The Dream Lover Series

It was moving day, and Ali was rushing around to make sure that nothing was left behind. Fred was her little shadow as he followed her around while squawking out his misery loud and clear. The cockatoo was running in circles around her feet, and she had to be careful not to trip over him. When she suggested that he take a nap, he squawked even louder.

“Fwed, no, nappee! Stay with momee!”

The cockatoo was frightened at seeing their belongings packed up and taken away, and nothing that Ali could say helped to alleviate his fears. Ali wished that just this once, Fred was like other birds. But with his high intellect, he was petrified as he saw the life he had known, vanishing all around him. Fred let out a loud wail of despair, and Ali’s heart broke at the pitiful sound, but there was nothing she could do to help allay his fears.

The movers were beginning to pack up Fred’s huge Victorian aviary. They were wrapping huge sheets of foam around the turret to insulate it, while Fred watched and tried to squirm out of Ali’s arms.

“Momee help! Stop! Bad men hide Fwed’s house! Squawk!”

The structure separated into two sections so that it would fit through most doorways. The prewar apartment had a standard-sized door opening, and it would never have made it through otherwise.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” one of the men observed as two of movers lifted one half of Fred’s home and carried it into the living room. “This looks like one of those Victorian mansions in Cape May, and a kid could probably fit into it.”

Fred watched as his house was now separated, and he began to freak out. “Momee! Bad men bwake Fwed’s house! Help momee! Put Fwed’s house back! Noooo! Squawk! Noooo! Squawk!” he shrieked loudly.  

The head mover did a double-take when Fred continued yammering at breakneck speed.

“Squawk! My house! Momee make bad men stop! My house! My house! Fwed’s house all bwoken!” Squawk! Squawk! Squawk!”

Fred was in a full-fledged panic. Ali had told him all about Ursula, but he couldn’t care less about a dog to love at the moment. He was too upset to think about anything other than his home. It was now completely covered and ready to be placed onto one of the moving vans.

The cockatoo left the safety of Ali’s arms and landed on the floor in a huff. Squawking nonstop, Fred waddled around the outside of his aviary. He used his beak to try and pull the cover off while Ali watched in horror. She had never realized that Fred would become this distraught about his house, but she understood why. The memory of a rusted filthy cage still haunted her dreams at night. The aviary was the only real home that Fred had ever known, and he was frightened he would never see it again.

“Miss Rosen, please remove your bird now because we have to load this onto the truck.”

Ali went over to Fred and spoke softly to him. It seemed to work because he finally gave up his attempts to rescue his home. He allowed her to carry him to the other side of the room so the movers could do their job. Fred watched as they tilted the huge crated house and his obsidian eyes filled with fear. Ali felt a sneeze coming on, and she released Fred to get a tissue. The cockatoo took advantage of his freedom, and with wings spread wide, he took to the air. Fred flew around the living room, screeching to beat the band. He zeroed in on one of the moving men who carried his home out the door. Fred was beside himself and was about to bite down hard on the man’s tattooed bicep when the mover saw him coming. Panic-stricken, he made a mad dash for safety and picked up a drop cloth, hoping that it would protect him from the wrath of Fred.

“Miss Rosen, please keep that crazy bird away from me!” he pleaded.

While the mover cowered behind the drop cloth, Ali apologized for Fred. She tried to explain why he was so upset. But the moving man could not comprehend that a cockatoo was bright enough to be worried that he might never see his fancy birdhouse again.

“He’s a parrot for Christ’s sake!” he exclaimed in exasperation.

“Please try to understand that he is not like other birds. Fred is brilliant, and seeing his house carted away is very traumatic for him. His little heart is breaking.”

The man overseeing the move wisely held his tongue before he said something he would live to regret. He was used to dealing with cats and dogs and even large birds such as this one. The wealthy seemed to love exotic pets, and he had moved everything from an ocelot to a Burmese python, but none of them had given him the kind of grief that the cockatoo had. Steven Farrell had paid extra to ensure everything arrived perfectly, and for that kind of money, Alexandra Rosen could have Godzilla himself as a pet.

After the movers left, Fred finally calmed down. For the trip across town, Ali dressed him in a blue-striped stretchy flight suit with a poop pouch in it. Fred’s outfit had a polka-dot bow tie at his neck, and Ali could not believe how cute Fred looked in it! Her avian vet had recommended that Ali begin to use disposable parrot diapers so she could take the cockatoo more places, and Ali loved the idea.

She texted George that they were on the way, and then she whisked Fred down to the waiting limousine. George had taken an immediate liking to the cockatoo, and he was happy to see him again. “So, how are you doing, Fred? I like your new outfit.”

“Fwed pwettee. Squawk!”

“I didn’t even know they made clothing for birds. Fred looks adorable in it.” George paused to scratch his head as he thought about the first time he had met the loquacious bird. “Fred looked straight at me, and then he asked me if I knew his mommy.” He chuckled at the memory. “In my opinion, Fred belongs in Ripley’s Believe It or Not. He’s a bonafide genius. Steve must be thrilled that Fred is moving into the penthouse.”

Inwardly Ali was howling with laughter. If only! She tried to keep a straight face. “You have no idea. Thrilled doesn’t even begin to describe how he feels.”