Freddy's Adventures

Once there was a little budgie named Freddy who lived with a missionary family in the Dominican Republic. He loved to come out of his cage and sit on top of it.

From there he would fly to the table to play with toothpicks that the little girl laid out for him.

Sometimes he flew down from the table and sat on the rungs of the chairs. He liked to stay there so long that the family forgot he was around.

Freddy found feet fascinating and loved to go for rides on them.

He also rode on shoulders and would even tag along while the Mom swept the floor. It tickled the little girl when he played with her hair.

People did not mind his gentle poking and investigating but they did not like to be bit.

He worked on not biting and got better at stepping or flying to fingers when people said, "Step Up!"

He loved to spend time in the window observing all that was going on inside and outside the house.

One day, from his perch on the window sill, Freddy saw that a door had been left open and there was no one around. He flew as best as he could out the door and across the driveway. One of his wings was deformed so he could not go very high. He passed a hibiscus tree and made it to a wall where he held on tight. When the family realized that he was no longer in the window and that the door had been left open, they quickly searched and found him outside. The Dad said, "step up," and he hopped onto his finger and rode back into the house.

The next day, he flew out again but this time the family saw him. They followed him outside and found him standing on the driveway. Once again, he "stepped up" and was taken back inside. He returned to his cage where he contentedly swung on his swing, ate his seeds, and enjoyed his lettuce treat.

As for the family, they had to be more careful with their two little boys who constantly went in and out of that door near Freddy's cage.