Chile, Let Me Tell You About ‘Little Boy Blue’

I remember the day my Aunt brought Blue Boy home to me, in his matching little cage. He was the first real pet I ever had, besides the stray tabby cat my little cousin dragged down the driveway- and that cat ran off never to return.

Blue Boy was a Parakeet, but not just any parakeet. He couldn’t fly away. I would later find out the hard way, that he indeed COULD fly. His wings were slightly clipped to prevent him from going into full on jet plane mode…temporarily.

It’s no surprise I grew up in the hood. Kids didn’t have pet birds unless they had a uncle with pigeons or some stray followed them home and never left…so I was special. I was so proud to have responsibilities; I cleaned his cage, made sure he had food and filled his water everyday. I even let him out of the cage to hop around and be ‘free’.

Weeks went by, and I was as happy as could be with my favorite pet of all time. All my cousins came to visit and we had a big sleep over planned for the weekend. I hadn’t seen them in so long and I couldn’t contain my excitement and I had to let them know this awesome surprise before they stepped foot in the house.

Before they could get out of the car, I raced down the long driveway to go through the back door. It was so cold that day, I remember snot slightly streaming back on my face as I pursed my little cold, ashy lips. Between the adrenaline, my big puffy coat and the winter hat on my head, I felt like I was on fire as I walked into the mud room.

I was so anxious I almost knocked the cage over… but I didn’t and I was able to get Blue Boy out and he was really relaxed and didn’t fight me.

It was almost like everything moved in slow motion from that point on. I remember all my girl cousin’s faces lighting up as they see this cute little bird emerge from the opening of my hands cupped around him.

YOU GOT A BIRD!!!! OMG!!! CAN HE TALK!

He couldn’t, but they didn’t know any better. LMAO I replied ‘I’m trying to teach him Spanish!’ (-_-)

The one thing that I blame for the beginning of a troubled childhood, happened.

I allowed Blue Boy to perch on my right index finger, as I displayed him for everyone to see. My neighbors, my family and anyone else who happened to be within view of our front lawn. I was so excited.

Then he flew and I ran to catch him. But instead of hopping, he flew higher and higher.

I ran to the end of the yard until he was over the side of the apartment building next door to our house and I felt like he took all the air out of my lungs with him. I collapsed. My limbs were weak, my chest was tight, and I was laying in icy grass screaming at the top of my lungs.

My grandmother compares it to that scene from Boyz in The Hood when everyone found out Ricky was dead.

The very next day, my aunt calls to inform me that Blue Boy was not gone forever. He flew straight to Long Beach and was sitting on her dining room table eating a BBQ Sunflower seed, like the other little ghetto birds.

I waited by the bay window in the living room, looking through the curtains until she got to our house. I greeted her at the door and I couldn’t keep still. She took my Blue Boy out of his little box and let him out into the cage.

‘THAT AIN’T NO BLUE BOY, WHY HIS BEAK LOOK LIKE THAT?!’ Said the crusher of dreams…..my little cousin who was a complete asshole about everything, and nobody could do anything right. BUT, she was right this time. Something was wrong with Blue Boy’s beak. It looked grey like he was hitting the blunt for two days. My aunt attributed his change in complexion to flying over the oil refineries near her house.

I couldn’t stand that damn bird. I didn’t even want to look at him because I knew it wasn’t my Blue. I tried to believe it was…..but ‘Oscar The Grouch’ had already planted the seed that it wasn’t him. To make up for my poor little broken heart, My grandmother one upped my aunt.

I came home from school one day with the biggest cage I had ever seen…filled with birds. Orange, Yellow, Green, and one white Parakeet with red eyes (His name was Lucifer). The happiness lasted for about two days, then I lost interest. I didn’t even want to look at those crazy ass birds. One of them slept like a bat. Lucifer lived up to his hellish name in every way by killing two of the other birds, and I believe one of them was mentally challenged.

Blue Boy broke my damn heart, and I never wanted a parakeet ever again…. that little blue b-. I still don’t forgive you for leaving me crying in the cold like that (-_____-).

Moe

Image Source: Wild Fox, shop the haute summer collection!