A beautiful sound raises the mood of boredom in the store, waking me up from my daydreams. Although I have never heard the bell, I recognize its clear, joyful rings almost immediately, telling about a curious customer. There she is, with her long brown hair and neat clothing, her hazel eyes smiling brightly like her lips as she seek for her ideal animal companion. Like all other hopeful friends in cages, I peek up and jerk around making fun, trying hard to get her attention, for a proper shelter, and home and love, and everything that we have ever wished for. Her excited eyes look for a full circle to the animals, from cats to dogs, hamsters and fishes, and when she glances at the row of birdcages hanging on the ceiling, she stops at me. They grey, boring-looking, little parrot, me.

Trying to touch and reach you

With heart and soul

"African Grey? Hey there, little guy." She grins broadly and poke her nose against me, while I stare back, not knowing what she is saying.

"I'm Irene." She says, pointing at herself, so I guess she is whoever she said. "Irene. I-ree-n."

That sounds cute.

She repeats her name again and again until I remember it. "Irene." I sing, and quickly I know I got it right, for her to be clapping and give me a big, sweet walnut. I love walnuts, especially when it comes from this woman Irene.

The seller takes my cage down from the hanger and give me to her. She pays for me, and, holding my small cage in one hand, she walks out to her car, driving me to her house.

Take hold of my hand

And I might understand you

The colorful shades of the unfamiliar city slides rapidly across our windows like a whirlwind of colors, and I stare outside in amazement, wondering if someday I can fully experience its beauty. Irene keeps talking stuff to me, though she must know I can't understand a word. I recites funny spots in her interesting speech, and she laughs a lot hearing my parroting voice. I like to hear her laughter, I'm happy being hers. After days and days repeating my life in a tiny, plain cage, now I have someone to love me, to care for me, like a dream coming true.

Give me love

Give me love

Give me peace on Earth