Come Home Charlie

The weekend nearly over, Diane grabbed the car keys to go back to London. "C'ya later" came from the bedroom. Charlie was sat on top of the TV, dancing to the beat of the football fans chants, as Paul watched the Liverpool match. "Calm down Charlie, you'll have the TV off the wall", warned Paul as Diane laughed. She gave Paul a kiss and stroked Charlie's feathers as he settled into a slower head bang. 

Charlie was an African Grey, inherited from Diane's mum, who couldn't handle the swearing. Charlie had had a fair few owners, who thought it was funny to teach him to swear at any visitors. Diane would have loved to have taken him into work with her, at the school, and show the kids. But she couldn't guarantee he wouldn't call anyone a "w*nker". Though the foul language seemed to have eased since living with them. The only new swear word he had learnt, is when Paul cleaned the cage and called Charlie a shittyarse under his breath. Now this is the name that Charlie associates with Paul and has become Charlie's nickname for him.

Diane made for the door to set off to the London flat, where she stayed during the week whilst at work. Saving a daily commute to/from Essex. Paul would join later in the week, when he had decorating work at Canary Wharf. Charlie would say "c'ya" as soon as you picked your keys up or put a jacket on.

During the week when Diane was at work, on a lunch break, she would ring Paul and ask how Charlie was doing. Paul would say he was fine, watching him take an ice cube from his glass, whilst he watched ironside from the arm of the chair. He seemed to know when the re-runs were on, and would whistle the theme tune, as if to ask ‘put ironside on the tele’. The teachers who were in the staff room, who could overhear the conversation, were all laughing at the thought of a parrot watching ironside, whilst crunching ice cubes like they were popcorn.

Charlie knew it was time to go, when the travel cage came out. His food bag was packed. Nuts for snacking on in the car, and bottled water for service stops. The few packed bags were loaded into the car, then Paul came back to put Charlie in his travel cage and take him out to the car too. Charlie loved the car journeys. Watching the other cars, looking at the other birds flying overhead, listening to the radio, having his chats with Paul, all whilst snacking on whatever was in his snack bag.

On the way out of the house, Paul put the travel cage at his feet, turning to lock the door. Putting the keys in his pocket, he bent to pick the cage back up. He felt a snag and pull at his shirt, and thought Charlie had hold of him through the bars. Charlie never missed a chance to have a nibble of Paul, Diane was his favourite. The cage door had come open. As Paul noticed, Charlie had also noticed. Charlie flew straight out of the door and over the roof, before Paul even had chance to close and lock the door.

Instantly the panic set in, Paul put the cage down and went round the back of the house, calling Charlie’s name as loud as possible, whistling and beckoning for Charlie to come back. By the time Paul had reached the back garden, Charlie was out of sight. He checked all the trees, shrubs, anywhere that could be used as a perch. Paul continued to call. There was no answer from Charlie, who often liked to play hide and seek when inside the house. More often than not, his silence meant he was up to mischief. This was no game for Paul, who wanted more than anything to hear Charlie whistle, sing, or even swear, just to make his whereabouts known. The neighbour, Mandy, came into the back garden after hearing the shouts and whistles. Mandy carried on calling for Charlie whilst Paul went to collect the cage and bring round the back of the house. He called Diane from his mobile and explained that Charlie had flown off. Paul could hear the heartbreak over the phone. Diane came home that day.

Paul rang anyone he thought maybe able to help. His daughter, who could start ringing round RSPCA, PDSA, Vets, small local animal rescues and asking if an African Grey had recently been handed in. They all took details of Charlie, in case he made his way into their centre. Posters were printed and put into local shop windows. Adverts were put into the local newsletters that were distributed around the village. Emails were sent to local businesses, to ask if they could keep an eye out. The search was heartbreaking. Daily walks around the immediate area, biking or driving further afield to allow for Charlie flying further away from the house as time went on. Mandy would keep checking the house incase he returned whilst Paul and Diane went out searching.

A man who ran a local bird rescue, who was a retired cop, had taken Charlies details. Charlie had a ring on his foot, but the number that had been written down in a notebook, had been misplaced. Charlie had a rogue red feather on his claw. Charlies’ ability to recognise Paul and Diane, would hopefully be enough evidence that Charlie belonged with them, should anyone have taken him in. The bird rescue man kept in touch and helped where he could.

There were several sightings, which were called through to the number given on posters and adverts. All the sightings were followed up, to no avail. Charlie was still missing.

Upon Dianes return to the school where she worked, a child had been gossiping that someone she knew had found a parrot. Diane followed this up, as it was a mother of another child. This lady stated it was not an African Grey she had found. When Diane mentioned this to the retired cop who run the bird rescue, he said there is not much that could be done to prove it is Charlie, without the bracelet number. Though if this lady kept a parrot, knowing the bird is not hers, and the owners are actively searching for said bird, it is still theft.

This is the closest ‘lead’ in the search for Charlie, and bringing him back to his rightful home, where he belonged. Months passed and the sightings became fewer, though Diane and Paul never gave up hope. Adverts were still being posted in local news and shops. Two other African Greys were given to Paul and Diane, during their search for Charlie.

Rosie was a young African Grey, who lived with another older parrot called Oscar. The owners favoured Oscar because he had a greater vocabulary at that time. Rosie was jealous of all the attention Oscar received and would often pick fights with him. This behaviour ended up with her being separated and kept in another room, increasing the lack of attention for her. The owners rang the number given on the adverts seeking the safe return of Charlie and asked if Paul and Diane could look after her permanently. Of course they took her in.

George was a smaller Timneh African Grey, who plucked his feathers. All his chest and belly were bare, where he had stripped his feathers. His owners didn’t realise how hard it was, looking after a bird, and the novelty had worn off. George had very few toys, little interaction with the owners, and when they went to work, or went out socialising, they did not leave any radio on. George was bored and took to self-harming. He knew one word, ‘Hello’, and it meant everything from feed, me, stroke me, cuddle me. Diane took him in instantly.

So, although there were two new cages in the extension, Charlie’s cage still stood empty. Dianes heart broke everyday wondering what had happened to Charlie and hoped there was still a chance he would return. Paul blamed himself every day, and his heart broke not only for Charlie, but for the pain it caused Diane.

Dianes health declined over the next few years, fighting a cancer diagnosis and brain tumour operation. Diane died in 2012, 3 years after losing Charlie, but never losing hope of finding him. All she wanted was to have him home, full of his usual mischief, throwing all the clean clothes off the clothes horse, flying off with her knickers in his beak. She had laughed so hard at that.

Paul never felt so lonely, having lost Diane, feeling responsible for losing Charlie. Though Diane never blamed Paul for this. It was an unfortunate accident, that he couldn’t forgive himself for. He decided to move back up North, to be closer to his family. Always hoping that there would be news on Charlie, the longer he was missing, the less he felt he would be found. By leaving Essex and London, he did feel like he was leaving Charlie behind. Though if there was any definite news that Charlie had been found, Paul would be there like a shot, to collect him, and bring him back up North.

Rosie and George shared one large cage, the Liberta Endeavour. These two had their own characters. Rosie was a young bird when she was given to Paul and Diane, although George’s age was unspecified. He was just a sweet little soul who loved strokes, cuddles, but mostly, baked beans! Over the years he became more content living with Paul and having Rosie as a neighbour. He did enjoy grabbing her feet and causing mischief, and his chest and belly feathers all grew back. He was a handsome boy. Sadly, he too grew poorly, and a trip to the vets meant he came back with antibiotics. When he took the antibiotic, he seemed to have a reaction and died in Pauls hands.

Paul buried George, and picked out a Magnolia tree called George Henry, to plant nearby and honour him. Rosie was missing her companion. She bonded with Paul and went everywhere with him. Paul could not even go to the loo without Rosie on his shoulder. Parrots have no sense of personal space or privacy.

Nearly seventeen years after losing Charlie, Paul started with Dementia-like symptoms. As the symptoms worsened, Rosie went to live with Paul’s daughter, so she stays in the family she is used too and still gets to see Paul often. Paul would love for Charlie to come home and be with the family again. Paul mentions Charlie often. He is loved very much, by Diane, Paul, and Paul’s daughter. Plus, Rosie would like to meet her long-lost brother.

Come Home Charlie.