All About Garden
All you need to enjoy your garden
FUN and SMART
True Bird Bobby’s story
(“Father’s Lessons”)
By Elena Pankey
CHAPTER 1
Thailand is a heaven for bird watchers. Once on Koh-Samui Island I watched one family of birds: mother, father and a baby. They come to my door every morning and evening to get some food from the meadow. Mother likes to enjoy her meals alone, in peace and solitude. She walks in front of her husband and adorable, but noisy and a little bit over weight, teenager. I call him Bobby.
Her husband has a challenging task: to feed their always hungry son. Bobby is almost the same sizes as his parents, but he does not want to do anything for himself. He is running at his father's side, with wide open month, and loudly cries: "Give, give me more - give me!"
When he sees that his father got something from the under the grass, Bobby immediately pushes himself to the father's mouth. The father does not have any choice but to give Bobby whatever he got with the hope, that now Bobby finally will leave him alone for a moment.
But Bobby tries to run as close as possible to his father. His squeaky voice and begging mouth were unbearable for his parents, and for the whole world of nature. Several birds from another family came, looked at this scene, disapproved, and escaped.
With all my respect to the hard working father, I should tell you he did not have any time to eat for him self. But he tried his best and made a strong effort to teach his son how to get food from the grass. He had shown Bobby how to do it independently. Bobby picked randomly a couple of times without searching, did not get anything, and decided that it is much easier to acquire the food from his parent's work.
Finally, father pushed his fat, lazy son away. But Bobby did not want to do the effortful job, and continued to run after his father with open mouth, loudly yelling: "more, more!" In the evening the story repeats.
The mother bird goes faster forward, running away from her son and her husband, letting them deal with this situation alone.
To be continued…
**********************************************************
CHAPTER 2
Some people are very fond of birds, because it could be very interesting and entertaining.
Every day I recognize the characteristic voice of Bobby from my room, and go to watch them.
Father tried to teach Bobby to hunt. On the next day Father changed his teaching techniques. When he sees the food, he tries to run away from his hungry and unskilled son. But Bobby kept running after him, and was on time to demand it.
Another time, his mother-bird jumped quickly between them and pushed the boy away. He was shocked for a moment and stopped yelling.
Since running away did not help, Father tried something new. He would find some good food, take it in his mouth, and when his son began to beg for it, he would just hold it, and look in a different direction.
Bobby picked at the earth once, but did not find anything.
"Try again son. All food is under your feet, just look for it!"
Several times Father would find the food, keep it in his mouth to be sure that Bobby saw all process, and then father began to run away from Bobby, and eat it alone.
Bobby did not have other choice, but to pick something by himself...
Father taught him first hunting lesson successfully.
To Be Continued
************************************************************
CHAPTER 3
Next day, in the morning after the breakfast, Bobby and his parents had a family meeting. They saw that Bobby is getting better and gained more skills with hunting. They discussed it with joy and excitement.
The agenda was what to teach him next: personal achievement or some social skills? They talked almost simultaneously.
But suddenly Bobby said: "Should I learn how to fit well with the community? The parents stopped talking for a while from this unexpectedly mature statement from Bobby.
Then Father said: "God gave you parents. You will make friends by your own choice. When you will get them, keep them for a lifetime."
Mother said: "We are happy only when we have someone to share with. The more you share the more joy you will feel and the happier you will be."
With these wise thoughts, they let Bobby off into the beautiful life in Thailand Paradise on his own.
To Be Continued
*************************************************************
CHAPTER 4
Next several days I did not see Bobby and his parents, and I missed them. On my last evening on Koh-Samui Island I was sitting on my patio, reading. Suddenly I heard the well known but now more pleasant voice of Bobby!
I looked at the meadow: he was respectfully walking between his proud parents, finding food on his own. When his effort was successful, he was very exited but talked to his parents very politely. They cheerfully answered him.
It was obvious that he had learned a very important lesson: how to be pleasant to everybody and succeed in the bird's society. Another father's lesson was well taught...
Then, I looked around and up, and saw in a very high sky a big bird flying almost at the speed of an airplane. I was amazed: in a moment it disappeared.
On the closest tree another family of birds was singing their glory to the new and beautiful day. Many birds here have different voices, sing loudly, and talk to each other actively throughout the day.
Thailand is really a joy for bird’s lovers, and for all who like to observe and enjoy nature.
I watched them for a while, and then went on my own human life...
*************************************************************
CONCLUSION:
My last morning on Koh-Samui was a little bit too hot, but gorgeous.
I looked around, and I saw on the far mountains several big houses built following the hill shape. The ocean was still and warm. I enjoyed the smell of it, and liked to touch it.
On the horizon the light of the rising sun was very beautifully sharpening the dark mountain against the ocean. Little boats were quietly sitting on the water, waiting for their owners to take them for a ride.
A fisherman came and put his net out very widely and close to the beach. Then, he splashed and pushed water towards the net, trying to get some fish into it. When I looked at him again, he already was taking the net into a tidy roll. I did not see any fish on his net with special hooks. But I saw a really big fish in his plastic see through bag.
There were several big ships on the horizon hurrying to their destinations.
It was time for me, too, to go home.
.
