“Squeaks, I watched a YouTube video yesterday that I think you’d enjoy,” said Momanita.
“Is it about squirrels or terror birds?” I asked.
I didn’t want to watch a video about sneaky squirrels or scary owls.
To other hootmans this sounded like squeals and whistles, but not to Momanita. She MOSTLY understood cockatiel speak. I MOSTLY understood hootman talk.
Not The Same Old Song And Dance
“Snowball, a cockatoo, dances. He’s amazing! I’ll show you.”
I climbed out of my rolly cage into my writing nest. Momanita climbed the stairs to HER writing nest. She scooted her chair to the computer and played the video. Snowball DID have the moves. I banged my beak and flared my crest. I had moves, too.
“Let’s find out more about Snowball,” said Momanita
“What’s amazing is that you waited 14 seconds before you Google searched.”
Snowball may be a better dancer, but I had sarcasm down to an art!.
I hopped to my writing nest and preened at the top.
“We’re not the only ones who think Snowball is amazing,” said Momanita. “Scientists at Harvard College studied Snowball’s dance. They discovered that he changed his movements to the beat of the music. They thought only humans could do that.”
“Hootmans aren’t the only smart animals.”
Most hootmans didn’t know this.
“Snowball is an artist, a dance artist. I wonder if there are other animal artists,” said Momanita.
When Momanita wondered, she thought of questions.
When she thought of questions, she looked for answers.
When she looked for answers, she needed my help.
I stopped preening and raised my crest high.
Going Ape Over Art
“Towan, an orangutan, created paintings with crayons and chalk. He lived in a Seattle zoo and didn’t like it much. His trainer gave him paper and art supplies. Before long, Towan painted abstract pictures,” said Momanita.
I perched on Momanita’s shoulder and watched Towan paint in the video. He painted with both hands at the same time!
“He paints mostly squiggles and blobs.”
“I don’t understand abstract painting, but I understand that Towan’s creativity came out,” said Momanita.
“It’s amazing. Creativity can’t be kept inside. It always comes out somehow.”
Straight From The Horse’s Mouth
“Here’s another animal painter,” said Momanita.” Metro is a racehorse that couldn’t race anymore.”
I wanted to hear more about Metro.
I scooted down Momanita’s arm to the screen for a closer look.
“Metro’s knees crippled. He could barely walk and certainly couldn’t race.”
Metro and I were alike. My wings crippled and I could barely flop around. I certainly couldn’t fly.
“Ron Krajewski adopted Metro. Ron is an artist.”
“You adopted me. You’re a writer.”
“Ron wanted Metro to be happy. Ron thought since painting made him happy that painting might make Metro happy, too.”
“You want me to he happy. Writing makes both of us happy.”
Metro and I were like twins, artist twins.
“Metro holds a paintbrush in his mouth, bobs his head up and down, and paints. Ron is his helper. He holds the canvas.”
“You’re MY helper. You type what I want to write.”
Ron and Momanita were like twins, artist helper twins.
“Ron sold many of Metro’s paintings. They made lots of people happy.”
“You’re selling your book, Operation Hopper And Other Tales. My posts made lots of people happy.”
“I didn’t know about animal artists, Squeaks, life surprises me.”
“I think we should write about animal artists surprising hootmans with their creativity.”
I’m not sure if Momanita knew what I said because she MOSTLY understood cockatiel speak. I MOSTLY understood hootman talk.
Squeaks Says
Watch animals artists in action and don’t forget to buy Momanita’s book, Operation Hopper and Other Tales.
Snowball, the dancing cockatoo.
Anita Borgo 