Missing

*On behalf of the family, I would like to extend our appreciation to STOMP sg and ShinMin papers for helping us to do a mini-write up for our missing pet. Once again, thank you for all the help you've provided.

On this very day, this is its 2nd fall out of the window. Fatty got overly-excited when my parents got home from dinner on 03 May 2007 around 9pm. He was eagerly flying towards my dad but flew overshot and fell out of the kitchen window.

Most of my friends would have known how freely he moves around the house everyday; walks and flies wherever he wants to and never leaves the house despite having windows all left open.

We searched for almost 1 and a half hour till 11pm but with no avail. We believed it was too frightened to make any noise at night so it quietly stayed in the same tree we found him previously.

The next day, at about 6.40am, my dad whistled and Fatty responded with a loud shriek. That was what he did the last time he 'fell' out accidentally. We followed its shriek as it continues to make noises whenever my dad whistles. This eventually led us to him and brought him home safely.

However, this time, it was different. I thought we could bring him back since my dad found it sitting in the same tree, except it was at 2metres height. Fatty tried to bend low and climb down but it was too afraid and hence, did not come down. So my dad tried to reach it using a black branch he picked from the ground. And this was the biggest mistake because Fatty has always been afraid of dark colored-items.

Just as expected, Fatty was frightened and quickly flew to the opposite block. Thereafter, we could no longer hear nor see it anymore. Even though our searched continued from 10am to 4.30pm, we could not hear Fatty's responses anymore. Anyone who saw our dear parakeet, kindly return it to us and will be rewarded. Kindly contact Mr Yeo at 90607605 asap should you know the location of the bird. Pass the word around. Thank you very, very much.

***

On a side note, for the first time, I seriously felt really worried for that little fella. Although I complain almost half the time how irritating and noisy it is, I still doted it dearly. I couldn't sleep all night, I kept worrying if it would be cold out there to be living on its own for the first time; no food and water, no shelter and warmth. The world seemed too big for him to live on its own. I woke up like, every hour (it wasn't on purpose ok! I wished I could care less and sleep better too!) and hoping it was just a bad dream.

When i walk by the toilet in the middle of the night, I would feel weird that its no longer standing at the corner of its cage watching you. During the day, we no longer hear it talking in the living room; no longer see it climbing around the corners of the house or window, no longer hear it make funny noises.

It was a feeling of... emptiness.

When I heard its first loud shriek in the morning, I had this sense of relief and thought it could back home safely. . . I thought my prayers were heard and that my faith would regain. But no, it didn't. Now that it's been almost 24 hours since it flew out, the glimpse of hope is diminishing by the minute.

To be frank, I think i do care for that once-an-irritating-fella. Sigh, now that it's no longer around, it seemed a whole lot more quiet at home; and a whole lot weighing down on my heart. I just wished and hope it could make noises again, lead us to it and bring it home. I still hope, that it could recognize and fly back on its own. I still hope, I could believe in miracle. . . I still hope, all this hasn't been true.

I couldn't imagine how would the first few days would be like at home, without the chirpy fella. Although it has its irritating side, it still is, afterall, a really adorable and unique bird. How often do you see birds being physically so close to you, that they would come to you on their own? Stand and rest on your shoulder? Walk around the house? Walk to your rooms and watch you while you sleep at your bedside? Make funny noises and dance ? Say hello in such high pitch and vain tone? Alert you when there are strangers outside the house? Follow you wherever you go at home? Such a kpo and watch you even as you prepare food in the kitchen? Says "hao" whenever you ask if the warm rice tasted good?

oh gosh..

I wish I could decieve myself to believe that he actually is much happier alone out there in the wild. That he enjoys freedom; and that he is capable enough to find food even though he couldn't fly too high or over long distance; despite being so close to us humans, despite being so domesticated already. In this way, I guess I would feel much better.

But, what if he doesn't want to be out there alone? What if he is also holding on to hope and awaits us to bring him back? What if it's frightened and feeling intimidated by the wild birds outside? What if it doesn't know how to find food ? What if he feels cold at night? What if.. so much more "what if"s...

Someone, please help.