Guido: The Interview

Since I’m trying new things these days, I decided to jump into a meme.

For those that might be unfamiliar with it, a meme is where bloggers post on the same theme, simultaneously.

“A 2 Z 4 U & Me” goes live every Tuesday. The theme is the alphabet and  everybody writes a post having to do with the letter for that week. A link is then posted on the organizer’s site (in this case, PattyWysong.)

"A 2 Z" fun has been going on for a while and the alphabet is winding down. But I figure better late than never. Besides that, I think ‘meme’ is a cool word and merits my participation.

So with that, I give you my offering for this week’s letter, which happens to be “P”:

My word is…parrot.

But not just any parrot. This one I know personally. He’s been around for years, attends family gatherings, and is probably the most outspoken bird I know.

Actually, he’s the only bird I know. 

His name is Guido.

Guido with his mom

Guido is a beautiful African Grey parrot that is twenty years old. He belongs to Shelly & Glenn (sister and brother-in-law) who got him as a gift. 

Interestingly enough, he is named after SNL character, Guido Sarducci. Yeah, I kind of see a resemblance…

Guido and I have been known to have a love-hate relationship. I often parrot-sit while the fam globe trots. I’m sure he gets bored and misses Mom and Dad. But someone should tell him to NOT take it out on me.  (In other words, don’t bite the hand that feeds you.)

We have wrestling matches with the food dish and his attempts to intimidate me with his razor-sharp beak leave me dodging like a prizefighter. I can’t stay mad at him though: he gets all contrite in an effort to regain my affection by busting a parrot move and it cracks me up. He’s a sly one, but the boy can dance.

Guido is a bird of many talents. Always ready with a comment or special affect, he commands and demands attention. And he’s a hit at parties. His ability to recreate sounds is uncanny. Of course, the day he humiliated me by impersonating a telephone was a bit much. (The family thought it was pretty funny when I answered it.)

One of his best lines is, “Here lizard, lizard,” from a
beer commercial that aired during a super bowl.

He was pretty closed mouthed…err..beaked, during our interview but enjoyed the photo op immensely.

K:   “Hey Guido, wassup?”

G:   “Pretty Bird”

K:   “Yeah, I guess you are”

G:   *wolf whistle*
K:   “Well, gee, thanks for that. So how you been?"

G:   “Bye-bye”

K:   “I take it you don't want any more questions?"

G:   *meow*

K:   “We’re done here."