Dialogue of Hector
When I was 20 and newly married, living on campus at Michigan State, I had a white parakeet that I loved very much. I named him Hector. He was an amazing bird because he could talk. I taught Hector to say more than thirty phrases, and at one time I had a tape recording of Hector’s talking. His voice was so clear, and when people heard the tape, they thought it was my voice because Hector was, after all, imitating me.
While typing up old diaries for my next memoir, I came across an entry in the winter of 1974, in which I penned the following:
“Hector is giving me a concert. Just for fun, I’ll copy down some of what he’s saying … if I can keep up with him, that is! I scribbled on another sheet of paper, but I’ll copy it over now."
“Annie … Annie Carol. I love you.”
“Come on! I love you, Annie Carol. Where were you?”
“Don’t worry! I know a secret, promise not to … I can talk, can you fl…”
[ He often cut his phrases off when he began the next sentence, but he could say, “I can talk, can you fly?” ]
“Jeff Fur Lee … Clara?”
[ Clara was my white duck that ruled my parents’ backyard in Monona, Wis. ]
“Annie Carol, Jeff Fur’s pulling my tail."
“Sweetheart … Don’t worry … Oh my, such a pretty bird!”
“I won’t bite hard!”
“Turn down the stereo, turn down the … “
“Aren’t you the cutest … Good night, Annie Carol, good night, Jeff Fur Lee!”
“Well, Hector … well … well, son of a bitch! How are you?”
[ Yes, we taught him to swear … ]
“Teach me a new word, I’m smart … Good morning, sweetheart!”
“I know a secret, promise not to tell!”
“I’m so happy … Hector, Hector … good morning …”
“Jeff Fur put me in the closet! Watch out, watch out, watch out! It’s him!”
“I can talk. Beautiful … Well, well, son of a bitch!”
“Red alert! To heck with Hector!”
“Clara, the Clutz. Annie Carol, Jeff Fur’s pulling my tail!”
“Hector Spector … Naughty bird boy … I love you …”
I was exhausted writing all of that down, trying to keep up with that bird! I tried to get him to say, “Captain Kirk, Captain Kirk, to the bridge! Red alert!” which we had taught him.
It was unfortunate that my husband did not like Hector and tried to make me give him away. I wouldn’t do it.
In the summer of 1975, I had tamed Hector to the point where I would take him out of his cage and he’d sit on my finger. We were renting a cabin in the woods for the summer at Yankee Springs in western Michigan, where Jeff worked as a park ranger until school started again. One day I had Hector outside in the yard and I foolishly let him come out of his cage.
As soon as the white bird was perched on my finger, Jeff started up the lawn mower, which scared him. Hector flew off into the woods. I tried to catch him, but the sound of the mower just drove him farther away until I couldn’t see him anymore.
I tried for hours to find my beloved pet, but to no avail. That was the saddest day of my wonderful summer at Yankee Springs.
Hector was an unforgettable pet, and even though I eventually forgave Jeff for scaring him away, I never forgot. It still hurts when I think about the remarkable parakeet I adored.
