard. The peaches, Asha noted, weren’t quite ripe yet, much to her dismay. She just loved when her human cut up a fresh juicy peach for her breakfast; or lunch or dinner for that matter.
Asha squinted and blinked her ebony black eyes, was that peach really moving or was it her imagination? Asha moved gracefully from her favorite perch to the bars of her cage that faced the window and just clung there in a diva like pose and watched as the green and orange ‘peach’ got a bit closer. “That’s definitely not a peach.” Asha said out loud. Her Dad shifted on the sofa a bit as his team finally got their first touchdown. “Whisper!” she scolded herself silently as the ‘peach’ landed on the windowsill in front of her.
“Did you get the message?” asked the orange winged Amazon Asha had mistaken for an unripe peach.
“Shhhhhh!! You’ll wake Dad!” Asha scolded BabyGirl in a harsh, undiva like whisper.
BabyGirl was one of Asha’s best friends. The pair had visited often on Bird Channel, the “My Space” for those blessed with feathers, but this was the first time they’d seen one another beak to beak and blue front to orange wing.
“Sorry.” BabyGirl apologized, “I heard from Asa and she said she’d gotten a really weird letter in the mail. She told me she messaged Cecil over in New York and they need us to help with…um…oh, I can’t remember now! It’s been a long flight from Missouri to here, you know.” BabyGirl ended as she looked up and to her left. “They’re here.” she announced, remembering to whisper so as not to wake Asha’s Dad.
Asha tilted her head to the right and tried to see what BabyGirl was looking at. “What is it?” Asha asked BabyGirl.
“Asa and Cecil.” she answered simply as the pair came into view and a moment later landed beside her on the windowsill.
“Hey Asha.” beeped Asa, a cinnamon pearl split to pied tiel. She was another of Asha’s best friends from Bird Channel. “This is Cecil; he’s a really cool dude for a guy. I know him from Bird Channel. He’s got a sister and a brother and an it named Irwin. Irwin is friends with my brother Worthington, but Cecil is the cool one in the family.”
“Hi Cecil.” Asha said politely to the little blue budgie, and to Asa she added, “I thought you’d be bigger, you know, more macaw sized.” This was also the first time Asha and Asa had met beak to beak.
“Nah, I’m just strong, that’s all.” Asa responded back matter-of-factly. She was used to the odd looks she got from both fellow feathered ones and humans alike. Not many tiels could chew through concrete like she could. She just explained to those who stared, she liked a good challenge, that’s all. “Did BabyGirl tell you what I got in the mail?” she added.
“Shhhhhh!!!!” Asha said again as her human once again shifted his weight on the sofa. “Before we wake my Dad, help me get outa here and we’ll go talk in that peach tree across the yard.” Asha whispered as she made reference to the peach tree BabyGirl had just flown out of.
“What? You can’t ninja out of that cage?!” asked Cecil.
“If I could, do you think I’d still be stuck in here?” Asha whispered back.
“Well, let’s let the Convicts Chick do her thing, then.” Cecil said as he and BabyGirl stepped aside to let Asa have at the window screen and then the lock on Asha’s cage.
“Convicts Chick?” Asha asked Cecil. “Yeah. Rosalie Hale Bopp gave Asa that nickname because that’s how she happened. Her Momma Bird popped the lock on her cage like Asa’s doing to yours right now.” Cecil explained as Asa nimbly and easily undid the bird proof latch on Asha’s cage.
“Come on!” BabyGirl whispered as Asha exited her cage, “Quickly.” she added as she took off with Cecil close behind her for the peach tree on the far side of the yard.
Once the foursome was perched deep within the peach tree and well out of the sight of any passing humans, Asa began her story.
“About four days ago now my Grandma got a book in the mail from my Uncle Andy. The book, from what I could see, wasn’t anything special, but the little paper that fell out of it, on the other hand, was.” Asa paused a moment to itch her left eye on her shoulder before continuing, “Grandma is so used to me being in the middle of everything she does, that she doesn’t pay much attention anymore. So, when I went after the paper she just smiled and let me.” Asa paused once again to itch her left eye on her shoulder, then continued, “On the paper was this:
Hours of Idleness badly received
A-H-Naught-G
Critics scoff at Bards and Scotch
A-H-Naught-H
Till peaches, wood burning hot
Southwest 1 point 5
A-H-E-Naught
Fuzzy coat the fever infects
Lines Inscribed Upon a Cup Formed From a Skull”
Asha turned her blue and yellow head to the left and looked out the open living room window. She lazily absorbed the sights before her, the well trimmed lawn that was actually greener than she was, and then the peach trees that lay just beyond on the edge of her yard. The peaches, Asha noted, weren’t quite ripe yet, much to her dismay. She just loved when her human cut up a fresh juicy peach for her breakfast; or lunch or dinner for that matter.
Asha squinted and blinked her ebony black eyes, was that peach really moving or was it her imagination? Asha moved gracefully from her favorite perch to the bars of her cage that faced the window and just clung there in a diva like pose and watched as the green and orange ‘peach’ got a bit closer. “That’s definitely not a peach.” Asha said out loud. Her Dad shifted on the sofa a bit as his team finally got their first touchdown. “Whisper!” she scolded herself silently as the ‘peach’ landed on the windowsill in front of her.
“Did you get the message?” asked the orange winged Amazon Asha had mistaken for an unripe peach.
“Shhhhhh!! You’ll wake Dad!” Asha scolded BabyGirl in a harsh, undiva like whisper.
BabyGirl was one of Asha’s best friends. The pair had visited often on Bird Channel, the “My Space” for those blessed with feathers, but this was the first time they’d seen one another beak to beak and blue front to orange wing.
“Sorry.” BabyGirl apologized, “I heard from Asa and she said she’d gotten a really weird letter in the mail. She told me she messaged Cecil over in New York and they need us to help with…um…oh, I can’t remember now! It’s been a long flight from Missouri to here, you know.” BabyGirl ended as she looked up and to her left. “They’re here.” she announced, remembering to whisper so as not to wake Asha’s Dad.
Asha tilted her head to the right and tried to see what BabyGirl was looking at. “What is it?” Asha asked BabyGirl.
“Asa and Cecil.” she answered simply as the pair came into view and a moment later landed beside her on the windowsill.
“Hey Asha.” beeped Asa, a cinnamon pearl split to pied tiel. She was another of Asha’s best friends from Bird Channel. “This is Cecil; he’s a really cool dude for a guy. I know him from Bird Channel. He’s got a sister and a brother and an it named Irwin. Irwin is friends with my brother Worthington, but Cecil is the cool one in the family.”
“Hi Cecil.” Asha said politely to the little blue budgie, and to Asa she added, “I thought you’d be bigger, you know, more macaw sized.” This was also the first time Asha and Asa had met beak to beak.
“Nah, I’m just strong, that’s all.” Asa responded back matter-of-factly. She was used to the odd looks she got from both fellow feathered ones and humans alike. Not many tiels could chew through concrete like she could. She just explained to those who stared, she liked a good challenge, that’s all. “Did BabyGirl tell you what I got in the mail?” she added.
“Shhhhhh!!!!” Asha said again as her human once again shifted his weight on the sofa. “Before we wake my Dad, help me get outa here and we’ll go talk in that peach tree across the yard.” Asha whispered as she made reference to the peach tree BabyGirl had just flown out of.
“What? You can’t ninja out of that cage?!” asked Cecil.
“If I could, do you think I’d still be stuck in here?” Asha whispered back.
“Well, let’s let the Convicts Chick do her thing, then.” Cecil said as he and BabyGirl stepped aside to let Asa have at the window screen and then the lock on Asha’s cage.
“Convicts Chick?” Asha asked Cecil. “Yeah. Rosalie Hale Bopp gave Asa that nickname because that’s how she happened. Her Momma Bird popped the lock on her cage like Asa’s doing to yours right now.” Cecil explained as Asa nimbly and easily undid the bird proof latch on Asha’s cage.
“Come on!” BabyGirl whispered as Asha exited her cage, “Quickly.” she added as she took off with Cecil close behind her for the peach tree on the far side of the yard.
Once the foursome was perched deep within the peach tree and well out of the sight of any passing humans, Asa began her story.
“About four days ago now my Grandma got a book in the mail from my Uncle Andy. The book, from what I could see, wasn’t anything special, but the little paper that fell out of it, on the other hand, was.” Asa paused a moment to itch her left eye on her shoulder before continuing, “Grandma is so used to me being in the middle of everything she does, that she doesn’t pay much attention anymore. So, when I went after the paper she just smiled and let me.” Asa paused once again to itch her left eye on her shoulder, then continued, “On the paper was this:
Hours of Idleness badly received
A-H-Naught-G
Critics scoff at Bards and Scotch
A-H-Naught-H
Till peaches, wood burning hot
Southwest 1 point 5
A-H-E-Naught
Fuzzy coat the fever infects
Lines Inscribed Upon a Cup Formed From a Skull”
Asa concluded.
“Huh?” asked BabyGirl. “That’s all human stuff, what’s it got to do with us?”
“Huh?” asked BabyGirl. “That’s all human stuff, what’s it got to do with us?”
“I, the Great King Sized Budgerator Oracle shall explain the utterances…uh…’beeps’….of my equally as wise….um…well, I’ll just translate what Asa said as best I can, ok?” Cecil articulated.
Asha giggled and muttered to BabyGirl a bit louder than she’d intended. “The Great Budgerator himself has a crush on the Convicts Chick.”
BabyGirl giggled as Cecil quickly interjected, “I have great respect for Asa, that’s all. She’s not my girlfriend, so get your minds out of the nest box for a moment and I’ll explain what Asa and I discovered.” Cecil paused for a breath and fluffed himself up slightly. Cecil, a sky blue budgie with a white forehead, was a good five inches shorter than Asha, the Blue Fronted Amazon and three inches shorter than BabyGirl, the Orange Wing Amazon and Asa the Cinnamon pearl split pied Cockatiel. But, it was only Cecil’s size that was smaller than the girls. His personality, on the other hand, was double that of the Amazon pair, but only slightly larger than Asa’s. “After Asa read the note,” Cecil continued, “she messaged me. The two of us got together and, using my Mom and Dad’s computer, figured out that part of the note has something to do with poisoning humans and killing them.”
“Yeah, the ‘Lines Inscribed Upon a Cup’ thing is referring to a poem by a guy named Lord George Gordon Byron. Uncle Andy has read me some of his poems before, that’s how I know that the line comes from one of his writings.” Asa helped Cecil explain.
“What’s the poem about?” Asha asked as she preened her royal emerald green feathers.
“About a dead humans being eaten by worms.” Cecil said bluntly.
“Ewwwwwww!!!” squirmed BabyGirl way too loudly.
“Shhhhhhhhhh!!!!” screeched Asha automatically.
Cecil shook his head before adding, “That’s why we’re here. We need your brains and muscles to help us figure out the rest of this note and then we’ve gotta…”
“Ninja the bad guy?” Asha interrupted hopefully.
“Yeah, ‘ninja the bad guy’.” Cecil concurred.
“So, where do we go and what next?” Asha asked.
“Well, this is Byron, Georgia, named after the poet Lord George Gordon Byron and I’m guessing that ‘fuzzy’ has to do with peaches.” Asa began as BabyGirl retracted her beak back from its current open position into its closed position. She’d changed her mind about biting the juicy looking peach hanging just above her head as Asa continued, “Asha, you’ll need to help us since you live here. I can read and Cecil is very smart and is very good with puzzles, too. BabyGirl is here for her muscle and well, you’re the one and only Diva Ninja Master, of course. We’re going to need all the help we can get against any bad guys.” Asa ended.
“I don’t know where anything is outside of my home. I don’t even like coming out of my cage!” Asha stated as she suddenly realized she was not only out of her cage, but outside of her house and up in a peach tree clear across the yard.
“You’re fine.” Cecil said in a very gentlemanly and comforting tone to Asha as he stood up as tall as his little body would allow.
Asha sighed as she looked at the three friends before her. She did feel safe, now that she thought about it.
“Well, there are these things called historical markers. Humans use them to remind them where stuff happened. That way they don’t have to go to my great-grandma and have her look up stuff in all her library books for them. She only has to do it for humans that don’t know about historical markers. We just need to fly around and find the ones the humans put up around here, that’s all.” Asa said proud of her knowledge of such human things as historical markers and books.
“What do they look like?” BabyGirl asked.
“Big brown squares with letters on them.” Cecil warbled, having seen many on his family outings to visit his cousin Nabiki who also lived in New York not far from him.
“Where do you find them?” Asha asked next.
“On the side of the road sticking up out of the ground.” Cecil explained further.
“We should look for one that has to do with wood burning.” Asa beeped.
“Wood burning? Like fire?” asked Asha.
“Not really sure.” Asa began, “Humans are quite distructive, so I’m just not sure. Is there something you’ve seen on TV, Asha, which might give us something to check out and start our search with?” she ended as she rubbed her left eye on her shoulder again.
“Well, we’ve got a famous train station here that the humans just finished fixing up.” Asha pondered out loud, “I think the trains had wood burning engines, come to think of it.” she added.
“Well a train station is a possibility. It would be a good way to transport the peaches that are all over Georgia, too. You know, that ‘fuzzy’ part of the puzzle. Peaches are very fuzzy. Georgia is famous for its peaches.” the anything but ordinary blue budgie recited from his memory.
“You know, I think I flew over a train station on my way over here.” BabyGirl said thoughtfully.
“Well, show us.” Asa responded as she extended her light brown with yellow accented wings over her head in preparation for flight.
“Let’s go!” Cecil squawked as he, Asha and Asa took flight.
“Ok, this way!” BabyGirl said as she became airborne, veered southwest and took off with her fellow feathered adventurers close on her tail.
After about five minutes of flight the foursome landed on the roof of an old looking wooden structure.
“Here.” announced BabyGirl.
“Hmmmm.” pondered Asa as she looked around.
“It’s a train station all right.” Cecil confirmed.
“Yeah, and there is the historical marker.” Asa said excitedly as she fluttered the ten feet from the roof of the Byron Depot and onto the brown historical marker that the humans had conveniently erected to the left of the entrance to the old looking wood building.
“Can you read it?” Asha asked Asa.
“Yeah, I think I can.” Asa said as she pondered the groupings of letters that were imprinted on the big brown sign. “Something about this place being a flag-stop, a train stop where the train only stops when the human waves a flag at it…” Asa began and explained.
“Ooooh! Like you do a taxi!” Cecil said as he excitedly hopped around on the roof of the Byron Depot.
“Yeah, like a taxi…” Asa began again as she continued where she’d left off in the translation of the letters on the sign for Asha, BabyGirl and Cecil, “This is called the Southwestern Railroad and they call this place the, um…Number One and One Half Station.” Asa paused for a moment as she processed the next grouping of letters silently before exclaiming, “Hey! Listen to this: This station had a wood rack for wood burning trains!”
“Well, that’s the whole bottom of our puzzle.” Cecil said excitedly.
“I’m still lost.” said Asha and BabyGirl simultaneously.
“I see what you mean Cecil.” Asa stated, completely ignoring the Amazons quandary.
Cecil, always the gentleman, began to explain to the puzzled pair his comprehension of Asa’s puzzle, “Well, ‘Till peaches, wood burning hot’ is the wood burning trains that transported the Georgia peaches. The ‘Southwest 1 point 5’ is what the humans call this train station. I’m not sure about the ‘A-H-E-Naught’ part, but the ‘Fuzzy coat the fever infects’ has gotta be bad peaches. I remember on the news where there were these hamburgers that gave humans fever and made them sick. And, the last line is that poem Asa’s Uncle Andy read to her.” he concluded with his chest puffed out with pride at all the information he’d managed to keep crammed into his allegedly small white head.
“I think, “Asa began before Asha could say anything, “that the ‘A-H-E-Naught’ part is like those puzzles my Grandma always puts into her stories. So A is number 1, the H is number 8, the E is number 5 and the naught is a weird human word for the number 0. This place, according to the historical marker, was in use by the humans in the early 1850’s.” Asa explained to the sign rather than her feathered friends.
“So I don’t get to ninja any bad guys?” Asha asked, not only feeling a bit disappointed, but also that she had wasted her day worse than if she’d stayed at home and watched the football game with her Dad, who was probably still sound asleep.
“Well, we still have to figure out the first part of this note, you know.” Asa said as she fluttered from the historical marker back up to the Byron Depot roof where Asha, Cecil, and BabyGirl were still perched.
Asha giggled and muttered to BabyGirl a bit louder than she’d intended. “The Great Budgerator himself has a crush on the Convicts Chick.”
BabyGirl giggled as Cecil quickly interjected, “I have great respect for Asa, that’s all. She’s not my girlfriend, so get your minds out of the nest box for a moment and I’ll explain what Asa and I discovered.” Cecil paused for a breath and fluffed himself up slightly. Cecil, a sky blue budgie with a white forehead, was a good five inches shorter than Asha, the Blue Fronted Amazon and three inches shorter than BabyGirl, the Orange Wing Amazon and Asa the Cinnamon pearl split pied Cockatiel. But, it was only Cecil’s size that was smaller than the girls. His personality, on the other hand, was double that of the Amazon pair, but only slightly larger than Asa’s. “After Asa read the note,” Cecil continued, “she messaged me. The two of us got together and, using my Mom and Dad’s computer, figured out that part of the note has something to do with poisoning humans and killing them.”
“Yeah, the ‘Lines Inscribed Upon a Cup’ thing is referring to a poem by a guy named Lord George Gordon Byron. Uncle Andy has read me some of his poems before, that’s how I know that the line comes from one of his writings.” Asa helped Cecil explain.
“What’s the poem about?” Asha asked as she preened her royal emerald green feathers.
“About a dead humans being eaten by worms.” Cecil said bluntly.
“Ewwwwwww!!!” squirmed BabyGirl way too loudly.
“Shhhhhhhhhh!!!!” screeched Asha automatically.
Cecil shook his head before adding, “That’s why we’re here. We need your brains and muscles to help us figure out the rest of this note and then we’ve gotta…”
“Ninja the bad guy?” Asha interrupted hopefully.
“Yeah, ‘ninja the bad guy’.” Cecil concurred.
“So, where do we go and what next?” Asha asked.
“Well, this is Byron, Georgia, named after the poet Lord George Gordon Byron and I’m guessing that ‘fuzzy’ has to do with peaches.” Asa began as BabyGirl retracted her beak back from its current open position into its closed position. She’d changed her mind about biting the juicy looking peach hanging just above her head as Asa continued, “Asha, you’ll need to help us since you live here. I can read and Cecil is very smart and is very good with puzzles, too. BabyGirl is here for her muscle and well, you’re the one and only Diva Ninja Master, of course. We’re going to need all the help we can get against any bad guys.” Asa ended.
“I don’t know where anything is outside of my home. I don’t even like coming out of my cage!” Asha stated as she suddenly realized she was not only out of her cage, but outside of her house and up in a peach tree clear across the yard.
“You’re fine.” Cecil said in a very gentlemanly and comforting tone to Asha as he stood up as tall as his little body would allow.
Asha sighed as she looked at the three friends before her. She did feel safe, now that she thought about it.
“Well, there are these things called historical markers. Humans use them to remind them where stuff happened. That way they don’t have to go to my great-grandma and have her look up stuff in all her library books for them. She only has to do it for humans that don’t know about historical markers. We just need to fly around and find the ones the humans put up around here, that’s all.” Asa said proud of her knowledge of such human things as historical markers and books.
“What do they look like?” BabyGirl asked.
“Big brown squares with letters on them.” Cecil warbled, having seen many on his family outings to visit his cousin Nabiki who also lived in New York not far from him.
“Where do you find them?” Asha asked next.
“On the side of the road sticking up out of the ground.” Cecil explained further.
“We should look for one that has to do with wood burning.” Asa beeped.
“Wood burning? Like fire?” asked Asha.
“Not really sure.” Asa began, “Humans are quite distructive, so I’m just not sure. Is there something you’ve seen on TV, Asha, which might give us something to check out and start our search with?” she ended as she rubbed her left eye on her shoulder again.
“Well, we’ve got a famous train station here that the humans just finished fixing up.” Asha pondered out loud, “I think the trains had wood burning engines, come to think of it.” she added.
“Well a train station is a possibility. It would be a good way to transport the peaches that are all over Georgia, too. You know, that ‘fuzzy’ part of the puzzle. Peaches are very fuzzy. Georgia is famous for its peaches.” the anything but ordinary blue budgie recited from his memory.
“You know, I think I flew over a train station on my way over here.” BabyGirl said thoughtfully.
“Well, show us.” Asa responded as she extended her light brown with yellow accented wings over her head in preparation for flight.
“Let’s go!” Cecil squawked as he, Asha and Asa took flight.
“Ok, this way!” BabyGirl said as she became airborne, veered southwest and took off with her fellow feathered adventurers close on her tail.
After about five minutes of flight the foursome landed on the roof of an old looking wooden structure.
“Here.” announced BabyGirl.
“Hmmmm.” pondered Asa as she looked around.
“It’s a train station all right.” Cecil confirmed.
“Yeah, and there is the historical marker.” Asa said excitedly as she fluttered the ten feet from the roof of the Byron Depot and onto the brown historical marker that the humans had conveniently erected to the left of the entrance to the old looking wood building.
“Can you read it?” Asha asked Asa.
“Yeah, I think I can.” Asa said as she pondered the groupings of letters that were imprinted on the big brown sign. “Something about this place being a flag-stop, a train stop where the train only stops when the human waves a flag at it…” Asa began and explained.
“Ooooh! Like you do a taxi!” Cecil said as he excitedly hopped around on the roof of the Byron Depot.
“Yeah, like a taxi…” Asa began again as she continued where she’d left off in the translation of the letters on the sign for Asha, BabyGirl and Cecil, “This is called the Southwestern Railroad and they call this place the, um…Number One and One Half Station.” Asa paused for a moment as she processed the next grouping of letters silently before exclaiming, “Hey! Listen to this: This station had a wood rack for wood burning trains!”
“Well, that’s the whole bottom of our puzzle.” Cecil said excitedly.
“I’m still lost.” said Asha and BabyGirl simultaneously.
“I see what you mean Cecil.” Asa stated, completely ignoring the Amazons quandary.
Cecil, always the gentleman, began to explain to the puzzled pair his comprehension of Asa’s puzzle, “Well, ‘Till peaches, wood burning hot’ is the wood burning trains that transported the Georgia peaches. The ‘Southwest 1 point 5’ is what the humans call this train station. I’m not sure about the ‘A-H-E-Naught’ part, but the ‘Fuzzy coat the fever infects’ has gotta be bad peaches. I remember on the news where there were these hamburgers that gave humans fever and made them sick. And, the last line is that poem Asa’s Uncle Andy read to her.” he concluded with his chest puffed out with pride at all the information he’d managed to keep crammed into his allegedly small white head.
“I think, “Asa began before Asha could say anything, “that the ‘A-H-E-Naught’ part is like those puzzles my Grandma always puts into her stories. So A is number 1, the H is number 8, the E is number 5 and the naught is a weird human word for the number 0. This place, according to the historical marker, was in use by the humans in the early 1850’s.” Asa explained to the sign rather than her feathered friends.
“So I don’t get to ninja any bad guys?” Asha asked, not only feeling a bit disappointed, but also that she had wasted her day worse than if she’d stayed at home and watched the football game with her Dad, who was probably still sound asleep.
“Well, we still have to figure out the first part of this note, you know.” Asa said as she fluttered from the historical marker back up to the Byron Depot roof where Asha, Cecil, and BabyGirl were still perched.
TO BE CONTINUED.......
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