Pancho was not just your average pet bird. He was given to us by the breeder who spent alot of time hand feeding and taming the birds she raised. He would sit on your finger and usually not fly away. He was a combination Christmas and Homecoming gift. My teen aged daughter Em had been in a treatment center for one year,
the loneliest time of my life.
I was very relieved that she was there because she was surrounded by counselors and other girls her age who all gave support during this time of recovery. I was worried that coming back to our home where it was just her and I living alone would be a return to a lonely life. So Pancho was a nice addition to the home.
We got him when Emily was off for Christmas vacation before returning to school and she spent alot of time trying to teach him to sing and say words. After only a few months, Pancho was able to say his name and the breeder was impressed. That was considered a relatively short time to get a bird to say anything. He was so cute the way he learned several words and a kissing sound that Emily made when she greeted him saying “Gimme kiss, Gimme kiss”.
He would say that to us and even the cats who would just lay there staring at him. I was so amazed that the several cats we owned at the time would not even attack him, even when he walked by or right up to them whistling to them or “kissing” at them.
Pancho was a symbol of Emily’s dedication and caring. She put her time towards training him and caring for him while she started a new life in sobriety. He accompanied us everywhere he was tolerated. If we had to get petfood, Emily would insist we went to Petco where he would be allowed in. He rode on her shoulder everwhere…into K-Mart and even some grocery stores.
When we went to the park for my birthday party, he stole the show on a boat ride tour of Tempe Town Lake. All the kids on the boat gathered around to see and hold Pancho. He will always be remembered for playing a very important role in our lives. At the end, after he died, Emily said that it taught her to realize that she will have to deal with grief again soon when our beloved 10 year old dog Daizey passes. Pancho, you will be remembered forever with so much love and
memories of those happy days of your life!
Gone but never forgotten,
| Pancho |
| Emily Tarango-Bounds |