A Parrot At A Parade: Marching Bands, Clowns, Feathers and Fun

Typist: Leo
This weekend I discovered something new about cockatoo life with humans: I love a parade! Parades and parrots go perfectly together. We're both loud, colorful and amusing. While I admit to being a little disappointed that I did not get to be in West Seattle's Hi-Yu Parade on Saturday, (though many parading people said I should have been) I truly enjoyed all of the sights and sounds of my neighborhood Seafair parade.

A little snack while we wait.. What are we waiting for?

Loud, fast motorcycles are worth the wait!

Once Bethany and Jason got settled into their chairs, I got to watch the parade a little more up close, outside of my Popemobile. It was fantastic, albeit odd. There were ladies who waved their large skirts like wings and others who rode strange floating landscapes...

I saw sea pirates on trucks and land boats with no driver...

Many of the parading people had feathers on their heads like mine. A large group of feather capped people marched by playing a song I know [editor's note: The Colonel Bogey March.] I danced as they played and cheered as they passed by. I so love music. Especially loud music.

Some things that passed were wonderful and shiny but indescribable...

At one point during the parade Bethany got very excited and jumped from her seat. She said her very favorite part of the parade was coming. I think she said it was the "Seafair Clowns." I didn't hear any loud music, so I wasn't sure what there was to be so excited about. Then I met a few of these "clowns"...

Um...

Uh...

Hi...?

This Seattle Seafair Clown said Bethany was giving him the bird. Bethany laughed and laughed... but she didn't give me away. I don't get it.

I guess cockatoos don't often go to parades because I didn't see any other psittacines and a lot of the parade participants were pleasantly surprised to see me. One car waving lady in a fancy dress told me I was the most beautiful bird she had seen all day. She was wearing a crown so I was truly honored to have someone so obviously important compliment me. Besides being a gorgeous addition to the parade crowd, I was very polite and didn't cause any mischief. But somehow I caught the attention of a strange looking policeman...

I'm just watching the parade, officer. Honest.

Fortunately that Keystone cop, as Jason called him, paraded on. There probably was room for me in his wheeled cage... but there were no hanging toys or kale so it didn't look like a cage I wanted to be in. Instead, I went home for a rest in my very own cage. After all the thrills of this cockatoos first parade, it was definitely time for a nap.

No more pictures, please.

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