a breakthrough! Today Zachary stood on my arm!
Zach arrived, as usual, on his owner's shoulder. Terrified, as always, I pulled the sleeve of my sweatshirt down over my hand and slowly raised it towards him while making some kissie noises and what I hoped were friendly-sounding little parrot squawks -- while bracing myself for the onslaught of beak and claw that I knew would be coming.
Shock: he just hopped off his owner's shoulder and aboard my trembling arm, with none of the ruffled feathers, biting, gouging and screeching that have characterized our past confrontations. Perched on my arm, he stared at me intently, as if to say "Okay, what now?" (Or maybe "Go ahead, make my day".)
It was one small step for a parrot, but a giant step in my relationship with Zack.
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