Learning from Our Pets - Chapter 1: Dinky the 'keet

 WHEN I WAS a freshman in high school, I wanted my own pet, but my parents didn't want to bother with a dog or cat. My criteria were simple: The pet had to be intelligent, fun, easy to care for, relatively clean, and inexpensive. I found the answer on a visit to the pet shop: a parakeet, more correctly called a budgie.

But weren't birds just for sissies? As a teenager, maintaining the correct image meant a lot to me. I spent a week on research: observing the types of people who bought birds at the store, consulting with my schoolmates, and reading pamphlets distributed by bird food companies. I decided it was okay to have a bird.

Making Himself at Home

I chose my new budgie quickly, basing my decision on scientific principles. I wanted a bird of my gender, my favorite color was blue, and one of the birds looked more intelligent than the others. That was my guy!

I got home with my new pet, his supplies and his play-gym. I hung the cage near a window in my bedroom, set up the gym and spread newspaper on the floor below it.

The paper would later prove to offer little protection, since from day one I allowed the bird to fly freely within the room.

As I watched the little blue 'keet hop and chirp, becoming accustomed to his new turf, I puzzled over a name for him. Because he looked so small in his cage, I decided to call him Dinky.

Dinky quickly learned a few words; his name, of course, and about 30 renditions of "Pretty bird;" including one with so many "pretty's" in it that we thought he would run out of breath.

He seemed to pick up new words best from my mom, though he also picked up her German accent!

Still, Dinky appeared to know he was my bird. He loved to watch everything I did, frequently riding on my shoulder or perching atop my head.

Short hair was in style then, so he sometimes startled me by slowly sliding down my head and scrambling for a foothold while he made his "psht-psshht" angry sound. I think he often did this just to get attention.

Dinky would "help" me with my homework. Although some of my reports had nibbled-off page corners, my teachers never seemed to mind. To me, retyping pooped-on pages became just a minor facet of living with my feisty, inquisitive little blue pal.

The Daily Routine

Every morning I would uncover Dinky's cage and let him out. Once out of the cage, he would slowly stretch one wing, then the other. I admired the way he stretched those wings... he looked just like a little eagle!

Once he was fully awake, Dinky would fly over to the mirror on my closet door to visit his reflection. He would hang there by one toe as I combed my hair and applied Clearasil. He "fed" his reflection, chattering and bobbing his head excitedly. That mirror sure required frequent cleaning!

When I would leave for school, I allowed Dinky the freedom of my room, though I'd close the door, to keep him out of the kitchen. During the day, my mom would look in on him occasionally and give him a bite of whatever snack she had handy. He seemed to eat almost anything, even pieces of her spicy ground meat sandwiches!

Leaving a bird loose in a room all day resulted in a happy bird, but also a messy room. Dinky would strew torn paper, drifting feathers and, of course, "deposits" at his favorite resting spots. But the room was a safe haven, so Dinky stayed out of any real trouble, and his activity kept him healthy and happy.

Dinky regarded my bedroom as his turf. Even if someone left the door open, he would venture out only for a brief reconnaissance flight, returning immediately to his cage-top perch. If I didn't check in with him as soon as I came home from school, he would zoom quickly out of my room, loop through the dining room, circle back into my room and land on his cage. He seemed to be saying "C'mon in here! Let's play!"

I used to show visiting friends Dinky's one trick: I would stand at one end of the room, hold out my finger and whistle. Dinky would fly right onto my finger, just like a pet falcon! Then I'd "launch" him back toward his cage. If I gave him enough of a boost, he would glide most of the way, flapping his wings only at the last instant to cushion his landing.

Guests were allowed to share with Dinky portions of their cookies and milk. They would laugh as the hungry little bird climbed down their arm to dip into their glass for a sip. He looked like one of those silly plastic birds that continually dip to "drink" from cups. Dinky loved the attention. Female visitors especially wanted to pet and cuddle him - a fact I made the most of.

Dinky was resourceful at getting his way. On Saturdays, I would try to sleep late, even though he would chirp and squawk from under his cage's cover. Finally, impatient with me, he learned to open the cage himself and wriggle out from under the cloth. He would fly directly over to me and land smack on my nose. Needless to say, claw marks did not enhance my teenage complexion.

Off to College

The time for me to go away to college came all too soon. I considered taking Dinky with me, but I figured the train trip from Nebraska to Texas would be too tough on him. Besides, what I had heard about college life didn't seem suited for a little pet: wild parties, late-night studying, roommates' cats.

Lurking beneath those reasons was yet another: A parakeet seemed like a pet for a little kid, not for a grown-up college guy. So I decided Dinky would stay behind.

While I was away, my mom became Dinky's guardian. I thought he would soon forget about me and adjust to his new "boss." Mom tried to keep him happy, but surprisingly, he became less tame.

When I called home, Dinky would perk up when he was allowed a turn at the phone. I could hear him chatter excitedly when he heard me repeat his favorite phrases.

I began to miss the little guy, so Mom would enclose an assortment of his recently shed feathers with every letter. She would also let him nibble the lower corner of each letter as his signature.

When I came home at the end of the first semester, I wondered if Dinky would recognize me. As soon as he heard my voice, he went crazy - even at 11 o'clock at night! He began to make "tweedling" noises.

Impatient, he somehow squeezed out of his cage and flew madly back and forth between the dining room and his room, chattering wildly. Throughout the remainder of my college career, I received this same reception every time I returned home. No matter how long I had been gone, he still remembered me.

When I came to visit during vacations, I spent as much time with Dinky as I could, but it never seemed to be enough for him. I also had human friends to visit and parties to attend. I hoped he understood.

Growing Old

During my senior year at college, I thought of bringing Dinky to Texas to stay with me. I now had my own apartment, so he would be safe. One of my professors had three budgies, so I no longer thought of a parakeet as being a kid's pet.

ln the midst of my plans, however, I forgot to consider that Dinky was growing old. My mom wrote that he was becoming listless. He would sit around all day, puffed up and muttering. Dinky was slowing down.

Dinky was 9 1/2 years old when he died. My parents buried him in a box under a tree in the back yard. That was 39 years ago, but I still remember that feisty little bird as if he were here today.

In a way, he is:  My folks sold that old house long ago, but I've been inside to visit. His favorite mirror is still in my old room, and if you know where to look, you can still see the marks he left around it. I know under which tree he is buried; I can't help but wave to him when I pass it.

Dinky also left another kind of mark. He taught me something important about animals: They are not just toys you feed. They have real personalities, needs and feelings. Dinky was a loyal friend to me. He always seemed happy and to make the best of things. He did not hold a grudge because of my long absences, and he brought my family and me so much joy.

After college, I joined the Navy and went to sea for a few years. Ever since my return to land, I have had a companion bird. I continue to learn about them and enjoy the fun and friendship these little pals can give.