Get Down and Boogie

Sweetie, my Amazon parrot, is full of the devil. He occupies himself with the many toys in his cage and he spends most of his time hanging upside down--Literally. Like he’s a bat incognito. If he were a kid in Jr. High, or middle school, or what ever it is they are calling it nowadays, he would be the class clown. Not the rebellious wisecrack trying to pick a fight, but the well-mannered charmer who enjoys a practical joke. The kid who immediately apologizes for his misbehavior with lots of “I’m sorry’s’, and plenty of ‘yes ma’ams’. But somewhere laced in his admission of guilt is a perfect excuse explaining his crime. An excuse that only comes to the rest of us though hindsight. The authority figure, reprimanding him for his misbehavior is so marveled by his quickness coupled with his respect that he/she smiles and accepts his excuse giving him a warning. Aside from being funny, the class clown is an instigator. Flashing his sweet dimpled smile, he can easily recruit willing volunteers to assist him with his many practical jokes. The ability of employing the masses can sometimes be a good thing as it was with Sweetie, my class clown talking bird, decided that all of the other birds needed to learn how to dance.

Before Sweetie, I was unaware of the Bird/Dance Phenomenon. On the afternoon that we went to pick him up from his previous owner, she showed us how he loves to move his feet to music. Wilson Pickett was on the CD player, she began snapping her fingers and moving her feet to the beat of ‘Mustang Sally”. She even turned her body around in circles, all the while squealing (birds like high pitch sounds),

“Get down and Boogie!”

Sweetie was instantly happy the moment he heard the first note, for he knew the routine. He began moving his feet back and forth across the top of his cage. He even turned around once. He too, was saying, “Get down and boogie.’ It was a precious moment and I knew without a doubt I would love having Sweetie in our house.

Our first 'Get down and boogie' song was Aretha Franklin's "Respect". We decided to let all the other birds climb out of their cages in hopes of getting them involved. At first, they were reluctant to participate. Screeching protests megaphoned from their beaks. The Electric Slide wasn't on their To-Do list. Meanwhile, Sweetie and I got to the business of ‘boogieing down’. I snapped my fingers, moved my hips, and twirled around like I'd seen his previous owner do. It felt kina strange, dancing for a bird I mean, but Sweetie was having a grand time. He relayed his enjoyment by saying 'Get Down and Boogie" He was moving his feathered legs all over the top of his cage. Then, he said, "YeeHaw, this is fun!" He dragged the word fun out. I stopped dead in my dancin' shoes and cracked up laughing. He kept repeating both phrases. It was a riot.

Several 'performances and two 'get down and boogie' songs later, the other birds started to get down. They developed their own style and some of them bob their heads up and down really fast and step side to side. The more animated I am, the more participatory they are. The current song is "But Anyway" by the Blues Travelers. The live version. You know, the one they play at the end of the King Pin movie

Now, our entire family ‘gets down’. Sometimes as a group, sometimes as individuals. Birds view you as part of their flock and just want to be included in the fun.