"How much is that doggy in the window?
The one with the waggly tail."
That song by Patti Page played a constant loop outside
the pet store as I walked along Fifth Avenue. I could hear it as I left the
Starbucks sipping my $5.25 Pumpkin Spice Latte.
I went in.
There was a tank full of Clown fish, almost as fat as the
puppies. Next to the puppies was a cubby of kittens not as playful as the
puppies but just as fluffy and pudgy. A solo bird cage across from the counter held a blue macaw.
Behind the counter was a young woman who seemed to be preoccupied
with a program streaming on her tablet and listening attentively through her
ear pods.
The Patti Page song continued to play over and over.
I noticed a faded picture was hanging on the wall behind
the woman at the counter.
The picture blinked.
I thought it blinked and then it yawned! The macaw
started to mimic the picture’s yawn. I looked back to the picture and it began
to grin at me.
“Go ahead,” said the macaw.
I motioned to the woman behind the counter, pointing back
and forth between the bird and the picture but she was entranced by what was on her tablet.
All at once the bird began to sing along with the Patti Page.
"How much is that doggie in the window?
The one with the waggly tail…"
And then the picture shouted, “Oh why don’t you shut up?!”
The bird continued, “I do hope that doggie is for sale.”
The picture yelled at the bird, “I don’t want some parrot that
talks.” But the bird continued, ”That doggie will have a good home.”
By this time the lady behind the counter looked up,
unplugged her ear pods and said, “Can I help you?” Finally, I had her attention
but the bird went silent and the picture faded.
I asked what was up with the picture and the macaw and
their bickering, not to mention the singing. “Excuse me?” she asked and was
clearly annoyed with my question. The picture winked at me. “Never mind”, I said and skedaddled out the
door.
The song still looped outside and I heard her say
as the door closed behind me, “Okay, boys. Continue.”
