It was a trying afternoon yesterday when our beloved cockatiel, Bobby left us and went to Bird Heaven. I took it very hard because for twelve years I fed and watered him, made him comfortable and relatively happy.
My wife said was a very old bird having live over 20 years, which I guess in bird life is very old indeed. He suffered through a bunch of moves, always having to readjust and readapt his life for us humans whom I’m sure he detested but tolerated.
For the longest time he was the one and only, until my wife brought Cujo, later Cisco, who we eventually gave away, Harley, Spike, Elsa and Avatar. He took it all in and made acquaintance with them, though he probably didn’t like them either.
Friday morning was especially cold and when I found him shivering on his perch. I immediately turned on the heater for him, but I knew his time was near. He lived a long and happy life. Then around supper time I found him lying on the bottom of his cage.
I know I shouldn’t get so emotionally attached to animals, but I do. I always have. I’m sure I got it from my parents who treated any death of an animal like a death in the family. I remembered how Mom reacted the morning we found our German Short Hair, Herman after he was poisoned from someone up in our East Wenatchee neighborhood. I was six and only had vague understanding of death, until that day when I realized he would no longer be around to play with. It left an emptiness inside, as it did today when I went to clean the other birds’ cages and his was empty; scrubbed clean and sanitized so my wife could sell it.
So, bye bye Bobby. One day we will see each other again.
Jerry Schellhammer 