"Helllllllllp....... Helllllllllp." She screamed from down the hall.
"My god, what the hell is going on down there?" I thought to myself.
Then I hear it once again. "Hellllppp..Hellllp!" Why was she screaming?
I stood, ran down the hall, not stopping to think what might be on the other side of that door, I opened it. What I saw I could not believe. Right there in the middle of the room was the biggest red and blue parrot I'd ever seen. I mean I've seen some big birds, but this one must have been three feet tall.
Then I saw the lady who must have owned the bird. She was an older lady,maybe in her 50's, not a bad body either. She stood there starring at me like I was some crazed man bent on having my way with her, then realized I must be there because of the bird.
"Oh god, I'm soo sorry, was Hermit bothering you?" The woman in front of the cage asked me.
"Hermit? That's the name of the bird?" I asked.
"Yeah, he doesn't like to go outside at all. We just moved in and he's still acting up from the car ride. He really didn't like to be out in the sun at all." She tried to explain.
"Helllllllllllllllp!" Screamed Hermit again.
I saw a small throw sitting on the couch and placed it neatly over Hermit's cage. She just looked at me strangely.
"Didn't you know birds need darkness to keep them quiet?" I asked her.
"No, I had no idea. But it seems to be working all right." She shook her head.
"Why don't you let me get you a cup of coffee to say thanks for helping me with Hermit? Oh and I just made a coffee cake last night and I planned on having apiece just as soon as I got him calmed down, want to join me?" She asked with a hopeful glint in her eye.
Who was I to turn down a cup of free coffee, so I nodded yes and walked behind her as we made our way to the kitchen. I couldn't help but watch the way her hips swayed as she walked in front of me. She poured two cups of coffee and sliced two pieces of coffee cake and brought it to the table. I had to admit the cake was really good, but as I took a sip of coffee to wash down the cake I almost spit it out. It was the most bitter, foul tasting coffee I had ever had the misfortune of drinking.
"Hellllllllllllllp!" Hermit screamed again as I was about to ask about the coffee.
She gasped as she heard the bird, her hands raking through her hair worriedly. She went to the cage, took the small blanket off and looked at the silly bird sitting there throwing his head back for another scream.
"Oh for gods' sake Hermit, what's the matter with you?" She screamed as the crazy bird attacked the bars of the cage, squawking and rattling the bars like a mental patient bent on escape.
I looked at the bird and his cage, noticing for the first time the brownish colored liquid in his water bottle. Just then Hermit decided to let out a scream that would have shattered a plate glass widow had there been one around. I put my hands over my ears and motioned for her to follow me outside.