My son was telling my mother last night that we're getting a budgie and my mother recounted a couple of funny tales about my granny's budgie "Bimbo". My granny wrote a story for readers digest about Bimbo many years ago, I'll see if my mum still has a copy and post it here as it was never published.

 

A couple of the funnier storys were:

 

My granny taught Bimbo to say quite a few things, one was "Who's a cheeky monkey then". One day granny was hanging out the washing and Bimbo was sitting on the clothes line when a sparrow landed next to him giving him a bit of a fright. Bimbo turned to the sparrow and said "whos a cheeky monkey then"

 

Bimbo could also say his name and phone number (phone numbers were a lot shorter back then ). Bimbo was accidentally shut outside one day and flew away. Granny and grandad went into mourning and put ads in the paper and rang up the radio stations, but to no avail.

 

About a week later someone phoned them up and asked if they owned a budgie called Bimbo as it had walked up to their front door and they took it in. After about a week he announced "I'm Bimbo <surname> X1686". So the phoned X1686 and Bimbo was reunited with Granny. When they picked him up and took him home he said: "Ooh baby its cold outside" another thing he was taught to say.

 

Now I know budgies aren't that smart, but boy Bimbo seemed to know what to say at the right time. I was only quite young at the time and I can only just remeber Bimbo as he seemed to keep well away from me, probably more evidence that Bimbo was quite a clever little bird.

Edited November 8, 200816 yr by Hills

That is co sute, I can't wait to read the full version! Your gran obviously spent alot of time with the little guy!

Unfortuantely the story has quite a sad ending with Bimbo passing away on her shoulder after saying "night nights" or something similar.

 

Hopefully mum still has a copy as she typed it up for Granny.

lol thats soo cute! ooo dont you wish pets could last forever?

Unfortuantely the story has quite a sad ending with Bimbo passing away on her shoulder after saying "night nights" or something similar.

 

 

Oh noooooo.....I have tears right now

what a cute story, I read an article about a budgie in Japan that gave his address and was reunited with his owner, in fact it was posted here sometime ago .

My mother has found the article my granny wrote back in 1967. I have transcribed and copied it verbatum below. Your welcome to have a read, but I realise its quite long. Granny would be chuffed to know after 40 years she has finaly been published and to such a "budgie-centric" forum :party0011:

 

 

 

For many years my husband’s job took him away to the country from Monday to Friday each week. Our children were all married so he decided to buy me a budgie for company.

 

He consulted an expert breeder and arrived home one day with a budgie just out of the nest. I fell in love with Bimbo at first sight – a beautiful cobalt blue, with grey flecked wings, a very bright blue cere - his smooth sleek lines as he sat so straight and still on his perch, made him look a real little aristocrat.

 

In a very short time he was finger trained and seemed happy to perch on my shoulder after flying round the room. I then started teaching him to talk when he was covered for the night – he would sidle along the perch to listen intently with head near my mouth as I spoke clearly and distinctly. I started by repeating little phrases like “Hello Darling” and “Pretty boy” until to our delight in two months he said “Pretty boy” among his natural budgie chatter. Bimbo was quick to learn and very soon said practically anything – he had his favourite phrases and used them most aptly. Fortunately he learned our telephone number (before numerals were used) which later proved helpful.

 

Relatives and friends were amazed at Bimbo’s large vocabulary – he’d never just talk to order, but had his favourite spots and would entertain and amuse everyone for long periods. Bimbo was a happy playful little bird, had his favourite toys and was accepted as one of the family. He seemed to feel we really were his parents, becoming as fond of us as we were of him. Like a spoiled child he was not keen on going to bed and this became quite a ceremony. I had to fill his containers with seed and water as an inducement, then he’d say “Bimmy go bye-bye”, “Goodnight sweetheart”, “Night night darling” with big kissing noises until finally he’d strut majestically into his cage and up on the perch for the night. We could never hurry this performance which often took fifteen minutes – he really enjoyed it!

 

Bimbo had his set habits and I did most of my housework with him on my shoulder – both of us talking all the time. As I made my bed he’d invariably say “Mummy go bye-bye” and when I cleaned up his haunts “You’re a dirty little boy” before I had a chance to say it. Incidentally, my husband made little wooden perches in front of the dressing table and bathroom mirrors with tissues underneath for his convenience! If he couldn’t find me he’d fly from room to room whistling shrilly.

 

When Bimbo was five months old I went out to get the morning paper without realizing he was on my shoulder. As I stooped down he flew off and was a little blue speck in the sky in a few moments. We were heartbroken and advertised his loss in papers and on radio. There were many replies and I saw dozens of budgies but, alas, no Bimbo. I was shocked to know that so many budgies were lost. On the fourth day however, my husband answered the phone and a lady said we have your budgie here” and my husband said “There’s a 5 pound reward, but we have about given up hope”. The caller went on to say that the budgie had started talking and said he was “Bimbo Nickels” and kept repeating “where’s mummy X1676” and “Where’s pop – away in the bush” and several other things.

My husband immediately went to the address two miles away, and was overjoyed to see our Bimbo sitting up sedately in a brand new cage! The lady explained that she had found Bimbo four days earlier walking on the footpath near her home, utterly exhausted. She had not read or heard our advertisements and her children wanted to keep the pretty bird but she had to ring when he gave his phone number repeatedly and so clearly. It was such a relief to get him back as I felt very guilty at my carelessness – could visualize the poor pet in a cat’s mouth saying “Hello darling”. Bimbo was happy to be back and we were extra careful thereafter.

 

The wee bird was popular with all who visited the house, an elderly widower called and Bimbo perched on his shoulder saying “Hello darling”. The old gentleman said he’d not been called “darling” for many years. At supper time he seemed compelled to run though his complete repertoire.

 

My sister and her husband on holiday from England became very fond of our little pet who imitated my sister’s voice even with a slight lisp when she called him a “cheeky sausage”. They took back a tape recording of a night session in the kitchen and people at home could hardly believe it was a tiny bird talking so clearly and well.

 

Of course Bimbo was a tie but well worth sacrificing holidays together, and we would always come home before his bedtime. Bimbo would watch for us at the window becoming excited as the car pulled in. He’d run up and down the window ledge then fly to the door to perch on the first shoulder with a cheery “Hello dear”. As the years passed Bimmy became less frisky, gradually talking less and sleeping more for like us, he was getting old.

 

Last November he became very listless and ate hardly any seed and seemed happy to be held in my hand quite a lot. We dosed him with brandy and water from an eye dropper with little success until he spent most of his time nestled into my neck saying weakly “Bimmy wants to go bye-bye” After nine and a half years our faithful little budgie went “bye-bye” for good – to our great sorrow, leaving us happy memories of wonderful companionship.

 

To all who are lonely I thoroughly recommend a pet budgie as for as small outlay one can aquire the perfect pet, giving affection, entertainment and real companionship.

He sounds like he was a sweetheart, what a nice story :party0011:

AWWWWwwwwwwww :party0011: :party0011: :bliss: brings tears to my eyes

Thanks so much for sharing. I throughly enjoying reading it. Your Granny is a very talented writer and story teller... She would be so proud. :party0011:

:rofl: thank you for sharing

How lovely, what a lovely recollection. :laughter:

AWWWWwwwwwwww :laughter: :rofl: brings tears to my eyes

Me too :rofl:

 

PS one thing I noticed in the story was Bimbo was supposed to be a chick straight from the nest but he had a bright blue cere. Either he was older than he was supposed to be when he came home or Granny forgot at which point he got his bright blue cere.

Alas Granny died many years ago so that one will have to remain a mistery :laughter:

thanks for sharing that hills and what a great story , i bet granny was quite a character and thats where bimbo got it from :laughter:

thats so cool budgies are a lot smarter than most give them credit for almost all my birds are very tame give take the ones i have not breed myself but i have not had a talker not yet although my sun conure wont shut up .

your nanna must have had a heart of gold animals know people their judgment is always spot on

 

loved the story very warming brought a much needed smile thanks :laughter:

I'm glad you all enjoyed it, I'm sure Granny would have been a keen contributor had this forum been around in her day. If you ever visit Ardrossan on the Yorke Peninsula in SA, go for a walk out along the jetty and Granny and Grandpa's ashes will be beneath you. :laughter: