Amour

Chapter 12

My new home was too quiet. The silence was deafening. I needed something to distract me. And I'm very lonely I needed some company. I thought perhaps a pet would help. I walked into the pet store in search of a suitable companion. A puppy maybe, after all they are man's best friend. And I need a new best friend.

"Hello. May I help you with anything?" the salesperson asked.

"Yes I'm looking for a puppy."

"The dog section is in the back why don't we talk a walk back there and see if we can find something for you." He suggested.

"Thank you." I started following him to the back.

"Is there a specific breed you are looking for?" He glanced over his shoulder nonchalantly as we passed the small rodents section.

"No not really." I hadn't even thought of that.

"I'm sure we can find..." I couldn't hear the rest. We were in the birds' section and the squawking of various species of Aves cut off his sentence.

Amid the chaotic arrays of blue, green, yellow and red birds my eyes caught sight of two in particular. I wandered over to the cage leaving the salesperson's trail. They were identical, green all over except for their light blue face, the white ring around the eye and their yellow beaks. I've never been a bird lover. But for some reason I was drawn to those two birds.

"Cute aren't they?" I turned around to find the salesperson standing behind me.

"Yeah... What kind of parrots are those?"

"They're Love Birds."

"Love Birds?" It sounds so exquisite and yet terribly painful. Another customer was asking for assistance so he excused himself. I turned my attention back to the Love Birds. I can see why they are referred to as Love Birds. They were huddled together, inseparable. One was very vocal squawking at me nonstop while the other just silently stayed by its lover's side, helpless. They reminded me of my relationship with him.

"Have we come to a decision yet or would you rather look at the puppies still?" It's the salesperson again, smiling professionally at me.

"I've made my decision. I want that one." I pointed to the quiet one. "How much is it?"

His smile faltered a bit confused by my request. "Sir those are Love Birds..." he reminded. He didn't finish his thought but he didn't have to, I already knew what he was thinking. Those are Love Birds; to separate them would be cruel. But life itself is cruel, is it not?

"I just want one." I told him simply. He looked at me sadly as if he understood.

"Its $56 for one plus tax of course." He reached into the cage and reach for the one I want. The scene was heart wrenching as he reached for the one I want. The very vocal one started flapping and screeching at the intruding hand that had come to take its love away. The quiet one jumped all over the place darting away from his hand.

It took a little effort but eventually he got a hold of the quiet one. He pulled his hand out of the cage to put the quiet one in a temporary cage. For the first time since I saw them the quiet one was quiet no more. It started screaming at the top of its lungs calling for its love. With the small temporary cage in my hand I started walking away not wanting to see anymore. But I heard everything as they cried for each other.

"Your total is $156. Will that be cash or credit sir?" I had to get a few other things to take care of the bird such as cage, food, toys, etc.

"Credit please." I opened my wallet to get my credit card and was once again greeted with the empty space of where his picture used to be. For the last three months every time I opened my wallet emptiness greeted me. I need to put something else there.

"Thank you for shopping at Petco. Please come and see us again." He recited as he handed me my receipt and credit card.

"Thank you." I turned to leave.

"Sir..."

"......"

"If you decide to change your mind about..." he looked at my bird. "It'll be here."

"No don't hold it for me, I'm not changing my mind."

He smiled at me sadly again. "Most people prefer to buy them as couples so I can pretty much guarantee you that it'll still be here."

I nodded politely at his gestured and left.

I named him after me. For the first couple of days Jiwon wouldn't eat, he squawked or should I say cried nonstop for its other half. He kept turning and looking behind him as if expecting the other one to be there. But eventually he realized the other one is not there and stopped speaking. He did at the very least start eating.

"Jiwon you don't need him." I was talking to him as I changed his water. "Look you get to have all the food and toys you want, you don't have to share with him anymore. And you can talk all you want now that he's not here yakking all the time." I tried to convince Jiwon of the benefits of life without him.

But he never spoke. He just looks at me with accusative eyes telling me that I did this to him.