Mock.. YEA.. Bird... YEA... ing... YEA

So a few years ago my aunt found a baby Mocking Bird (or was it a Blue Bird) and took it in to care for it. She taught it not to peck at people, but every now and then it may try to steal your hair for its nest. Well last weekend I was down in west palm to visit Grams and crashed at my aunt’s house for a nap until she got back. Soon I am waked up by the sound of my phone, but the noise continues even after I answer it. Yes, the Mocking Bird is making cell phone sounds. Later I’m in the kitchen enjoying some delicious banana nut bread when the mocking bird starts flying around the kitchen. My aunt and grandmother pay it no mind as circles the small room at mind numbing speeds. Finally it lands on the chair next to me and stares me down. I could see where this was going to so I told him: “Look…this is my bread Screechy McScreechyerton…” Undeterred he kept hopping closer and closer to me… finally he broke me and I gave him some bread. He snatched the bread up and flew into the lamp above where he hid the food. I’m not sure why he likes to hide bits of food and other useful objects he finds in strange places, but I’m sure he could live for years on his current food stores throughout the house. Thinking that was pretty strange I went over to my other aunt’s home, where I was going to sleep. She has lots of pets that live play on her patio. She has a pet squirrel, doves, and blue jays. Once food and nuts are thrown out, they all come to the patio and feed together. Festus the squirrel is the funniest though, since he reminded me of Gus from Cinderella. Festus would grab a peanut that was on the floor, and then stack it on top of another peanut, holding them all with his hands and mouth. The he would waddle away with his peanuts, as quick as he could. Why you ask… because the evil duck has heard the commotion and has come to claim ownership of the food. Down he would fly scaring the other less horrific looking animals away. I mean this guy is like the Quasimodo of ducks, the Phantom of the Opera’s ugly kid brother. With my aunt’s encouragement, I tried to persuade the duck to leave the patio. Since he was a stubborn little rascal I started to use progressively more persuasive means of letting him know that he was not really welcome. In the end….I think he realized we were trying to give him… the boot.