The Shop Owner
A person wanted a parrot who talked. Going to the pet store, this lover of talking parrots
asked if there was a bird who was already speaking.
"Yes," the pet store owner said, "this bird has a vocabulary of 1000 words plus 50
phrases guaranteed to fit most occasions." The deal was made and the parrot was
brought home complete with a cage. The next day the purchaser went back & said the
parrot had yet to say a word.
"That's to be expected," said the pet shop owner. "Try getting the bird a few of the toys
that were here for the bird to use in the shop. It just needs to feel at home with you."
Toys were purchased and a day went by. The parrot's owner returned & said there still
had been no talking.
"I see," said the pet shop owner. "Perhaps if you got a bird bath, the parrot would start
to talk while using it." A bird bath was purchased and yet another day went by. The next
day the owner was back with the same complaint. This time the pet shop owner
mentioned that sometimes the bird had been praised in its training by being allowed to
ring a little bell. The parrot's owner bought the bell reluctantly. The following day the
parrot's owner was there waiting as the store opened.
"Still no luck?" asked the store owner.
"No. Nothing said yet," answere the bird's owner.
"Well, I bet the bird's just lonesome for some of the birds here at the shop."
"What?!? You want me to buy another bird!?!" yelped the unhappy owner of the parrot.
"No, no, calm down," reassured the store owner. "All you have to do is get a mirror and
the bird will think it has a companion." At last the sale of a mirror was agreed upon. The
pet store owner the next day opened the store and found the troublesome customer had
returned...this time with the parrot, only it was dead!
"What happened?" asked the store owner, "Didn't the bird ever talk?"
"Yes, right before it died it said: What's the matter? Don't they sell birdseed at the pet
store anymore?"