Wednesday, October 17, 2007

The Egomaniac in the Mirror

Eight-and-a-half years now I've lived with an egomaniac who spends an exorbidant amount of time in front of the mirror. This little guy turns from side-to-side to catch himself at the most flattering angle.



Meet Sunny, a yellow canary, probably an old codger in bird years. He’s a Russian-born canary and whether his lineage includes Cossacks or Communists, nobody’s saying. But in the evenings, if he has sufficiently brightened my day with song, I’ll open the cage door and when the coast is clear, out he roars. First stop is to see Kesha, the cockatiel next door, where Sunny makes himself right at home, splashing around in the drinking water. From there he zips up to the mirrored corner where an adoring audience awaits.

He tilts his head this way and that, admiring his beak and profile. Then he flexes those feathery biceps of his, broadening his winged shoulders, pumping his wee fist in the air and chirping mantras in a language understood by a feathered few.

Besides being an egomaniac, Sunny is also a manipulator. He knows exactly how to get his favorite delicacy. In fact, at this moment as I write, he is trilling to beat the band. This is typical behavior for mid-morning and he knows that in a minute I’ll brng him some leaf lettuce, tuck it into the clothes pin in his cage and wait there until he chirps a Thank you! I do insist on some manners, after all. But the concert usually ends right there and I know I’ve been had, especially now that leaf lettuce runs 40 rubles a bunch, for pity’s sake. Amazing what we’ll do to please our little critters.

How about you and your pets? Do you see personality traits? And does a pet try to manipulate you? Hold that thought, I need to go find something green and leafy to pay the piper.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oooh, he's adorable! Love your blog, Eileen. I'm looking forward to getting to know you and reading about all your adventures! ~ Tamie

Elizabeth said...

RE: pets - our first baby is really a large, spoiled cat - she's not too impressed w/ Baby Louisa. :)

Jenny said...

That is a hoot. I love the name Sunny.

Eileen said...

Yeah Bobbie and Tami - thank you for your kind words! I stop by your blog regularly. Amazing to me that Real Writers do blogs...and Elizabeth and Jenny are professional writers too. This is interesting ...and I'm trying to figure it out.

My dear mom decorated cakes to help raise five kids. I don't recall her doing cakes for special enjoyment after the orders started coming in. And Dad was an electrician and builder...well, come to think of it, he always did have home projects on the front burner and the back burner too. I'm a teacher, yes have always loved to teach - especially children's Bible classes. So is it fair to say that our passion points us to our life's choice of work...and not. But wonderful when that happens. Hmm...some interesting food for thought. Thank you! EE