Best Friends by TaulTales.com

Best Friends

His name is Bosefus. He found me in the spring of 2000 while I waited at a traffic light on a 4-lane highway getting ready to turn left. I heard a cry across the street and saw a tiny featherless baby bird staring straight at me as he hopped across two lanes of traffic, heading my way. He never took his eyes off me while cars flew by him. I sat there in disbelief and unable to help or I would have been hit. My first thought was, "He's going to get run over!" He quickly made it to my vehicle without a scratch, and as I opened the door to retrieve him, I was worried that if I stepped down next to him, he'd get scared, take off and go back into the traffic. Instead, he just sat there waiting for me to pick him up. I lifted him gently, climbed into the truck, put him on my lap, dismissed my busy schedule for the day and took him home to care for his needs.

There were two things about this bird that amazed me. Among the five or six vehicles waiting in this turning lane, he chose to come to me across an impossible obstacle, always keeping his focus until he reached his goal. Not once did he turn his head to look at the danger coming toward him. That is how stubborn and determined this bird is, as I would soon find out.

I've come to know Bosefus well and I've learned what every cheep and chirp means. I know the sound he makes when he's hungry, when he's scared or wants out of his cage. If I leave the room for too long, he has a particularly loud cry that states, "Where are you!" Sometimes I will put him on the couch on a towel next to me and without fail, he will carry on this unbearably long conversation, always watching me intently.

For some reason, Bosefus cannot fly. He has never flown.

Each day I'll put him on the living room window-sill that sits very low to the floor so he can see what's going on outside and watch the other birds. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before trouble with the outdoor cats soon started. Whenever my neighbor's cat or stray cats would sneak up to the window and stare face-to-face at him through the glass, this bird quickly learned how to put an end to that situation. Bosefus began training my dog, Shani, to come to his defense by screeching out a very loud cry that means, "CAT AT THE WINDOW!" When Shani hears that cry, she comes running to the window barking and growling at the cat, and the cat runs away. Needless to say, Bosefus has made Shani his best friend.

Shani is an extremely sensitive dog and very devoted to those she loves, including this bird, which is probably why she submits to everything Bosefus does to her. When tenants walk by, it was permissible by Shani's standards, until they made the mistake of stopping and bending down close to the window to admire the adorable little bird sitting there. Out of nowhere, Shani would charge at the window with a taste for blood that almost put her through the glass and sent children and adults alike screaming and running for their lives. Anyone that travels down this walkway now knows that if Bosefus is on the window-sill, it would be best to just keep on going and not even look down at him. That way, they may get by with just a bark or two.

Ever since Bosefus moved in, Shani has been getting the short end of the stick by having both an intelligent and stubborn bird move into her home. Now that Bosefus has figured out how he could use Shani to dispose of the cats, he knows that she must be good for other things as well. . . .Her beloved food, for instance. He sees nothing wrong with jumping down from the window-sill, hopping over to her bowl of food, jumping into it and helping himself. Shani has tried to stop him by laying her head down next to the bowl, facing Bosefus nose-to nose and growling, but to Shani's surprise, she was pecked on the nose and quickly put in her place. Now, when I hear Shani whining, I know that Bosefus has taken control of her food again. The bird gets put back in his cage, Shani has her food and everyone is happy except Bosefus.

This little bird's life-span is probably about five years and I feel that Shani's devotion to him is a devotion of love more than responsibility, which will determine her reaction after Bosefus is gone. Either way, there will be a void in her life for a tiny bird that she seems to be extremely attached to. When that day comes, no matter where Shani and I go or what we do, I know that she will miss her best friend. A friend she loved so dearly and unconditionally.

© 2001
Cheryl Taul

Update December 2002

Bosefus died Saturday December 28th, 2002 about 7:03 pm. Shani laid down and whined for three nights in a row a little after 7 pm., where Bosefus died. The first night, I pulled her away because it upset me to see her so upset. The next two nights, I left her alone.

9/11/03

Tonight, as I rewrite this story to post on this page, there were tears thinking of Bosefus but also smiles, remembering how funny this little bird was and how special their friendship used to be. I felt the need this evening to type-up Shani's behavior (above) and the way she reacted after Bosefus died. How strange. . . it's 9/11. A night for memories. All kinds of memories. As this day comes to an end, Shani is well. I am well. . .and Bosefus is flying.

Update December 2004

My beautiful Shani passed away. As we sat on the couch, she jumped up and gave us a kiss and we loved and hugged her back. Little did we know that she was getting ready to leave us. She got down, walked across the living room and drop right in front of us. She was only six years old. She died December 28th, 2004 at 7:03 pm. The exact hour and exact minute on the exact day that Bosefus died, two years earlier. That's why I know beyond a doubt that God took her home where she and Bosefus are together....never to separate again.

"After all, there is less deceit among animals than among men."
Emile Achard-French author of the 1800's

Bosefus' Memorials