CAGE

Since the day he started living with us, the environment of the house changed.

He had green feathers, a short neck, a curved, red beak and a pair of small blackberry eyes.

We head almost spent about five years together, hanging from the rod in the verandah.

He would hop about here and there inside me, either kicking me or speaking something gibberish to himself. Unlike other parrots, he was always in an angry mood.

Every time he kicked me, I exclaimed to myself, 'Oh! This fellow has started kicking me again.' I would try to say, ' Hey you! I'm not your football. Give me some respect. I'm a cage. I give you shelter. You should be thankful.' However, this was of no use. Everytime I thought of doing that, I remembered that I don't have my mouth.

Early in the morning he would start screaming at the top of his voice. 'Where are you, all the stupid fellows? Serve your king, I'm hungry.' Then he would start banging the door. He was never allowed to be outside. The longer he was kept waiting,  the more angry he would become and would bang the door with all his power.

After half an hour, the servant is seen approaching with a guava and some chillies. It was only fifteen minutes that he was quite. Then he would start kicking me.

I know how one feels when one is locked in a small place. A bird should be flying in the sky. He often tries to open the gate with his claws but all his tries went in vein. The gate was never left open.

It occurred only once even the maid left the lock open. And there came the sound of fluttering of wings.

'The parrot is out of its cage." Everyone exclaimed. They were all running here and there with me in their hands.
With another fluttering of wings, he headed straight towards the blue sky, never to return.

I was kept in the corner of a room for about a month and then I was sold. I was cleaned and coloured.

Now I'm on the display window of a shop, waiting to start a new journey. I hope this journey will be better than the last one.