Dear
Blog,
I don't think I've properly introduced you to
my budgie Bobby. She’s a six year old blue beauty who was given to me by a
breeder.
I’ve wanted to write up a proper post about
how Bobby came to be a part of our family, but I didn’t want to briefly summon
it up so I’ll be splitting the story into two parts. Here’s the first:
[Bobby's
story, Part 1]
I’d never had a proper pet before
because my parents didn’t want the upkeep of a dog or cat. From the age of five
I spent days caring for my Kelpie plush and constructing card board box
puppies, dreaming of the day my parents would cave in and finally allow me to
have a pet dog. Dogs were my favourite animal and I was literally obsessed. I’d
borrow out books from our school library on how to care for a dog, how to teach
them tricks, different breeds....
After a while when I realised the folks
weren’t going to budge I began looking into other types of pets.
Once I came close to owning a
guinea pig after a friend decided to try breeding them which ended in a large outbreak. However my mum is very
particular about odors (guinea pigs have that funny furry animal smell) and I’m
not sure anyone in my family would enjoy the squeaking.
I began getting desperate, so much so that I
even gave starting a sea monkey farm a try. Sea monkeys just weren’t for me;
they’re neither cute nor cuddle. End of story
I still clung to the idea of perhaps one day
caring for an animal, but I was running out of options. It seemed I’d have to
postpone that dream till I was old enough to move out of home.
During high school I made friends with girl
named Heidi. We were in the same hospitality class at the time; I’m not exactly sure
how the topic came about but we began discussing her different pets (she
owned a cat and a few rabbits, again I was offered one but sadly had to refuse). I began telling her how I longed for an animal to care for. Heidi
invited me over to her house to hang out - the same day her mum had a day off
from work.
Heidi had to run an errand so I was left
chatting with her mum, and again, the topic of pets was brought up and I
related to her my woes.
“Have you ever considered getting
a bird?” she asked.
This thought had occurred to me, my mum loves
birds. However there was also the matter of cost involved. I didn’t have enough money to buy
a bird from a pet store, but overall it seemed like a pretty low maintenance
animal that the rest of my family wouldn’t mind welcoming into our home.
Heidi’s mum proceeded to tell me
about a family friend of theirs who breed budgies and sometimes gave them away
to close friends and loving homes. It seemed so perfect! I was ecstatic and
couldn’t wait to tell my family about the possibility of getting a bird. The
events to follow all happened so quickly and without any problems that it almost
seemed like the work of faith.
Heidi’s mum got in contact with her friend and
a few days later I was at the woman’s house itching to see the little hatchling
she’d set aside specially for me.
The first time I saw Bobby. The first time I
got to hold Bobby. I remember the nervous feeling in my gut mimicked the loud flutters of a dozen budgerigars flapping about inside the aviary I was being led towards. I began stressing on whether she'd like me or not. I smile to myself because when I think of the bird I met then
and know today, personality wise she hasn’t changed a bit.
meeting Bobby for the first time, 2007
March, 2013
