Caged

The blissfully blue sky stretched to infinity, where thousands of free birds cheerfully soared in flocks. Fresh air flowed through the narrow rectangular window of the old pet store, ruffling the remaining feathers of an African grey parrot.

However, the parrot ignored the view and continued to pluck at his grey feathers. The only area he hadn’t plucked was his head.

The store owner, Mrs. Marissa, was a lady in her sixties. Over the past few months, she had grown attached to the bird. She even took him to a vet, who told her, “A broken heart can’t be healed by medicine.”

Despite being given medication for his anxiety, the parrot rejected it.

The doorbell jingled as a little girl walked into the store.

“Hello,” Mrs. Marissa greeted her. “How may I help you?”

The girl wore a worried expression and pointed at the grey parrot. “What happened to him?” she asked.

“His owner died,” Mrs. Marissa replied. “He was brought here by a woman who told me her husband had passed away. Since then, the parrot won’t stop plucking his feathers. She tried everything to comfort him, but nothing worked. She wants him to find someone who can heal his heartache.”

The girl moved closer to the cage, eyeing the worn-out yet lovely bird. “Hey, don’t worry. I am here for you,” she spoke softly.

The bird glanced at her, listening to her sweet voice.

“I will take care of him,” the girl said. “How much do I need to pay?”

“Nothing,” Mrs. Marissa replied. “Just heal him. I only want him to be okay.”

“What is his name?” the girl asked.

Mrs. Marissa paused to think. “Momo,” she replied. “Ah, it happens with age; you tend to forget things.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that.” The girl’s face brightened as she looked at the bird with a smile. “Let’s go home, Momo.” She bowed her head in gratitude to the lady before walking out of the store.

Momo was the first pet Marsha ever had. She loved animals more than anything, and having her first companion made her ecstatic.

As she made her way home, she glanced at Momo now and then. “You know, Momo, I have so many toys. You’d love to play with them. Dad will be surprised to see you.”

“Welcome home.”

“Dad, look! I have a surprise!” Marsha exclaimed as she walked toward her father, who was seated at his desk. He looked up from his paperwork, surprised by what he saw.

“Meet Momo. He’s an African Grey Parrot.”

Tyrone’s eyes softened at the sight of the bird’s deplorable condition. Before he could ask, Marsha quickly explained.

“The pet store lady gave him to me. His owner died, and since then, he’s been plucking his feathers. We have to help him, Dad.”

Tyrone, a well-known biologist with extensive knowledge of animals and their behavior, nodded in understanding.

Together, Tyrone and Marsha went to her room to create a comfortable space for Momo.

Marsha opened the cage to let him out, but he ignored the open gate and continued pulling at his feathers. Marsha felt upset.

“Wait for me, Marsha,” Tyrone said as he exited the room. When he returned, he had a radio in his hand.

He pressed the button, and soothing music filled the air. The calming melody enchanted Marsha, capturing her attention. As Tyrone pulled down the curtains, soft light filtered through, complementing the gentle music.

“We should leave him alone for now, sweetheart. Let him rest.” Tyrone gently held Marsha’s hand as they left the room together. Marsha turned her head to glance at Momo one last time.

“Will he be okay, Dad?” she asked, looking up at him with concern.

“Yes, dear. Don’t worry. You brought him here. Now promise me one thing: you’ll take care of him.” Marsha flashed a bright smile, and her pigtails bounced as she nodded eagerly.

Tyrone smiled back, patting her head.

After a few hours, Marsha sneaked a peek into her room and was surprised by what she saw. Momo had come out of his cage and was sleeping peacefully, snuggled up next to her soft pink teddy bear.

Marsha held back her excitement and rushed to call her dad. At the beautiful sight, Tyrone smiled, reassured that Momo had calmed down.

Marsha quietly entered the room and left a bowl of fruit next to the bird. She climbed onto her bed and watched. Momo was in a deep slumber and hadn’t noticed the food. Marsha pulled her blanket around herself and decided to take a nap next to her companion. “Sweet dreams, buddy,” she whispered.

Stay tuned for Part 2