Since obtaining Crayola back in April of 2024, after the tragic loss of Peepers choking on a tiny piece of plastic. Crayola has been my mental stability, companion, feathered shadow.

But after a short time he grew dependant on me. And since I work two jobs, I'm rarely home til after work. Crayola would literally cry out a sad bird noise as I left for work, and excitedly chime up "Daddies Home!" as I enter from work. Normally I had a wild bird feeder just outside the window and Crayola was largely entertained by the wild bird visitors til my asshole neighbor bitched to the landlord I was feeding wild birds (And the landlord knew this for years, even allowing it). BUT since asshole neighbor was also into late 60s muscle cars and frequently parked one under the large tree in the yard, and birds being birds, sitting in that tree, sometimes crapped on his expensive car. He raised a massive stink over that and threatened legal action to get me evicted if I didn't stop feeding the outside birds. Long story short, I'm banned from feeding the birds least I be evicted for it.

Poor Crayola was now lonely during the day when I wasn't home, no wild birds to watch anymore. He'd get all excited as he heard the key get into the door shouting "Daddies Home!!" repeatedly as I entered. I'd let him out for exercise , or when I was going to take a shower, since he too, loves to catch the spray off my shoulder. Even going as far to fly into my bedroom, and sit on the lampshade on my nightstand if I took a nap.

And the first Sunday of the month, theres a local bird fair, the same fair I bought Crayola at in April 2024. Now I go there to get a bag of millet sprigs for $5.00 a one pound bag over a dollar per sprig at the pet stores. In November 2025 I headed in to get his bi-monthly bag of millet. But it seems everybody else did the same and the millet salesman quickly sold out before I got there. Admittedly the place was packed with bird enthusiasts, looking for a new bird, supplies, various bird toys, assorted seeds and even an avian vet to check your birds health and even gender, Many assorted parrots, parakeets, canaries, finches were up for sale as well. One breeder was a green cheek breeder, had like 35-40 chicks for sale in open tubs. Many varieties of Green cheeks colorations he had. Naturally I had to stop and look at the colorful chicks. This breeder also DNA sexes his birds, females get the left wing flight feathers clipped, males the right. Most of the chicks have zero interest in you, just huddled together or making racket with all the various bird noises. The breeder and I chat it up, I show photos of Crayola to him. But as I am showing photos, two chicks climb up on my arm, one a young colorful yellow and red female and a turquoise male. I talk to the two a few minutes and place them back in the bins and wander off to seek out a possible new bird toy for Crayola. I wander back and watch the female with a young couple, and immediately the young male turquoise races back up my arm and burrows under my beard. Thing is, among the parrot breeds, its often the bird chooses the person. Crayola did that to me, as did Peepers. Not the person choosing the bird.

I'm dreading this moment, knowing the young chick was nesting under my chin, I can feel him snuggling in, but can't afford to give him a home. Even the breeder notices this, saying "Looks like you got chosen!" I tell him I just can't afford him and remove him and place him back in the bin. The young bird gets upset, crying out and rocking side to side. Instantly my heart starts to melt. Once again, he races up my arm, The breeder watches, I explain that I no way can't afford the bird. Then he says quietly to me "I can see this bird has seriously chosen you, and I understand your situation. Plus from what you said about your bird, He could use a companion and grooming buddy (Parrots are notorious for mutual grooming). Tell you what, you can have him for half off." I deep sigh...then dig out three copper pennies I keep in a change pouch for things like this.

Carl Barks of Walt Disney's comics and stories fame, best known as 'The Duck Artist' since he specialised doing Donald Duck. He had Donald make up his mind by shaking three copper pennies (Pre 1983, since they were all copper, not zinc/copper from 84 on) and ask "Heads I do/buy this (you mention the item) Tails I don't." and you toss the coins on the ground. Its basically a best two out of three toss. two heads and a tail "Yeah, go ahead" two tails and a head "Better not", three tails "A hard no!", My toss came up all three as heads. A very obvious sign.

Thankfully he accepted credit cards, and he hands me a sheet of the chicks leg band info. Hatched on July 4th 2025. He hands me two small bags of 'starter feed' and puts the bird in a box with peep holes. I was informed to keep the two separate in two cages at first, allow them to meet and interact. I get home with the bird, thinking up a name on the way home. I toyed 'Cagney' since he was born on the 4th of July (James Cagney in 'Yankee Doodle Dandy') But he's a Turquoise Green Cheek, I immediately think of the Copper and turquoise mines in Bisbee Arizona. It clicks...Bisbee it is.

Initially Crayola is minorly freaked out at the chick, unsure at first as I plan getting a spare travel cage ready. A minor squabble happens, then things calm down. Soon Crayola is preening Bisbee about the head and neck since he had fresh pin feathers coming in. I sigh a huge sigh of relief they are getting along.

Crayola is now no longer crying as I leave for work, and both birds are snuggling together at night and get excited as I get home. In less than a month Bisbee already is speaking "Daddies Home", likely cause Crayola repeats it enough as I walk in the door from work. This January,( Since the December show was during when I was at MFF) first Sunday I return to the bird fair to secure the Millet seed, score a bag and show the breeder photos of both birds together. He's very happy at that, saying "You made the right decision."

Bisbee is now more vocal, speaking more, borderline close to growing his flight feathers in, making short hops, loves to also sample what I eat like Crayola does, and loves the shower time too. Yeah, despite the financial hit initially, I made my buddy a lot happier with his own buddy now. And both chime up "Daddies Home!" as I come home at the same time. As my sister told me over the phone "You put somebody else ahead of your needs, and that somebody was your little bird."

BTW, Crayola is on the left, Bisbee on the right. And since I know many will ask, the photo in back is Eeon (Ed Kline) and Red Shetland (Kishma Danielle) at San Diego Comic Con 1989.