The Parrot at the Door

Sana's uncle has a green parrot called Kiwi. Her uncle is on a trip for ten days. Kiwi stays with Sana's family. Sana's mother puts the cage in the living room.

On the first day, everything is fine. Kiwi eats seeds and says, "Hello." He says it to the lamp. He says it to the couch. He says it to the shoes by the door.

On the second morning, the doorbell rings. Ding-dong. Sana runs to the door and opens it. Nobody is there. She looks left and right. The street is empty. "Strange," she says.

She goes back to her cereal. Two minutes later, the bell rings again. Ding-dong. Sana's father walks to the door. He opens it. Nobody is there. "Maybe it is a child," he says.

"A child plays a game."

"I think the bell is broken," says Sana.

They check the bell. It is fine. When they push it, it makes the same sound. But there is something odd. When the bell rings, the parrot is always quiet. He looks at them with one black eye.

By noon, the bell rings six times. Every time, someone goes to the door. Every time, there is no one. Sana's mother is tired and a little angry. She looks through the window first.

At one o'clock, the bell rings. Sana looks at the parrot. His beak is open. His small head moves up and down. She hears the sound come out of him. Ding-dong. "Mama!" she shouts.

"It is Kiwi!" Her mother comes in. She has a spoon in her hand.

"What?"

"Kiwi rings the bell," says Sana.

"He does it with his mouth." Her mother stares at the parrot. The parrot stares back. Then he makes the sound again. He does it slowly. Ding-dong.

"You," says her mother, "are a very bad bird."

"Hello," says Kiwi.

"Do not say hello to me," says her mother.

Sana laughs until her stomach hurts. Her father laughs too, from the hall. Her mother tries to look serious. But she smiles.

For the next two days, they ignore Kiwi's bell. It is not easy. The sound is the same as the real one. Every time it rings, Sana's feet want to run. She learns to wait for one more second. She learns to look at Kiwi first.

On the fourth day, a real visitor comes. The postman knocks and then pushes the bell. Ding-dong. Nobody moves. The family sits on the couch and drinks tea. "It is Kiwi," says Sana's father. "It is Kiwi," says her mother.

The bell rings again. The postman knocks harder. Kiwi looks at the door and says, "Come in!" Sana jumps up.

"It is a real man," she says.

"Open the door!" Her mother runs. The postman stands outside with a box. He looks cold.

"Did someone call me?" he asks.

"Yes," says Sana's mother.

"Our parrot did."

The postman looks past her into the living room. Kiwi bows his head, as if he is proud. "A very nice parrot," says the postman.

"He has a fine voice."

"He has too many voices," says Sana's mother.

The postman leaves. They put Kiwi's cage in the back room. It is quieter there, and the bell sounds far away. But Sana misses the bird. Before dinner, she brings the cage back. She hangs a blue cloth over it. At night, she sits on the floor. She whispers to him. "Kiwi, say my name."

Kiwi looks at her for a moment. Then he opens his beak. In her mother's voice, he says, "Sana, dinner!" Sana laughs loudly. Her mother comes to the door.

"What is it?" asks her mother.

"Nothing," says Sana.

"Kiwi did it again." Her mother crosses her arms.

"Did what?"

Kiwi says, "Ding-dong," and Sana's mother cannot help herself. She laughs too.