Me & My Budgie - "Prissy"

Prissy
It all began about 10 or 11 years ago on a beautiful summer day. We were outside playing in the front yard when we saw something blue fly by. With a closer investigation, we discovered a blue parakeet, which proceeded to land on our roof. My mom took the little bird, that couldn't have been more than a year old, in her hands. It was surprisingly tame, and did not attempt to get away.
We put the bird in an overturned basket covered with a towell and went directly to the pet store and bought a cage and some supplies.
We named our new pet "Prissy", after the character from the movie "Gone With the Wind". She lived up to her name and spoke with a wide vocabulary. We soon discovered from the color of her beak that she was a he, but we continued to call her "she" out of habit.
After a few years, we wanted to get a friend for her. I bought a yellow parakeet whom I named "Sweety". They became the best of friends. Prissy taught Sweety to talk, and Sweety cleaned her feathers. Later on, I got still another parakeet, Naneki. This name is the Hawaiian form of Nancy. She was kept in a separate cage.
The original two were quite a pair. They were in a room with five or six windows when an inland hurricane struck unexpectedly. Despite hail and high winds, they prevailed without injury. They were true survivors.
Sadly, Prissy caught cold. (She was fairly old, for a budgie.) With Sweety feeding and taking care of her, (along with antibiotics) she started to get better. She "relapsed" back into her illness a short time later and unfortunately did not fare as well.
When Prissy died we put Sweety and Naneki together so that Sweety would not be alone. They grew to be good companions as well. They still continue to fight over cracker crumbs and treats today. I would like to dedicate this story to Prissy, who is now flying in a better sky, and Naneki and Sweety, who are making lots of noise as I speak.
- Submitted by germundson@enid.com