Raising a Family

Hi, Ben.  How is it going?  I see that you built the nest where you thought you would.

“Hello, Howard.  It is going very well.  Helen is now sitting on three eggs that should hatch any day.”

That’s great, Ben!  Let me know when the big day arrives.

“Will do.”

Another beautiful day to get some sun in the yard.

Hi, Ben.

“Howard, we now have three boys: Charles, Henry, and Wilber. Helen and I are going to be busy for the next couple of weeks finding enough worms to feed them.   That’s why we stopped at three.  Four or more we might not be able to feed them.”

Well, good luck to you.

It’s been a couple of weeks since they hatched.  Let me find out how Charles, Henry, and Wilber are doing.

“Howard, we need help!  Wilber fell out of the nest a short time ago and Helen and I are at a loss to get him back in the nest,  Can you help?”

Well, let’s see.  I can’t climb the tree so I can’t help you there.  I can only think of two ways to do it.  If we can keep Felix from following his natural instincts to eat Wilber maybe he would do it.  Otherwise the man has a ladder and he could do it if only we can communicate the nature of the problem to him.  What do you think?

“Since time is of the essence it would take too long to communicate with the man, based on your experience getting him to call you ‘Howard’.  S as risky as it may be, I think we need to go to Felix.”

OK, but let me be the one to go to Felix.  I have a bit more influence over him than you do.

Felix, Wilber fell out of the nest and we would like you to put him back.

“If you insist, I will do it.”

You do realize that I would take a very dim view if he does not make it back into the nest safely?

“Alright, but I am more afraid of Helen than I am of you.  She has a mean beak and I don’t want her ever to get angry with me again.”

I’ll show you where Wilber is.  I want you to talk to him first to calm him down.  It is a bird’s instinct to be afraid of cats as it is in a cat’s instinct to eat birds.

Hi, Wilber.  I’m Howard and this is Felix.  He is going to help you get back in the nest.

“Hello, Wilber.  Do you want to get back in the nest?”

“Absolutely!  I am cold and hungry and want to get back home as soon as possible,”

“You are a big bird and it will be difficult for me to keep my mouth open wide enough to keep from squeezing you.  So if you feel I’m squeezing too hard just squeak and I’ll try to ease up.  Here goes.”

“I must be getting old.  Climbing this tree is not nearly as easy as it was a couple of years ago.”

“Hi, Charles and Henry.  I’m Felix.  Here is your brother, Wilber.  Please don’t let him fall out again,”

“Well Howard, a successful rescue.”

Come on Felix, let’s go tell Maggie what happened.

Maggie, our friend, Felix, is a hero.  Baby Wilber fell out of the nest and Felix put him back

“Being a bird myself, Felix, I know what a challenge it must have been for you.  You truly are a hero.”

“I’ve always wanted to meet Ben and Helen, but the man will never let me go outside.”

Hmm.  I wonder,  Maybe….

  

Robert Niel Beatie – August 14, 2013

If you don't recall 'Howard' I suggest that you reread that post before reading this latest one.

 

Ben and Helen

What a beautiful spring day!  Almost all of the snow is gone and the sun is shining brightly.  Let’s go check out in the yard.

Hey!  Who are you?  I’m Howard.

“I’m Ben and this is my wife, Helen.  We come here every year to build a nest and raise a family.”

I assume, then, that you are acquainted with Felix?

“Yes, we worked out our differences with him some time ago.”

Where will you build your nest?

“Probably right here, on this spot, in this tree.  We’ve built here a couple of years, but Helen will want to try two or three different places.  She always does.”

Well, good luck to you, Ben.

“Why don’t we build the nest right here, Helen?  We’ve built here a couple of years now and you always seem to like it.”

“No, Ben, I really want to build a little higher for a better view.  I think right here will be perfect.”

“OK, let’s do it.  Here’s a good stout twig to start the foundation.”

“I’m sorry, Ben.  The breeze is moving this site way too much.  We’ll have to build somewhere else.”

“Why don’t we build the nest right here, Helen?  We’ve built here a couple of years now and you always seem to like it.”

“No, Ben, let’s move in closer to the house where the breeze is not as strong.”

“OK, we can give it a try’

“Ben, Ben, Ben.  It’s way too dark in this corner.  I have an idea.  Why don’t we build where we did the past couple of years?  I always liked it there.”

“What a good idea!.  Let’s do it.”

Robert Niel Beatie - August 13, 2013

Howard

Hi!  My name is Howard.  I’m a pit bull.  I think I am about six months old.  This shelter has been my home for most of my life and I am getting worried.  This is not a “no-kill” shelter.

Maybe this man will adopt me.  He has taken me for a walk and is talking with one of the staff members.

Yes!  He has signed all of the papers and is coming to me with a good strong leash in his hand.  Whew!

“Okay, Dog, let’s go home.”

Dog??  My name is Howard, not Dog!  How can I tell him my name is Howard and not Dog?  I don’t have the physical equipment to talk.  Oh well, I guess Dog will do.  It’s a lot better than Spot or Fido.

Oh, boy!  This is a big house with a big back lawn.  I will really enjoy running around instead of being cooped up in a kennel all of the time.

Oops!  Here is a big black cat.  He is acting like he owns the place.

Hi!  I’m Howard but the man calls me Dog.  I’ll bet they call you Cat.

“No, Felix.”

That’s almost the same thing, but it’s better than Kitty or Pussy.

Okay, let’s get down to basics.  I understand that you are not used to sharing your space.  But I am here now and I don’t want any trouble.  I just got out of what amounts to jail.  So I’ll try to stay out of your way.  Since you seem to prefer indoors I’ll just stay outside, mostly.  Okay?

“Yeah, but just stay out of my way”

So far, so good.  I’ve had a couple of weeks with lots of exercise.  No big trouble with Felix.

What’s that squawking I hear?  For heaven’s sake, they’ve brought home a parrot! That’ll not sit well with Felix!  Let me check it out.

Hey, Felix, what’s with all the noise?

“That noisy parrot, Maggie, will not shut up!  She’s driving me up the wall.”

Is she here permanently?

“Not if I can get to her!”

Let me see what I can do.

Maggie, I’m Howard.  Do you suppose you can give it a rest for a while?  Your squawking is getting to Felix.

“Why should I?”

Let’s see.  Felix can’t get to you in your cage on its stand.  But I can easily knock over the stand and then Felix could get to you.  And you know what cats do to birds, even tough old parrots.

“Gulp.  Since you put it that way I guess I could be quiet for a while.”

Good.  It doesn’t mean you can’t ever make noise.  That’s what parrots do.  Just don’t keep it up all the time.

“Okay.”

It’s been a couple of weeks and things seem to be calm.

Hey, Felix and Maggie, how are things?

“Since we had that discussion things are very peaceful.  Felix has stopped threatening to eat me.  Thank you.”

“Yes, Maggie and I have become friends, sort of.  She even sings a song I like from time to time.”

Hmm.  I wonder.  Maggie, do you think you can do something for me?

“If I can, sure.  What is it?”

Well you have learned to talk people talk.   Felix and I can’t do that.  Do you think you can tell the man that my name is Howard, not Dog?

“I’m not good at grammar and whole sentences but I can try.  How about ‘Howard, not Dog.’”

That should do it.  You’ll probably have to repeat it several times.

Wow, I sure underestimated how many times Maggie would have to try to get the message across.  I’ll bet it took a couple hundred tries over the past three weeks before the man addressed me as Howard.

Thank you, Maggie.  You have made me very happy!

Robert Niel Beatie – April 22, 2013

Teddy Tennis Ball

I’ve been in this package with five other tennis balls for a long time.  I wish something would happen.  I’m getting bored.

Okay!  We’re getting dumped into a basket with a bunch of other balls.  Here comes a ball boy.  He is picking me up and we are heading to the center court.  A big match is going on.

The ball boy handed me to the number fifteen seed who is about to serve for the final point of the final game of the final match of the tournament.  What an honor for me!

Wham!  Boy, this kid has a wicked serve.  Back and forth.  Exciting!  An amazing exchange.  My underdog wins!

With all of the exchanges I got a little scuffed up.  What is the ball boy doing with me?  Why is he putting me in a basket with a bunch of scuffed up balls?  I was just part of one of the biggest upsets in the tournament.

It looks like we are headed for the practice courts.  I should be more important than to be relegated to being batted around by a bunch of amateurs.  Oh well, it’s a living, I guess.

Hey!  I just got hit over the fence, into the bushes.  Aren’t they going to get me?  I guess not.  It’s gotten dark and they have all left.

It’s been a couple of days and I am still here.  Am I going to rot here under the bushes? That’s not a fitting end for a ball that was part of the biggest upset in tennis history.

Wait!  Here comes a big black lab, sniffing my way.  He is picking me up in his mouth and we are running toward a young man.  The man praises and pets the dog.

We seem to be heading to a park.  Yes, the man took me from the dog and threw me into the park.  The dog is running after me.  He picked me up and ran back to the man.  The toss-and-fetch process has gone on for some time.  It is really fun!  A much more fitting end for me!

Robert Niel Beatie – April 11, 2013