Simply Belle

Dear Lexi and Tepsi,

So sorry to break bad news with you about Mango. He died this morning about 11 AM. After we had our breakfast, he looked perfectly fine, attempting to come out of his cage. I removed his cover and gave him slices of apples. He attacked them like he normally would. Then, an hour later, I removed the bar off his cage so he could freely get out. I was sitting in front of the computer composing an entry for my blog. Then 15 minutes later, I heard him fly to my room, chirping. I expected him to land on my black chair but head to daddy’s space instead. Daddy wasn’t home. He was at the bank doing some business. I got engrossed in what I was doing, I didn’t look for him. I thought I would just wait until he found his way to me which he normally did. I didn’t hear any unusual noises to cause panic. I was assuming he was perching on the bed’s frame and doing his poop and play routine.

Then half an hour later, daddy arrived and sat on his chair. Daddy made this weird and unusual look and yelled frantically. I couldn’t exactly tell why he had that look. I said, “why, what?” In between his computer desk, at the corner, laid an upside down creature, lifeless. He said, “Mango is dead!” At first daddy thought, it was one of those small beannie babies.

Mango was like a family to us, you know. I didn’t mind him pooping all over the house because I wanted him to have the freedom to fly instead of being cooped in his cage. He had been with us for about 14 or 15 years. This last year, I had seen some signs of deteriorations from him. He wasn’t as agile as he was. When he followed me in the bathroom, one time, he bumped himself against the wall. Fortunately, he wasn’t hurt and survived. He chirped a lot when he got stuck somewhere in the house like a plea for help. I would always get him and take him to his cage.

What may have happened was when he flew to our room, he bumped himself somewhere along the way. Maybe, he hadn’t been flying for 3 weeks and lost its strength to fly and hurt himself. It didn’t look like he suffered any. All I heard was a couple of chirps, and that was it. Or maybe, he died of old age?

He lived a long life with us. He was loved, cared for well. Even daddy stepped up and fed him good everyday. Though lately, he seemed to prefer rice and sphagetti as opposed to his food. Daddy gave him rice this morning, and he was very hungry for it. He ate the whole pile.

We put him in a small box of perfume and burried him in between the plum and persimmon tree. Daddy put three rocks on top so he is protected from any animals. This summer, when you guys go home, we will build a shrine for him.

I am sure Mango doesn’t want us cry or to look sad for him. He wants to see us happy just like the way he was.

Love,
Mommy

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I have been busy these days working OT, reason why I haven’t updated my blog for a while. A while ago, upon arriving home, I saw Tepsie had been playing with Mango a lot, and this was one particular trick that Mango liked to do. “Freeze that pose, let me get my camera!” I said. Of course, he didn’t hold still. Tepsie had to do take 2 for the photo shoot. Gotcha!

For some reasons, the only person who can make Mango do this trick is Tepsie. I tried it only to get bitten. It hurts when he bites. Ouch! Lexie tried it, too, but often times Mango just flew out of her hands.

Perhaps, we don’t have gentle hands like Tepsie.

By the way, Mango has been with us for 13 years. Not exactly sure, how old he is. And he still likes to perch on top of my monitor.

The moment he saw Tepsie pouring liquid soap in an empty container, he immediately flew on top of her head and raptly watched her. Look how inquisitive he was! He probably thought it was something he could nibble on.

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Take a look at this fruit for a moment. Doesn’t it resemble with the bird below?
Meet our one and only pet, Mango. He was named after the fruit, of course. Don’t the colors look exactly like the fruit, mango? Mango has been in our family since the kids were little, about 10 years ago. Our after-school-babysitter owned him and suddenly, she announced to our kids that she was selling Mango for $75. It didn’t take a lot of convincing, the kids told our babysitter, “consider it sold.” The kids paid for it out of their own money, if I recall it correctly. Dad said, “hey if you can take care of him, fine with me.” My husband doesn’t like pets and I am not fond of them either. I am too busy. The kids have been doing a good job taking care of him, I must say. When daughter S is home, she takes Mango to her room and spends time with him. She makes him do little tricks like letting Mango lie on his back on the palm of her hand and Mango gets mesmerized by it. She is the only one who can make him do it. He is so attached to her.
Mango sleeps in daughter A’s room every single night. She takes care of the food and water and the cleaning of the cage ocassionally. Once his cage is covered with a blanket, it is his cue to go to sleep. He sleeps through until 5:30 AM in the morning. He let’s us know when he wants out of the cage because he keeps rattling the cage door or he makes clucking noise. He will not stop until he gets our attention and it can be annoying. My husband who doesn’t have tolerance to noise is the first one to come to his rescue. He lets him out and wanders around the house.
Lately, he found a new place that he likes to hang out…perching on top of my monitor. I don’t know why but he seems to enjoy it here even when I am not home. I wonder if he feels that eventually my daughter will be going to college, thus, he senses the need to start bonding with my husband and I this early on. It is perfectly fine with me. However, he gets carried away when I turn on my speakers. The other day, I was audio chatting with friends in the Philippines, and I had trouble understanding what my friends were saying. Mango chimed in with the noise. The louder the speakers, the louder he gets, too. Therefore, I had no choice but to turn the speakers off and resort to typing my message on YM instead. He is full of antics! Lately, he seemed to find enjoyment pooping on the screen of my monitor. I think it was because I reacted the moment he did it and he thought it was fun. So, I knew then that I needed to send him a message. Now, every time he turns around and acts as if he is about to drop something, I would sternly say “NO Mango, NO!” Good news, my monitor has been nice and free of any droppings lately.

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