KEY WEST AND THE PARROT

Hi, everyone!

I know it's been a while, so sorry for the hiatus. In recent news, I've been asked to be the Author of the Month in the Maryland Romance Writers newsletter!

I was asked interview questions which I'll put up in the following post. I was also asked to provide a fun photo with an associated story. 

Since the publication is solely for MRW members, I wanted to share the featured story with you here as well. I hope you enjoy!

- SNG

Picture Story:

My sister and I had said for many years that we wanted to take a road trip together; just rent a fast car and drive to Key West. While ruminating on it one night, we decided that some things can't wait. Her kids weren’t out of college, but we had our health, a little bit of money and the will to go, so we planned it.

One powder blue Sally of a Mustang transported us to Key West and it was like a different world. The first day there, we left the leather Chesterfield couches and travel trunk end tables of our hotel to walk the island and see the sights. About halfway down the street a commotion caught our attention as a man ran after this brightly plumed bird yelling, “Stop him, he’s getting away!”

Humanitarian that I am, I started after them, my sister trailing me and telling me to be careful. Fearful for the animal, I kept my distance while trying to coax it to stop fluttering in a panic, ready to fly away. I stood agape as the guy reached down and grabbed the distracted bird by the legs, a look of victory on his face. I followed them, watching as the man dragged what I then saw was a rainbow colored parrot back to a neighboring booth. Other exotic birds sat in cages next to photography equipment, a photo kiosk in the center of the square.

The parrot flailed as the man pulled out a pair of grooming clippers, my eyes going wide.  “What are you doing to him?” I called a little too loudly, my sister pulling on my arm to not engage the stranger.

Was this punishment for the bird’s instinctual bid for freedom? That wasn’t fair.

“That gave me a heart attack,” the man uttered as he casually went on about his business. He prepared to cut as the parrot flapped his wide wings, giving us flashes of brilliant color.  

“Stop! Don’t hurt him!”

“Hurt him? I'm not letting a five thousand dollar investment fly the coop.”

To my surprise he turned the bird towards me, illustrating where he was placing the scissors, loud snaps resounding as he trimmed the bird’s wings.

“Oh.” That was all I could manage as my sister shot me a look.

Finished with his work, the man placed the parrot on a wooden perch, the bird still flapping but not taking flight like before. With the visual assurance that the parrot was grounded the man turned to us.

“For helping me out, I’m going to give you a free photo. Sound good?”

I blinked at him, keeping my purse close as he ushered me to a bench and told me to close my eyes. “Hold your hands out in front of you. Cup them like a bowl,” he instructed. 

In a millisecond I felt something soft and feathered touch my skin followed by a gentle pressure on my shoulder. Then I heard the man say, “Open.”

The ball of adorable in my palms knew only one word, “Bubbles…Bubbles,” his name. All the while chewing on his foot like a baby. 

“And this is Peaches,” the man said, motioning to the pretty peach one sitting on my shoulder. “Peaches...Peeeeaches,” the owner prompted the silent bird. “Well, he’s new. Still learning.”

Taken in by it all, I completely forgot that I was being photographed. I followed the direction to “Smile” so naturally that all I did was look up.

My sister got a gold toe ring that day, one that she wears all the time. We saw Hemmingway’s six-toed cats and had cheeseburgers in paradise. It was fabulous.  

And it all started with an exotic bird photographer and his wayward parrot. :0)