Chapter 15, Page 34

Hi! I'm feeling better. So I can actually take the time to type up an explanation for Terry's reaction last week to the parrot.

I used to work in a small office where my boss kept a goffin's cockatoo. Part of being hired means you have to be willing to interact with the cockatoo, and you're encouraged to have her at your desk and give her attention while you work.

I've had birds since I was young so this wasn't a problem for me, but a lot of my coworkers never figured out how to get the cockatoo to like them - which means biting. She's very smart and knows that she can control people if they fear she'll bite them, and she bites hard. There was at least one coworker there who clearly had a fear of birds she must not have known about until she started working there.

We also fairly often had guests coming in and out of the office, and when they'd notice the bird, they'd often say "birds scare me" and just try to stay away from her.

Growing up, I had a friend tell me my parakeets scared him, and I always laughed at him since I thought that was pretty irrational - but didn't really get it until I worked at that office.

So more than anything, Terry's reaction is sort of based on that. Terry actually gets a lot further than real people I've offered to let hold the office cockatoo, since he lets the macaw on him (and then doesn't freak out when it grabs his hair).