Wkg at Writing & Design 
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Home?
Mr. Gogol certainly had a way with animals. It was a good thing too since he ran a pet shop. Gogol's Pet Emporium stood on Felicity Street between a bank and a post office.
The animals in Mr. Gogol's shop were of many different kinds. Puppies and kittens, large and small, tumbled over each other. Hamsters and gerbils worked the wheels in their cages and drank from their little water bottles. Rabbits and guinea pigs chomped on vegetables, twitched their noses and looked at the customers. There was even a goat named Fred who made everybody laugh. There were some fish and many little birds -- canaries, parakeets, cockatiels, finches -- and there was one big bird too.
Carmen was a big bird -- a gray parrot with a red tail. Mr. Gogol allowed her to be free in his pet shop because she was always well-behaved. She did have a cage. It was quite large. Most of the time Carmen would sit on top of it. She'd climb down into her cage to eat a few sunflower seeds and then climb right back up on top. Carmen laughed all day, imitating the different ways Mr. Gogol's customers laughed at Fred. Carmen would sing a bit of a song -- "Love is like a child" -- a phrase of pretty musical notes which she'd sing in her lovable raspy voice.
The animals in a pet shop are there to be sold. One day Mr. and Mrs. Brown bought Carmen for their two children, Suzie and Mike. They put her big cage in a corner of their kitchen because they were afraid she'd make a mess. They never let her out of it because, to tell the truth, they were rather afraid of her. Mr. and Mrs. Brown never took the time to get to know Carmen. Suzie was in charge of cleaning Carmen's cage and feeding her. Suzie did it sooner or later and she was never friendly about it. Little Mike would just stand in front of Carmen's cage staring and repeating the phrase: "Talk, bird. Talk, bird. Talk, bird." Carmen didn't say a thing.
The Browns took Carmen back to Mr. Gogol's store. They were very angry that he had sold them a parrot who didn't talk. In fact all four of the Browns came to return Carmen and yell at Mr. Gogol. Carmen thought it was the first time she had seen all four of them together. Mr. Gogol explained that Carmen usually talked and would repeat things that were said to her or sounds, like the phone ringing, but that mostly Carmen just laughed all day and sang her little song -- "Love is like a child." The Browns were disgusted and told him he was lying. They said he'd sold them some trick bird and probably had a tape recorder in the store that only made it seem that the bird could talk in order to fool customers.
For the longest time, Carmen didn't say anything. She didn't laugh. She didn't sing. Mr. Gogol would uncover her cage in the morning with a hopeful look on his face. He would open the door to her cage. She didn't come out. Carmen didn't even move around much, not for the longest time. After the longest time, however, Carmen began to recover. Mr. Gogol was at the cash register, giving some customers change for the hamster they'd bought, when he heard Carmen snicker at Fred the goat. A big smile came upon Mr. Gogol's face. He wanted to jump for joy. He didn't actually jump but Mr. Gogol did bounce on his feet a few times.
As the next few weeks went by, Carmen returned to her old self. Perched on top of her big cage, she laughed all day, sang "Love is like a child" and repeated words and sounds she heard. If a big truck outside the store honked its horn, Carmen would make a honk right back from inside the store.
One day the Hoover family walked into Mr. Gogol's store in one big clump. Mama Hoover wore a heart locket just like the one her daughter Daisy wore. Papa Hoover and his two boys, Dave and Casey, looked at every animal in Gogol's Pet Emporium one after another. They all settled in front of Carmen's cage as the parrot slipped into it to grab a sunflower seed then raced quickly back on top and proclaimed: "Love is like a child."
Mama Hoover clasped her hands together and said loudly: "Oh Papa, the parrot is talking about Love!" Daughter Daisy imitated her: "The parrot is talking about Love!" Papa nodded and said: "This bird has fine values. It's the right sort of pet for a family like ours. Don't you think so, boys?" Dave and Casey thought a moment and then nodded together. "We'll take it!!!" the family all said at the same time, turning toward Mr. Gogol in one big clump.
As Carmen's big cage was loaded into the Hoovers' big van, Mr. Gogol looked out from the door of his shop with a tear in his eye. "I hope they give you all the love you deserve, old friend," he spoke softly as he saw the bird go. The Hoovers drove away.
At the Hoover home, Carmen felt like the center attraction in a three-ring circus. Her cage was always moved around. Everybody fussed at her all day. At first Carmen liked this very much. Even the family camping trip to the mountains was fun, although it did get a bit chilly for a parrot! Somebody was always shoving banana slices at Carmen, or else some apple, until Carmen began to feel like a big fruit salad. She liked being let out of her cage and petted. She liked people smiling all the time. She liked the Hoover family, but it all was a bit much after awhile.
Carmen started to think. She wondered why the Hoovers made such a big fuss all the time instead of just enjoying life more. During this whole day, she was too busy thinking to say anything. The Hoover family got into a panic and an uproar. "Oh...sing about Love! Sing about Love!!!" Mama Hoover wailed. Daisy Hoover wailed right behind her. Papa Hoover and the boys stood in front of Carmen's cage looking guilty, as if they had done something terribly wrong.
Carmen was very confused. Those poor Hoovers didn't know what to do, so they tried everything. There was more fruit. There were more family outings. They even snuck Carmen into Disneyland, which was against the rules. They tried so hard that they tried too hard. Finally they all tired themselves out so much with trying that the Hoovers became one big tired clump of Hoovers. Daisy, Dave and Casey began to get sick and stay home from school. This couldn't go on! Carmen couldn't begin to figure out anything. Carmen had nothing to say. Carmen was one very confused parrot.
It was a dark day when the Hoovers returned Carmen to Mr. Gogol's pet store. They all wore black and hung their heads in shame, one big Hoover clump of shame. They said they didn't deserve to have such a fine bird because they didn't know how to take care of it. They said they would always love this bird that sang of Love, but it didn't sing anymore. It didn't laugh, talk or make noises. They were bringing it back for its own good. Mr. Gogol had never heard of such a thing! Mr. Gogol felt very sorry for these good people. He put Carmen's cage right back where it used to be.
One day turned into another. Winter came and went. Carmen still didn't talk. Fred was his old goat self but he couldn't seem to help Carmen. Mr. Gogol just loved Carmen and took good care of her, his beautiful parrot that wouldn't talk.
It was a Saturday in spring that Molly came running into the store. She shouldn't have done that. Molly shouldn't have been running in the pet store and Molly shouldn't have run so far ahead of her mother. Mrs. Castle came into the store out-of-breath and spoke firmly: "Molly Castle, don't you run ahead of me like that. It's all very well to love animals, but I love you! Stay close to me so I can make sure you're all right and we will see the animals together."
Molly looked at her Mom and said she was sorry. Then she began to drag Mrs. Castle by the hand through the store. It took awhile for Mrs. Castle to catch her breath but she finally did. She couldn't help laughing at the puppies tumbling around. Carmen looked up from her perch inside her cage and just stared at this mother and daughter who were laughing out loud. Molly looked over her shoulder and saw Carmen staring.
Molly dragged her mother over to Carmen's cage (while Mrs. Castle reminded her not to pull so much). Molly asked Mr. Gogol: "Excuse me, but what is this bird's name?"
Mr. Gogol replied: "I call her Carmen because of a little song she used to sing: 'Love is like a child.'"
"Will she sing it?"
"No."
"Does she talk?"
"No."
"Does she do anything?"
"Not anymore, no," said Mr. Gogol sadly.
Molly asked: "Excuse me but do you mean you have a parrot here that doesn't do anything? It doesn't talk or anything?"
Mr. Gogol almost cried as he answered: "That's right."
Molly said to her mother: "Mom, I want this bird."
Her mother took a quick breath and said: "Oh Molly, a parrot? A big bird like this is a lot of work you know?"
Molly said: "I know."
Mrs. Castle looked at Carmen carefully "She is a real beauty. Molly, will you be happy with a parrot that doesn't talk?"
"She looked at me, Mom. She looked at me some special way and I think she should be home with us. I don't care if she doesn't talk. I mean it's too bad but it's okay. Please, Mom. Let's show her to Dad and Bobby, and all think about it, and then buy it for me!"
Mr. Castle and Bobby approved (and Mr. Gogol approved of the Castles) so Carmen found herself in the Castles' warm living room. Molly had wanted Carmen in her bedroom but Mrs. Castle was concerned that if the parrot started to talk, she might keep Molly from sleeping or doing schoolwork. Carmen's cage was kept clean. She was fed good food and tasty treats. Her water was always kept fresh. People talked to her in a friendly way as the family pet. She wasn't allowed out of her cage because Mrs. Castle wanted to get to know Carmen and trust her first. Carmen stopped feeling confused and realized that she liked this place.
One day Bobby's friend Taylor was over visiting. Taylor could be kind of mean. He asked Bobby: "So what's that bird's name?" Molly was in the room. "Carmen," Bobby answered.
"Is its name Carmen Sandiego? Is it? That's its name -- Carmen Sandiego," Taylor said laughing in a mean way.
Molly had a fit. "It is not, Taylor. Carmen's name is CARMEN CASTLE!!!"
"Carmen Castle," Carmen said.
"What?" said Bobby.
"The thing talks," said Taylor.
At first Molly didn't say a thing. She sat on the floor in shock. Then smiling, she said: "Oh you are Carmen Castle. Yes. You are." Then she ran to tell her mother.
A few moments later, Mrs. Castle came into the living room and Molly said: "Carmen Castle."
"Carmen Castle," Carmen repeated.
"Carmen Castle," said Mrs. Castle and hugged Molly tight.
A few weeks later, on a sunny lovely day, Mr. Gogol looked up from his counter. He saw the Castles coming in with Carmen's big cage. He thought: "Oh no."
Molly told Mr. Gogol: "We brought Carmen in for a visit. She sings her song again, the 'Love is like a child' one. She says all kinds of old things and new things."
"Hello," Carmen said to Mr. Gogol.
Molly and Mrs. Castle told the pet shop owner the whole story about how the bird started talking again, and singing and laughing and making sounds. Carmen bounced on her perch as if she were dancing a little. Then she looked over at Fred and laughed. Mr. Gogol smiled and smiled.
"We're going back home," Molly said, "but we wanted to show you that Carmen was all better now."
"Aa-aa-aa-aa-aa," said Fred the goat and everybody laughed. Carmen Castle laughed the loudest.
THE END
© 1994 Philip Merrill all rights reserved
Philip Merrill |