The Key West citizen., 1952-09-17
HAL
BOYLE
SAYS
sy HAL BOYLE

NEW YORK lRE-EVer since VIII
bur Feeble and his wife quarreled
over politics he has been getting
prune juice for breakfast instead
of orange juice.
He knew it was just one way
that TrelliS Mae, who is madly for
Adlai, was getting even with him
for backing Dwight Eisenhower.
But everytime he groaned, Il
don't like prune juice!" she re-
Piled
cts prune juice for you from
now on. We're Tightening up our
domestic economy. That's part of
the coop program, isn't it,"
''It isn't goop-it is G-O-P," OBJ
jected Wilbur.
''Wel, it's coop to me-" said
Trellis Mai. Adlai and think you
are all goops.
Foreseeing four long years of
prune juice if the Republicans
won, Wolbur decided it was time
to compromise.
"I'm tired of all his fuSSing over
politics." he said. IF you'll go
back to serving orange juice-and
keep your mouth shut about Adlai
for one full week-I'll buy you
parrot"
TrelliS Mae hesitated. All her
married life she had wanted a
parrot so she would have someone
to talk to on the nights Wilbur
went bowling or played poker.
"It'S a DEAL" she agreed. "But
it has to be a talking parrot
not one of those old dumb ones"
That very morning Wilbur went
to a bird store and picked out a
fine parrot, which, oddly, was
named Polly.
you're. lucky" said the pro-
prietor. "She's got the best vocab-
ulary of any bird l ever had"
The conversation went from bird
to the weather, from women to
baseball, and from baseball to
politics.
who's going to VIM" asked
Wilbur.
"A number of people who come
in here are for Gov. Stevenson"
said the proprietor, "but l like
to tell 'em all that l like Ike.
81 like Ike, too" said Wilbur.
And every lunch hour for several
days he dropped into the store to
see Polly and chat with the owner
on Politics. Meanwhile Trellis Mae
never mentioned Adlai once, al
though the strain of staying silent
visibly was making her nervous.
One week from the day she made
her bargain her husband returned
home with the parrot in a bright
new cage.
"Oh, Wilbur, she's beautiful. Can
she really TALK" said TrelliS Mae.
clapping her hands. Miffed at being
doubted, Polly turned three slow
somersaults on her perch, then
looked out upside down and said
Surlily, Hello"
Wilbur smiled and started to the
bathroom to take a shower. Ex-
cited, Trellis Mae ran into the
Kitchen and came back with
cracker. As Wilbur paused by the
bathroom door, he heard his wife
say:
Polly like a cracker? Polly like
a cracker"
There was moment of silence,
and then the voice Of the parrot
sounded. raucous but clear:
Il like Ike! like Ike"
Wilbur quickly closed the door
behind him and was a long time
taking his shower. When he re.
enterea the living room, the bird
cage was empty
Where's Polly" he asked.
lone COOP in this house is more
than enough" said TreIlis Mae.
i put her in the refrigerator to
punish her for saying she liked
Ike She isn't funny "
He went to the kitchen and
opened the refrigerator door Polly,
her shoulders hunched and shiver.
ing. was striding back and forth
on a wire shelf, pausirg now and
then 10 blow On her cold claws.
On the shelf below her lay he
frozen carcass Of a chicken Trellis
Mae planned 10 roast the follow
Ing evening
Poor Polly" exclaimed Wnbur.
'.Oh. I'm al right squawked the
parrot. then pointed one wing down
10 he frozen chlckcn. but look 81
that bird down here VITO did size
- klA~l nF.kr-~f-..aFs