A person wanted a parrot who talked.�Going to the pet store, this lover of talking parrots asked if there was a bird who was already speaking.

“Yes,” the pet store owner said, “this bird has a vocabulary of about 1000 words plus 50 phrases guaranteed to fit most occasions.”

The deal was made and the parrot was brought home complete with a cage. The next day the purchaser went back and said the parrot had yet to say a word.�

“That’s to be expected,” said the pet shop owner. “Try getting the bird a few of the toys that were here for the bird to use in the shop.�It just needs to feel at home with you.”�Toys were purchased and a day went by. The parrot’s owner returned and said there still had been no talking.�

“I see,” said the pet shop owner.�”Perhaps if you got a bird bath, the parrot would start to talk while using it.”�A bird bath was purchased and yet another day went by. The next day the owner was back with the same complaint.� This time the pet shop owner mentioned that sometimes the bird had been praised in its training by being allowed to ring a little bell.

The parrot’s owner bought the bell reluctantly. The following day the parrot’s owner was there waiting as the store opened.�”Still no luck?” asked the store owner.

“No. Nothing said yet,” answered the bird’s owner. “Well, I bet the bird’s just lonesome for some of the birds here at the shop.” “What?�You want me to buy another bird!?!” yelped the unhappy owner of the parrot.

“No, no, calm down,” reassured the store owner.� “All you have to do is get a mirror and the bird will think it has a companion.”

At last the sale of a mirror was agreed upon. The pet store owner the next day opened the store and found the troublesome customer had returned … this time with the parrot, only it was dead! “What happened?” asked the store owner, “Did the bird ever talk?”�

“Yes, right before it died it said: What’s the matter? Don’t they sell birdseed at the pet store anymore?”