Date:    Thu, 16 Apr 1998 13:16:31 -0400
<br>From:    "Alan Baragona (by way of Alan Baragona <baragonasa[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]vax.vmi.edu>)"
<br>         <Alan[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]VMI.EDU>
<br>Subject: The Parrot
<br>
<br>A lovely little parable for you.
<br>
<br>Alan
<br>===================================
<br>
<br>THE PARROT
<br>
<br>
<br> Meyer, a lonely widower, was walking home along Delancy Street one day
<br> wishing something wonderful would happen into his life when he passed a Pet
<br> Store and heard a squawking voice shouting out in Yiddish:
<br>
<br> "Quawwwwk...vus macht du...yeah, you...outside, standing like a
<br> schmuck...eh?"
<br>
<br> Meyer rubbed his eyes and ears. He couldn't believe it!.  The proprietor
<br> sprang out of the door and grabbed Meyer by the sleeve.  "Come in here,
<br> fella, and check out this parrot..."
<br>
<br> Meyer stood in front of an African Grey that cocked his little head and
<br> said:  "Vus?  Kenst reddin Yiddish?"
<br>
<br> Meyer turned excitedly to the store owner.  "He speaks Yiddish?"
<br>
<br> "What did you expect?  Chinese maybe?"
<br>
<br> In a matter of moments, Meyer had placed five hundred dollars down on the
<br> counter and carried the parrot in his cage away with him. All night he
<br> talked with the parrot.  In Yiddish.  He told the parrot about his
<br> father's adventures coming to America.  About how beautiful his mother
<br> was when she was a young bride.  About his family. About his years of
<br> working in the garment center.  About Florida. The parrot listened and
<br> commented.  They shared some walnuts.  The parrot told him of living in
<br> the pet store, how he hated the weekends.  They both went to sleep.
<br>
<br> Next morning, Meyer began saying his prayers.  The parrot demanded to know
<br> what he was doing and when Meyer explained, the parrot wanted to pray too.
<br> Meyer went out and hand-made a miniature yamulke [skullcap] for the
<br> parrot.   The parrot wanted to learn to read Hebrew so Meyer spent weeks
<br> and months, sitting and teaching the parrot, teaching him Torah. In time,
<br> Meyer came to love and count on the parrot as a friend and a Jew.  He was
<br> lonely no more.
<br>
<br> One morning, on Rosh Hashonah, Meyer rose and got dressed and was about to
<br> leave when the parrot demanded to go with him. Meyer explained that a
<br> synagogue was not place for a bird but the parrot made a terrific
<br> argument and was carried to the synagogue on Meyer's shoulder.  Needless
<br> to say, they made quite a spectacle, and Meyer was questioned by
<br> everyone, including the Rabbi.  At first, he refused to allow a bird into
<br> the building on the High Holy Days but Meyer convinced him to let him in
<br> this one time, swearing that parrot could pray.  Wagers were made with
<br> Meyer.  Thousands of dollars were bet (even odds) that the parrot could NOT
<br>pray, could not speak Yiddish or Hebrew, etc. All  eyes were on the African
<br>Grey during services. The parrot perched on  Meyer's shoulder as one prayer
<br>and song passed - Meyer heard not a peep  from the bird.  He began to become
<br>annoyed, slapping at his shoulder and mumbling under his breath, "Pray
<br>already!"
<br>
<br> The parrot said nothing.
<br>
<br> "Pray...parrot, you can pray, so pray...come on, everybody's looking at you!"
<br>
<br> The parrot said nothing.
<br>
<br> After Rosh Hashanah services were concluded, Meyer found that he owed his
<br> synagogue  buddies and the Rabbi over four thousand dollars.  He marched
<br> home, pissed off, saying nothing.  Finally several blocks from the temple
<br> the bird began to sing an old Yiddish song and was happy as a lark.
<br> Meyer stopped and looked at him.
<br>
<br> "You miserable bird, you cost me over four thousand dollars.  Why?  After
<br> I taught you the morning prayers, and taught you to read Hebrew and the
<br> Torah. And after you begged me to bring you to a synagogue on Rosh Hashona,
<br> why? Why did you do this to me?"
<br>
<br> "Don't be a schmuck," the parrot replied.  "Think of the odds on Yom Kippur!"
<br>Alan Baragona
<br>alan[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]vmi.edu
<br>