by Wendy and Ryan Barnhart
My husband brought Spooky home to me a few days after Thanksgiving of 2002. He was a gift that was given to me as a way of saying "I'm sorry" because my huband felt responsible for the escape of my love bird, Trix. He disappeared on Thanksgiving day while my girls and I were away at a family gathering. When I opened the bag that my 2 and 3 year old daughters brought to me as they screamed with excitement "we got you a Spooky.. He's green" I found inside a box that contained a one year old, shy but beautiful quaker parrot. He appeared to be quite "spooked" in his newfound environment at first so the name "Spooky" in which my girls referred to him as, stuck. I was overjoyed and couldn't wait to start a new relationship with my 1st parrot. With alot of patience, time, and even more, TLC, I learned that Spooky grew very fond of playing games like peekaboo and "catch" with a small plastic ball with a bell inside. Unlike most quakers, he hated taking baths but absolutely loved being wrapped in a small hand towel afterwards, rolled onto his back and held/cuddled until he was dry. One day back in January or February of 2003, Spooky surprised us all with his first words.. "PEEKABOO", "SPOOKY" (which later turned into "Spooky Dookie" and "Good boy".. The more we grew to love him, the more his vocabulary seemed to grow right along with it. He was a very smart, gentle, loving little guy and he was one of the best friends I've ever had. When I would walk up to his cage in the middle of the day, he was known to bob his head and pipe up saying "Gimmie a kiss".. We had even taught him how to "box" with his beak and ocassionally when he would leave himself wide open and take a small "peck" to the beak with a finger tip he would respond by saying "OUCH" and then he would try to nibble and sqwalk in defence. It was all in good fun and he would always play along. Sadly, on the afternoon of August 1st, to my horror, I walked into the house after visiting with our neighbors out on the front porch and found my beloved Spooky lying on the floor in a twisted, lifeless heap. He'd gotrton out of his cage and down on the floor near the dogs kennel (one of Spookys favorite places to hang out.. he and the dog have always been buds.. Or so we thought) and appearently the dog snapped at him and took his life. I am devastated, for I've lost my best friend and as much as I'd hate to say it, we have no choice but to get rid of the dog because later that same afternoon, she bit one of the neighbors kids and broke the skin. The dog can no longer be trusted. As Spooky crossed over rainbow bridge, my husband, my two daughters and I stood in the rain over his wet soggy grave and said a prayer outloud, asking the good Lord above to love and care for our Spooky, as much as we loved and cared for him. We'll miss him so, but he will never be forgotten. He touched our hearts in the short 9 months that he was with us and we love him more than he'll ever know. Rest well friend. Rest well.