Story #2

The Smart Parrot

A man walked into a pet store, looking for a unique pet to keep him company. After browsing for a bit, he spotted a beautiful parrot sitting on a perch with a little sign next to it: “Parrot: $10.”

The man thought this was too good to be true. He asked the store owner, “Why is this parrot so cheap?”

The owner sighed. “Look, I have to warn you—this parrot used to live in a nightclub, so his language is... well, let’s just say he’s picked up some colorful vocabulary.”

The man grinned. “That’s fine with me. I think I can handle it.”

So, he bought the parrot and took it home. As soon as he opened the cage, the parrot looked around and squawked, “New joint, huh? Nice place! Where’s the bar?”

The man laughed, but he quickly replied, “Hey, no bad language, alright?”

The parrot rolled his eyes and nodded. The man thought he had the bird under control. But the next morning, when his two elderly aunts came over for coffee, the parrot saw them, tilted his head, and shouted, “Ladies, the show starts at 8! Drinks are half price!”

The man turned red, rushed over, and covered the cage with a towel.

Finally, he warned the parrot. “Look, you need to be polite or I’ll put you back in that pet store. Understand?”

The parrot clicked his beak in mock surrender. “Alright, alright… geez. I’ll be good!”

A week passed with no incidents, and the man figured the parrot had learned his lesson. But then, the man’s boss came over for a serious work meeting. The parrot, spotting the boss, fluffed up his feathers, squawked loudly, “Alright, who’s the new guy? Fancy suit, but he still needs a drink ticket!”

And from under his breath, the parrot muttered, “Cheapskates...”

The man stared, horrified, at his boss, who looked as shocked as he was. But the boss suddenly burst into laughter. “Well, he’s got some personality, that’s for sure!”

The man sighed with relief. Turns out, having a “colorful” parrot could come in handy after all!