Chapter 2: A Normal Day?
It was early morning in the town of Moose Lake, Minnesota and in one home a young woman was sleeping in her bed. The clock next to her read 7:14 AM, all was quiet and peaceful until 7:15 AM.
The clock started to ring and the woman started to pound her fist into the clock to make it stop until it fell off onto the floor. The woman got really annoyed and uncovered the blankets to unplug the clock. The woman, Linda, was surprised when the ringing did not stop when she unplugged it.
Linda looked up to see her bird, Jewel, imitating an alarm clock wearing her glasses. Linda smiled and pressed her finger against Jewel's beak, to which Jewel stopped and put Linda's glasses on Linda.
"Morning, Jewel." Linda said stroking Jewel's neck.
The two than went about their normal morning routine which included brushing their teeth, preparing and eating breakfast together, Linda trying to feed Jewel her vitamins and lastly opening Linda's book store, which was named after Jewel's species, The Blue Macaw Books.
After that the day continued as normal with consumers coming in and getting books and saying hello to Jewel.
Midday came and Linda was talking to her mom while preparing Jewel's favorite treat a plate of cookies with a nice steaming hot cup of hot chocolate.
"Yes mom, I would like to come and visit, but who would take care of Jewel."
"Mom, they don't have kennels for parrots. Here's your hot chocolate Jewel, just how you like it."
Jewel was in her nice cage reading a magazine in flight mechanics when she heard Linda and saw the plate and cup. Jewel than got out of her cage by herself and walked over to her treat.
"This is the life." Jewel said happily. "The perfect coca to marshmallow ratio." Jewel than put her beak into the cup, but was disturbed by a snowball hitting the store window.
Jewel turned to see two geese laughing at her. "Well look who it is, my favorite nerd bird."
"Very funny, real mature." Jewel said, clearly annoyed at them for disturbing her wonderful moment.
The two geese continued to mock Jewel, Jewel knew they were probably jealous at how pretty she was compared to them.
"Throw all the snowballs you want, I am protected by this magical forcefield called glass. It's what keeps me warm while you two are freezing your…"
Jewel saw that the two geese had their bottoms pointed at her. "Butts." Jewel finished.
Jewel was just about to take a bite out of a cookie when she heard someone else outside.
A man was having trouble walking over the slippery sidewalk and crashed into the bench the two geese were sitting on, to which the two geese flew off.
Jewel was baffled and grew a little scared when the man spotted her and came towards her. The man crashed into the store window and Jewel was just speechless at what just happened.
Linda had also spotted this and went outside to see if the man needed help.
"Are you alright?" Linda asked.
After the man got inside, he rubbed his hands together. "I'm not really built for this weather."
"Oh, are you looking for some books?" Linda asked.
"Books? No I have come six thousand miles looking for her." The man said looking at Jewel who was just about to start her first cookie, but than looked her, confused.
The man than gave Linda his card which Linda read aloud. "Doctor of Ornithology?" And put the card down to find Dr. Tulio Monteiro admiring her bird.
"She is magnificent." Tulio said, and than made some strange sounds which Jewel was scared of.
"Linda, a little help here, I just want to eat my cookies."
Jewel tried in vain to get Linda's attention, but Linda got the wrong message.
"Wow, you're actually talking to her."
"Yes, I shook my tail feathers…" Tulio continued, Jewel did not even get what he just said. "I did not get that at all." Jewel said.
"So Dr. Monteiro…"
"Please call me Tulio, you know your macaw is a very special bird, in fact Jewel is the last female of her kind."
"Really." Linda said and Linda and Jewel looked at each other surprised.
"Yes, and we recently found a male and we hope to bring the two of them together so their species can be saved." Tulio finished.
Jewel swallowed hard when Tulio finished.
"Of, sure." Linda said looking at Jewel who gave a nervous smile. "When can he come over?"
"No, he is in Brazil, Jewel has to come Rio de Janeiro!"
At this, Linda laughed. "Rio, Brazil." Linda said backing away into a table, Jewel landed on the table and went to the globe.
Linda continued. "No, no, I never let Jewel out of my sight, she needs me."
"It's okay, it's all arranged, you will be with her and I will be with her."
Linda was trying to act busy and Jewel on Linda's arm was looking nervously at Tulio.
"When Tulio finished, Linda spoke. "Look I know you're doing your job, but… I can't… well I mean Jewel is very special and we are not big on travel. Linda continued walking away from Tulio. "Heck she can't even fly."
Jewel took a little offense at this, but was completely caught off guard as Tulio grabbed her.
"Of course she can fly, she is a perfect specimen." Tulio said, checking Jewel's features."
"What are doing?" Linda asked, nervous."
"Don't worry their natural instincts always come." And Tulio threw Jewel, who flapped her wings crazily and fell down a short distance away.
"Well almost always." Tulio said, a little disappointed.
"Jewel." Linda shouted.
"What kind of doctor are you?" Jewel asked angrily.
"Are you okay?" Linda asked, giving her Jewel a hug, which Jewel returned.
"Perhaps she is too domesticated." Julio suggested.
Linda and Jewel shared a sudden look and Linda put Jewel down on the table.
"It was nice of you to come and squawk around and throw my bird, but now it's time for you to leave." Linda said angrily, pushing Tulio to the door, Jewel was on the table nodding in agreement at what Linda was doing.
Soon Tulio was at the door. "Wait Linda, this could be our last chance."
"Have a safe flight." Linda replied and shut the door.
"Linda, please if we don't do this, than their whole species will be gone." Tulio slipped his card through the mail slot in the door. "At least think about it."
Linda and Jewel shared a questioning look at each other, but than went to continue their day as normal.