July 7. “Button, it’s finally happening.”

“What?”

“Parrots are coming to feed outside our window. This is the one thing Dost had pointed out some time back when a bunch of parrots that used to come and perch outside our window stopped coming. For days I looked out to see if I could spot them but failed. This morning, I recognised their shrill call and went out to see a parrot pecking away at the rice I had put out and drinking water out of the water bowl.”

“If one comes, others will surely follow. What do parrots eat?”

“Fruits.”

“Apart from fruits?”

“They love green chillies. You should see them pare away at the chillies, throw away the seeds and eat the skin. Now see this picture of a baby crane. What is unusual about her?”

“Why are her feet green?”

“She’s wearing green slippers because her feet curled too much and she was fitted with slippers to help straighten them out. She’s doing very well and is being hand-reared at Cornwall’s ParadisePark.”

“That’s so cute.”

“Button, one of my greatest desires in life is to work amongst animals and take care of them.”

“What’s stopping you?”