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 & 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 & 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 & 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 & 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 &
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 petstore anymore?"