Lover!

“Lover!” The scarlet macaw yelled in its unique voice. “Lover!”

Its once beautiful plumage had faded. Its reds, yellows, and blues were not near as bright, while the feathers looked like they could fall out in many places.

Six years before, this particular scarlet macaw had been on its way home from a berry hunt. A tropical storm had sprung up, knocking the bird from the air. A few citizens of southern Mexico recovered the bird and brought it to the nearest zoo for treatment. It was impossible for them to know that a certain female scarlet macaw was waiting for her mate back in their special tree. Her pained honking echoing out over the trees. The monogamous birds are a rarity with individual birds mating for life.

Two more years passed, and the zoo encountered financial difficulties from multiple tropical storms and their unending damage. The scarlet macaw was one of many animals sold to help pay debts. After seeing a flyer with a picture of the beautiful bird, a local doctor purchased the bird and named him Urbino after the tragic scene of Dr. Juvenal Urbino’s death in Love in the Time of Cholera. Much like the character in his favorite book, the Mexican doctor spent many hours with the bird getting him to master words first and then many phrases. Then four short years later, the bird’s health began to decline, and the doctor began to research scarlet macaws. Stumbling upon research showing they mate for life; the doctor began to wonder if the bird was love sick. Then little by little, the phrases began to disappear, with the bird becoming stuck on “Lover!”

One sunny day the doctor went into Urbino’s room. The Mexican doctor knew it would not be long for the bird now. He went over to the window and turned and looked at the scarlet macaw, missing the beautiful bird he had once purchased. He threw open the window, hating the pain the bird was in. It was time to set the bird free to find its mate. Before he could reach the cage, a scarlet macaw flew in the window. Her feathers were in disarray. Their once beautiful colors also seemed to feature hints of green and orange that his male did not have. The doctor closed the window and opened the cage. His bird had resorted to loud honks and given up all words. His mate was back beside him.

Just a year later, the doctor had two scarlet macaws and three on the way; their mother incubating them in the tree in the backyard. The macaws had regained their splendor, and their plumage was breathtaking. The doctor had taken to climbing a ladder and checking the female and her eggs daily. Bids were coming in from travelers for the three babies. The doctor already knew the price of separating a macaw from its family, but he was beginning to only see a large stack of pesos every time he looked at the eggs.

One humid morning, the doctor made the climb as usual. The eggs still were startling white, but as the doctor climbed the tree, the eggs began to hatch. The female macaw became defensive and flapped at the doctor. His feet slipped on the dew on the ladder, causing the ladder to tip. The doctor did not survive the fall. At the next change in season, the two macaws returned to their special tree with three young macaws in tow. Urbino, the male macaw, led the way. Every few miles, an echo of “Lover!” could be heard in the trees.