Well, here it is, their 73rd birthday. It feels like yesterday that the parrot and rooster were singing along with the duck. Things have quieted down, showbiz doesn't need them any more, but they still have their routines, still have the little things that keep life flavorful.

So, every year they go to this bar. It's tiki-themed, half a century old, and tacky as all get out, but the staff keeps it clean (no shortage of feathers for dusters) and the drinks are strong enough to put a curl in your beak. Sometimes, after knocking back a few, you could almost think that the carved totems are watching you. So Jose and Panchito go to the bar, driving separately (Jose in an antique chartreuse Karmann Ghia, Panchito in a cherry-red Ranchero nearly as old as he was), arriving at slightly different times, sitting at different tables.

They sip their drinks, playing for time. This is when the fun begins: neither one knows which will make the first move, neither one wants to rush things along, and each one wants to be the one to act. This year, Jose Carioca is the first one to turn on the charm. He usually takes the suave approach, leering over at the rooster (who, in his own turn, takes a more brash, convivial tone). "Have you been to Bahia, galo?" he whispers.

The tables creak, the booths squeak, and soon the two birds are billing and cooing side by side. Another drink or two, maybe some crackers to offset the sweetness of pineapple rum, and they'll head back to their roost. It takes a lot to keep a relationship going, especially after so many years.

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A little thing for two birbs I love, Jose Carioca and Panchito, who indeed were debuted on August 24, 1942 when Saludos Amigos was premiered in Rio.

I think they make an adorable couple, and decided to take this opportunity to play with my Tiki Room-themed comic that's in the works.

Characters, of course, copyright Disney