Keeping Up With The Gossip

Keeping Up With The Gossip

Lorinda Orderly went for a walk every morning. She always wore a hat with a parrot on it. Everyone assumed it was stuffed. Only Lorinda knew the truth.

Squawkety was real. He was tied onto the hat by a string. There was a small spool inside the crown which meant that the bird could fly off whenever he wanted and be reeled in later.

Lorinda would go to her favorite haunts and release the bird at each one. It would sit and listen to all the gossip. When it grew bored, it would squawk a special squawk and would be reeled back slowly.

When Lorinda got together with friends for four o’clock tea, she always had the freshest gossip. Her friends were agog, and Lorinda always felt so important.

One morning, they were about to go for their walk, Lorinda needed to tie him to her hat. But she couldn’t find Squawkety!

“Squawkety, where are you? “

After an hour of searching and calling, it was clear. Her beloved bird had flown! Saddened, Lorinda didn’t even feel like walking without him.

Finally, she heard that special squawk not far away. She ran toward the sound, only to be greeted by the strangest sight. Those invisible creatures known as The Gossipmongers had captured her poor Squawkety and put him in an overly small cage.

“Why won’t he talk?”

“He needs a little persuasion,” said another, who then pulled out a feather.

“Perhaps a treat,” suggested a third holding a worm out to the bird.

Lorinda exploded. Using her umbrella, she scattered the haunts and saved her bird.

“Let this be a lesson to me, Squawkety,” she said as she carried him on her arm.” We need less gossip and a little more care for each other.”