In Memory of a Friend Maggie

For the most part dear reader this site is an insight into my little world of cars. But as with many of us there are other aspects to my existence and for me my pets have been a huge part of my life. This page is in memory of my dear friend Maggie. She was a Yellow Naped Amazon parrot and she was my friend most of my life. She passed away in September 2004 at an age nearing 60 of an appearent stroke.

Maggie came to my family when I was just 10 years old. She was already a seasoned veteran of approximately 25 years. She had spent her life with a sweet old lady who she always remembered fondly and who she could be heard imitating on a quiet night as she sat patting her own head and telling herself she was a good girl, I dont think she ever forgot her. Unfortunately Maggie's dear old lady passed on and she fell into the hands of her son who had no idea of how to care for or treat a parrot. Not understanding her anxiety and fear as everything she knew changed he would beat her if she tried to bite at an unfamiliar hand. When she finally came to us through friends who rescued her she was on the mend from a broken leg and 2 broken wings. She was afriad of the world and ready to fight.

It took years for her to begin to trust again, and I am honored to say I am the only male she ever let care for her after that experience although she did warm to women better hoping to again find her old lady. She lived a long time with us and when I left home she stayed behind as my mother was her favorite. When my mother became ill and could no longer have the dander which the birds produce in the home she had to find Maggie a new home. My life in the military was not deemed the most conducive to her well being so she was placed with good friends of the family who had other birds. One of those birds was a male yellow naped of whom Maggie became very fond and for the first time in her life she actually shared a cage and life with another bird. Unfortunately only a year later her mate passed on putting Maggie again in a terrible slump and making her unmanageable by her new home. It was decided she needed the care and comfort of those familiar with her but my mother was still not well and unable to take her. At that point she came to stay with me.

For the next 8 years she was with me, through 4 moves, multiple girlfriends and finally my new wife. Wifey dear was new to birds and somwhat apprehensive but she knew Maggie and I were a package and I would never again force her to go to new circumstances and disrupt her life. In our new home she had a big picture window overlooking the deck which she enjoyed tremendously, and the new cat JC became her friend, they would sit, her on the bottom of the cage, him outside it just chattering at each other.

She never became what many would deem an ideal pet, she prefered not to be handled and to keep to herself gently petting herself and talking in the voice of her old woman. But she was my friend and I hers and we were always there for each other.

On a saturday morning in September of 2004 she fell to the bottom of her cage. This was not new, sometimes even the best of birds loose their footing, but this time she did not get back up. I pulled her from the cage and she was alive but barely and unable to move at all. I held her wrapped in a towl as Kelley tried to find a vet would could see us, but before she could do so Maggie looked into my eyes tenderly one last time and went to meet her old lady once more. I know they are happy together again. She will always be loved and missed.

Following her passing JC the cat sad vigil in front of her cage for 3 days straight until I finally removed the cage, he too had lost a friend. Maggies singing is captured on our answering machine as she was fooling around when we recorded the message, it will remain there always as a reminder of happier days when her singing and whistling filled the home.

Our home was empty without her and in time I knew there would have to be a new bird. As fortune has it a member of Birdboard.com had rescued a little Senegal parrot who, just the opposite of Maggie, was abused by a woman and preferred men. He has come to stay with us and is the sweetest little guy.

Shortly thereafter my dear wife, never before a bird person, decided she wanted a parrot of her own. The decision was made to get a baby this time so it would be a pleasant as possible and not have any predispositions toward one sex or another. So George got his Greycie.

The new Fids as well as the rest of our menagerie fill our lives, but the memories of my dear Maggie and our lifetime together still bring a tear to this grown mans eye.

Please help to support animal welfare orgainzations. In the South Jersey area there is none better than the AWA!