wonderful Gladstone from Argentina, a silken nightgown
from China, a beaded reticule of ocean pearls—not much she could use, of
course, but all of them treasures to own. She just hoped that the parrot wasn't
their gift. If Argus the peacock was any indication, birds didn't seem to like
Cabot overmuch.
"You
coming?" she asked Cabot as she came down from the library steps with a
volume of Black's Law Dictionary in her hand.
He
backed up from the desk and turned his chair slightly, backed up and turned the
chair again. Charlotte knew better than to offer him any help. She understood
his pride, but it hardly explained why he insisted on keeping the desk at what
he perceived to be a "normal" distance from the wall when it meant
that he could barely maneuver his wheels in and out of the narrow space
intended for an office chair. Without assistance it was difficult, and Arthur
was the only one ever permitted to help him. She supposed it was that Arthur
was paid to see to Cabot, and Cabot respected the man's desire to do his job
and do it well.
When
she'd first assessed the situation, she'd accused him of being stubborn and
pointed out how much simpler it would be to move the desk an extra foot or
eighteen inches into the room. But no, he'd told her, the world does
not adapt itself for a cripple. It would rather inconvenience those who can't,
than remind those who can of our existence. Quickly she'd learned to allow
Arthur to help or to stand to the side and let Cabot do it himself.
And
so she waited while he extricated himself, hands jammed into her pockets to
keep fromhelping him.
"Go
ahead," he said when he was free of the desk. "Let's see what we have
no use for this time."
***
Liberty
hopped happily from Moss's shoulder to Ash's own as Charlotte came into the foyer.
The bird gave out with his usual complimentary whistle that he reserved for
females, and added, "Oooh! Pretty! I want some of that!"
Knowing
the rest of Liberty's vocabulary, Ash considered the immediate removal of the
bird's vocal cords.
"It
talks!" Charlotte said, her normally husky voice coming out a high-pitched
squeal of delight.
"Oh!
Oh! Oh! Don't stop!" the bird said in his best falsetto. Dropping his
voice several octaves, the parrot added, "Shut up, you stupid bird!"
just moments before Ash would have said the same thing. "Don't stop!"
Jeez,
but that bird was looking to be stuffed like some piñata from South
America.
"What
does it want?" his sister-in-law asked, craning her neck at the bird and
biting on that little pink tongue of hers.
Ash
stared at her, trying to decide if she was just feigning innocence, while Moss
Johnson coughed loudly and pulled several nuts from his pocket, shoving them at
the bird and encouraging him to eat. "This ought to keep your mouth
busy," he grumbled at the bird. "Don't you know a lady when you see
one?"
"Hats
off," the bird said, taking a peanut in one of his claws and deftly
manipulating it until it was ready to be eaten.
"Oh,
Cabot, come look!" Charlotte said, taking the nut Moss offered her and
holding it out bravely to Liberty. "What do you say?" the bird asked,
still unable to get the idea that thank you was the appropriate
response. He took the nut from Charlotte and left a smile in return. For a
moment he was quiet, chewing on one nut, studying the other, until Cabot rolled
into the room and sent the feathered monster into fits of apoplexy. Flapping
his enormous wings dramatically, Liberty set about squawking as if someone had
set his tail on fire.
Now,
even under the best of circumstances Liberty's voice was not what one would
call soothing. He was, after all, a parrot, though Ash had to admit that there
were times the stupid bird did double duty as his priest, his friend, and even
his conscience. But when he was frightened or unnerved, as he was now at the sight
of Cabot's wheelchair, Liberty's call was a deafening caterwaul that went
through a man's head like a toothache.
And
Moss's screaming at
from China, a beaded reticule of ocean pearls—not much she could use, of
course, but all of them treasures to own. She just hoped that the parrot wasn't
their gift. If Argus the peacock was any indication, birds didn't seem to like
Cabot overmuch.
"You
coming?" she asked Cabot as she came down from the library steps with a
volume of Black's Law Dictionary in her hand.
He
backed up from the desk and turned his chair slightly, backed up and turned the
chair again. Charlotte knew better than to offer him any help. She understood
his pride, but it hardly explained why he insisted on keeping the desk at what
he perceived to be a "normal" distance from the wall when it meant
that he could barely maneuver his wheels in and out of the narrow space
intended for an office chair. Without assistance it was difficult, and Arthur
was the only one ever permitted to help him. She supposed it was that Arthur
was paid to see to Cabot, and Cabot respected the man's desire to do his job
and do it well.
When
she'd first assessed the situation, she'd accused him of being stubborn and
pointed out how much simpler it would be to move the desk an extra foot or
eighteen inches into the room. But no, he'd told her, the world does
not adapt itself for a cripple. It would rather inconvenience those who can't,
than remind those who can of our existence. Quickly she'd learned to allow
Arthur to help or to stand to the side and let Cabot do it himself.
And
so she waited while he extricated himself, hands jammed into her pockets to
keep fromhelping him.
"Go
ahead," he said when he was free of the desk. "Let's see what we have
no use for this time."
***
Liberty
hopped happily from Moss's shoulder to Ash's own as Charlotte came into the foyer.
The bird gave out with his usual complimentary whistle that he reserved for
females, and added, "Oooh! Pretty! I want some of that!"
Knowing
the rest of Liberty's vocabulary, Ash considered the immediate removal of the
bird's vocal cords.
"It
talks!" Charlotte said, her normally husky voice coming out a high-pitched
squeal of delight.
"Oh!
Oh! Oh! Don't stop!" the bird said in his best falsetto. Dropping his
voice several octaves, the parrot added, "Shut up, you stupid bird!"
just moments before Ash would have said the same thing. "Don't stop!"
Jeez,
but that bird was looking to be stuffed like some piñata from South
America.
"What
does it want?" his sister-in-law asked, craning her neck at the bird and
biting on that little pink tongue of hers.
Ash
stared at her, trying to decide if she was just feigning innocence, while Moss
Johnson coughed loudly and pulled several nuts from his pocket, shoving them at
the bird and encouraging him to eat. "This ought to keep your mouth
busy," he grumbled at the bird. "Don't you know a lady when you see
one?"
"Hats
off," the bird said, taking a peanut in one of his claws and deftly
manipulating it until it was ready to be eaten.
"Oh,
Cabot, come look!" Charlotte said, taking the nut Moss offered her and
holding it out bravely to Liberty. "What do you say?" the bird asked,
still unable to get the idea that thank you was the appropriate
response. He took the nut from Charlotte and left a smile in return. For a
moment he was quiet, chewing on one nut, studying the other, until Cabot rolled
into the room and sent the feathered monster into fits of apoplexy. Flapping
his enormous wings dramatically, Liberty set about squawking as if someone had
set his tail on fire.
Now,
even under the best of circumstances Liberty's voice was not what one would
call soothing. He was, after all, a parrot, though Ash had to admit that there
were times the stupid bird did double duty as his priest, his friend, and even
his conscience. But when he was frightened or unnerved, as he was now at the sight
of Cabot's wheelchair, Liberty's call was a deafening caterwaul that went
through a man's head like a toothache.
And
Moss's screaming at
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