A visit to a pet store one Saturday afternoon introduced me to a new type of pet. My love for my dog Romeo and cat Juliet ensured tail-wagging and leg-rubbing greetings upon returning home from a day at work or away for even a few hours. There was no need to enlarge my pet family, but Pete whispered amusing chirps, clicks, and whistles making him irresistible. He was a yellow and green budgerigar parakeet, commonly called a budgie, bred in U.S. captivity from Australian stock.

When I returned home with the necessary accoutrements to house, feed, and care for Pete, Romeo and Juliet seemed mystified by this strange intruder. Pete’s cage hung from a tall stand, out of their reach but not their curiosity. Sniffing and meowing around Pete’s new habitat kept the three pets occupied until appetite alarms rang. I fed my dog and cat first, then carefully placed Pete’s food with fresh water in his cage. That night as instructed, I covered Pete’s cage to allow him to sleep undisturbed by light, and my other two pets and I went to sleep in my bedroom.

Sunday awoke bright and sunny, and my cat awakened me by licking my eyes open, Juliet’s slightly annoying habit. Romeo almost wagged his tail off with excitement. When I opened the bedroom door, he dashed down the hallway into Pete’s room. I followed, opened window blinds, and approached Pete’s cage, pulling off the cage cover. Pete looked at me with sleepy eyes and I wondered if he experienced a restful night in his new environment. Romeo could barely contain his enthusiasm, but Juliet pretended to be disinterested, slowly rubbing against furniture around Pete’s room. Fresh food brought a shine to Pete’s eyes and afterward, he examined his toys and checked his perches and gym. Meanwhile, I walked Romeo and fixed our breakfasts.

My dog and cat appeared to be fascinated with Pete, especially his strange, soft chatter. One of my concerns about bringing a new pet into my house was jealousy by my other two pets. If I gave Pete attention, I immediately patted Romeo and Juliet, talking to and playing with them in my customary fashion in an attempt to show nothing had changed with our relationship.

My approach seemed successful. On Monday, I decided to leave work, drive home for lunch to make sure everything was okay with my pets, and return to work. All three pets seemed to be fine, and I returned to my normal weekday routine. Weeks, then months elapsed, and my pets and I enjoyed many happy times together. Each evening, Pete was allowed out of his cage to fly around the room while Romeo and Juliet observed him or ignored him.

It was a Friday when I arrived home later than usual due to a tumultuous thunderstorm. I opened the door, but no animals greeted me. I walked into Pete’s room and spotted Romeo sitting in a chair with Juliet peeking out from behind the chair. Both looked frightened. Then I noticed Pete was out of his cage. Alarmed, I called Pete but no response. Romeo and Juliet followed me around the house as I searched for Pete and called his name. Later I prepared our separate dinners, placing fresh food in Pete’s cage in hopes he would fly back when hungry, but he didn’t.

The next day after cleaning Pete’s cage, I vacuumed dog and cat hair from chairs, removing cushions in the process, and discovered a stash of feathers and Pete’s naked body. Astounded, I shouted: “Romeo! Juliet!” Both pets skedaddled.