Still, Small Voice | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Still, Small Voice | Previous Challenge Entry
By Wendy Godwin
09/15/16
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“Please, Lord, just a few more minutes.” Haley continued to pick up globs of sand and tiny shards of glass with the small vacuum. The generator she was using had begun to sputter and threatened to quit. “Please, just let the gas last until I finish.”

Soon the linemen would work their magic and her home would have electricity once again. In the meantime, she had to make do with what she had. After all, it had only been a week since Hurricane Charley had wreaked havoc on the small town of Punta Gorda, Florida.

“Are you ready, Jamie?” Haley asked. She watched as her six-year-old lined up his collection of toy cars. Jamie’s thin fingers trembled. He would carefully park his collection, always smallest to the largest, in the empty box he used as a makeshift garage. Haley was always amazed at her son’s resourcefulness.

Jamie had been spending his days mostly at home with his mom. Today, though, Haley would take him with her to meet Mr. Sheffield, the owner of Peaceful Pets, a small pet store Jamie had worked at since she was sixteen. The store had sustained considerable damage from the storm. Only a few animals remained, waiting to be relocated or adopted.

Her son had always loved to visit the pet store. Haley could tell by the way his eyes would widen and his arms would fold across his chest as he stood and stared at each animal. The animals and her son shared a special type of communication, she knew. Four years ago, doctors had told Haley that Jamie would probably never speak. Jamie’s Autism had drawn him into a foreign world. A world the animals seemed to understand.

“Well, we have managed to find foster homes for all the parrots.” Randy, her boss, said.

“Except for Rio.” he added.

The large blue and gold macaw squawked loudly at the sound of his name. Rio had grown from a hand-fed baby in the back room to a large, mature bird whose cage once sat right beside the cash register. Now Rio’s cage was situated in a tight corner with boxes of kitty litter stacked haphazardly up against one side.

Rio’s penchant for talking had irritated Haley whenever she was trying to help a customer. No wonder no one wants him, thought Haley. “Haley, could you and Jamie take Rio home with you for a while?” she heard her boss ask. Randy looked concerned. It was too hot in the shop for Rio to stay any longer. Haley nodded slowly. Why me, Lord? she thought.

Back at home Haley set up Rio’s cage in the living room where the air was cooler. The large bird stared at her, head cocked to the side. He was being strangely quiet in the small cockatiel cage they had used to transport him.

“I’ll be done soon, Rio.” Haley couldn’t believe she was talking to the bird.

“Rio. Be done-- Awk! soon. Done, done, done . . .” Rio continued seemingly nonstop.

Haley finished her assembling quickly. Rio, happy to be back in his large cage, squawked so loudly that Jamie covered his ears and ran into the corner.

“Pretty bird! Awk! Rio! Rioooooo! Rio want a cracker. Pretty bird . . .”

Jamie hurried into the kitchen and found the parrot treats inside the wrinkled plastic bag. He looked at Haley for approval and she nodded.

“Cracker! Rio want a cracker! Mmmm! Good. Good cracker.” Rio quipped excitedly.

Jamie seemed to calm as he stood in front of the cage, arms folded, watching Rio quietly enjoy his treat. Rio was watching Jamie, as well. Well, thought Haley.

Haley busied herself cleaning out a cabinet full of cooking pots and pans. She had noticed that something had started to smell. She winced as she pulled out a rotting bag of potatoes. How did these get in here? She wondered. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Jamie sitting on the floor in front of Rio’s cage.

Rio had climbed down off of his perch and was standing eye-level with Jamie. Parrot eye to widened boy eye, they connected. Rio, in the quietest of voices, started whispering to Jamie.

“Hello” Rio said.

“Hello” Jamie whispered back.

Tears filled Haley’s eyes as she came and sat down next to her son. Hope filled her heart as she was reminded that God’s plan is not always our plan.

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