Current mood:

sad

Kind of a sad story
You might remember that back in May (when I was posting here from another LJ), we acquired Mango, a pearl hen whose owner was going away to study in South America for six months. I can't remember now whether I mentioned here that when I talked to her owner, Rita, in December, after she'd come home from Argentina, she told that she wanted to give us Mango, lock, stock, and blankets. She felt that her own life was not stable enough to give Mango the care she deserved, and that we were doing a great job with her (we'd been keeping in touch by email).

Well, on Saturday night, she and her boyfriend came over to visit Mango. This was the first time she'd seen her since May. Mango was her usual fat, sassy self, sitting with Will (the boyfriend) or John and preening him, almost avoiding her "mom" (but then, that's what she does to me most of the time). We offered them hot tea, since they came over in the snow, and assured Rita that any time she wanted, she could call us and come over, as long as she was staying in the neighborhood. She seemed to be very much up in the air about what she was doing next--whether she would resume classes at the art college, whether she would be staying in her old apartment or finding another one, and whether she might not go back to South America. I didn't really get a straight answer about what she was doing next.

In any case, my husband thoughtfully postponed our dinner a little bit so they could visit, and we played with both tiels (Rembrandt had a snooze on Will's shoulder). When they left, Rita looked like she was about to cry, and had a strong feeling that she is much more attached to Mango than Mango could ever be to her--so much so that she will give her bird up in order to make the bird happy. Even though I am very grateful to have Mango in our life, and to be able to keep her, gratis, I feel sad for Rita. My husband reminds me that she has always had birds, since she was a little girl, and that when her life stabilizes, she'll surely find another birdie companion. But I still feel bad, you know?