Parrots are long-lived birds. And like a few other birds, they can mimic human speech.<\/p>\n
Whether or not they understand any of what they\u2019re saying when they mimic human speech is open to question. However, sometimes events occur which make you wonder.<\/p>\n
Like the story of Bluey the Parrot.<\/p>\n
. . . <\/p>\n
Bluey was a blue-and-gold macaw. He was owned by a zoo on the Isle of Wight.<\/p>\n
During the 1990s, Bluey was a part of a regular show the zoo put on for the public. His \u201cact\u201d was to do simple arithmetic.<\/p>\n
Bluey was fairly proficient at his task. And all was well.<\/p>\n
Until one day, well, things weren\u2019t so well any more.<\/p>\n
. . .<\/b><\/p>\n
During one day\u2019s show, Bluey made an error in his arithmetic. Bluey\u2019s handler told him he was wrong, and (presumably gently) scolded him.<\/p>\n
Apparently Bluey didn\u2019t particularly like this. So he proceeded to tell his handler \u2013 to use a Biblical phrase \u2013 to \u201cGo forth and multiply.\u201d<\/p>\n
Well, that was the gist of Bluey\u2019s comment. The actual language used by Bluey was decidedly non-Biblical. Bluey\u2019s actual comment was quite, well, \u201cblue\u201d \u2013 and included words that many of the children in attendance had probably never heard before.<\/p>\n
. . .<\/b><\/p>\n
Needless to say, this caused a problem for the zoo\u2019s management. But they didn\u2019t want to cancel the show, and Bluey was an integral part of it. So they tried to teach Bluey not to use coarse language. They even brought in an elocution teacher to try and correct Bluey\u2019s language.<\/p>\n
Bluey would have none of it. He told the elocution teacher essentially the same thing he\u2019d told his handler during the show.<\/p>\n
After a while, the zoo’s management gave in. The show continued \u2013 but without Bluey. Bluey was retired from the show and lived out the remainder of his life at the zoo without any assigned duties.<\/p>\n
The moral of the story: sometimes giving your boss a piece of your mind actually pays off. You just gotta choose the proper time and situation. (smile)<\/p>\n
. . .<\/b><\/p>\n
OK, enough humor for today. Enjoy the WOT, everyone \u2013 and the weekend.<\/p>\n
—–<\/p>\n
Author\u2019s Note<\/u>: source for the above story is Uncle John\u2019s Canoramic Bathroom Reader<\/u>, Bathroom Reader Institute, (Bathroom Reader\u2019s Press [a division of Portable Press]: Ashland, OR, 2014), p.318. And no, <\/i> they didn\u2019t make the story up<\/a>.<\/p>\n Just in case anyone was wondering: yeah, it appears Bluey was owned by a sailor before the zoo acquired him. (smile)<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"