Copyright 1998 -- Robert Baer Jr.

PROLOGUE

Imagine a world that has "gone to the birds."   IT HAS, in BirdWorld!  
This is the continuing story of Robin Mallory, radio station manager.
loving wife and mother.   What's new in her life?   We'll ask "Chipper"
Birdwell, Robin's father about it.

BirdWorld - "What's wrong with Thrush?"

As we approach "Chipper's tree" we notice that he is walking on the
ground, pecking at a tree root.  "Ya know," Chipper says,"trying to eat
these termites is a real struggle.   I remember when I was a young bird
how I'd peck for hours at one root and still not get a single termite!  
I'd done that so many times that I swore I'd never peck for termites
again.   Looks like I changed my mind, doesn't it?   Well, I guess change
can be a good thing, like the big changes that happaned at WBIRD radio
lately.  Just let me tell you how it was yesterday morning there:

It was eight in the morning, Carla and Wild Bill were in the "booth" doing
their morning talk show.   Mr Biszop came in a few minutes later and
announced to the entire office that there would be a staff meeting in one
hour.   No one knew what was happaning, usually the boss wouldn't call a
full staff meeting so quickly, some of the staff feared the worst.  
Howard Yates feared that he wasn't selling enough on air ads, Meadowlark
Gremmon thought that maybe the boss had a problem with his sports reports.
  Robin was concerned about maybe all this "Dinosaur and Otto" publicity
was the reason for the meeting.   Then there was Thrush Limbird, who had
returned to the "air" last week.  He had a feeling that this meeting was
about him!    Babs Finchly was hoping the staff meeting was about giving
employees a raise!   Only Edward R Sparrow said absolutely nothing.   His
facial expression was unchanged, one could only guess what was going
through his mind.

Nine O'clock came, and everyone walked somberly into Mr Biszop's office,
except for Babs (who had to answer the phones) and Wild Bill, who stayed
in the booth to continue the morning show while Carla attended the
meeting.  Mr Biszop and the others knew that although Wild Bill was a good
bird, he didn't really "do meetings" all that well.  The last time he was
in a staff meeting, Wild Bird tried to balance his coffee mug on top of
his head while reciting spontanious "homemade" poetry, and then suggested
that the station have a "bring your friend a worm" promotion.
Needless to say, Wild Bill is better behind the microphone than behind the
podium!

When everyone was seated, Mr Biszop started the meeting.   "Ladies and
Gentlebirds," he began,"there are a number of things we need to discuss
concerning the station, and your individual performances.    Howard, I'll
begin with you.   I want no more talk of "Computer Dinosaur" or "Furry
Creature" promotional commercials.   Our ads are selling just fine without
trying to take further advantage of recent events.    I also don't like
the "listen to WBIRD, where true heroes speak" concept either.   Yes,
Robin, Thrush and Wild Bill did heroic acts, but let the call-in listeners
heap praise on them, not our promotional ads, OK?    Meadowlark, I
received some letters from angry listeners who took exception to your
comment about,"I was at a fight, and a hockey game broke out!"    Be
careful about saying things like that in the future, alright?"

Then Mr Bizsop turned to Thrush and said,"Thrush, I need to speak to you
most of all."   Thrush looked a little nervous as the boss continued to
speak.  "I have gotten a lot of listener mail about you, more than usual! 
 One listener asked,'Where's the REAL Thrush Limbird?   Where's all those
famous female insults at?'    Another wonders if you 'suffered a
concussion' after attacking that human and 'lost your memory.'   Another
listener suggests that 'the REAL Thrush Limbird must be in hiding.'   
Here's one that says simply,'What's wrong with Thrush?   What happaned to
the bird who once said that females should marry, lay eggs and stay home? 
   Has he lost his mind?    Why is he now praising ladies and saying that
both male and female birds can do anything they set their hearts to do? ' 
  Thrush, there's a few more letters I could read you, but they say pretty
much the same thing, would you like to explain to all of us what brought
about these changes in you?"

Thrush stood up and began to explain,"Mr Biszop, sir, as you and everyone
else in this room knows, much has happaned to me in these past few months.
  At first, I was very upset about being past over for the station
manager's job.  Then I got even madder at Robin when she was the 'talk of
BirdWorld' when her dinosaur friend came to visit.   I was so jealous,
that I nearly got myself killed venturing out alone into the outside world
to find my own 'big creature.'   Robin and that furry dog named Otto saved
my life!   I was lucky I only had a bruised wing, it could've been a LOT
worse!   As Robin and Joe took me home from the hospital that day, for the
first time I began to realize that I had been wrong all these years about
women.   Later I heard about Carla's 'scarlet ribbon caper' and I even
listened to her show regularly while I was recouperating.   Carla, you are
a genious!   You have an on air style that's the best I've ever heard!   I
had plenty of time to think while my wing was mending, and the more I
thought about it, the more wrong I knew I had been.   Robin, I'm so sorry
for treating you so badly all these years, I hope you can find it in your
heart to forgive me....."

Everyone in the room was speechless!   Edward, Howard and Meadowlark were
so stunned, they just sat there with their beaks open!   Robin was
especially surprised!   She never thought that THE Thrush Limbird would
ever apoligize to a 'lowly female.'   All she could say was,"Thank you,
Thrush, and I do forgive you..."   Even Mr Biszop looked very astounded at
Thrush's words!   "Mr Biszop, sir, what those letters are saying IS true,
I have changed, I am not the Thrush Limbird that I used to be."

"I know, Thrush," Mr Biszop said,"even your co-workers have noticed this. 
 Both Robin and Carla have came to me saying how you actually have been
bringing THEM coffee in the mornings, and Babs told me that on your first
day back, you actually complimented her on the fine job she was doing!  
Babs said she was so startled, she almost passed out at her desk!"

"Mr Biszop, sir, I know that many of our listeners were used to the 'old
me' but I can't be THAT Thrush Limbird anymore, I am who I am."

"Glad to hear you say that, Thrush!"  Mr Biszop replied as he reached
behind his desk and pulled out a very large sack of letters,"because this
bag is full of letters from listeners who say that they LOVE the NEW
Thrush Limbird!  I must admit that I really didn't like some of your old
opinions, but I tolerated you because your ratings stayed very high, but
NOW your ratings are EVEN higher!   I'm proud of you, Thrush!   Keep up
the good work!"

It was at that time that Babs opened the door and said francticly,"Carla,
you better get back in the booth!   Wild Bill is telling listeners how to
'power dive' at humans!   The phones are all lit up, someone better talk
some sense into him!"   
That broke the meeting up quickly, Carla returned to the air and told
everyone Wild Bill was joking!    The rest of the staff, even Mr Biszop
himself, spent the rest of the morning handling all the phone calls from
listeners who thought Wild Bill was serious!   Oh well, at least all these
calls meant that people were tuned in to the station, so it wasn't too
surprising that Mr Biszop and Robin wasn't TOO upset about Will Bill's
exploits!   Besides, it was Wild Bill's 'power dive' last week that helped
save BirdWorld from destruction.   

Oh well, at least in Thrush Limbird's case, CHANGE is GOOD!   I knew he
was a changed bird since he bravely pecked that hunter on the nose last
week!    The OLD Thrush Limbird would have NEVER done anything like that! 
 I know I owe him a debt of thanks, he saved me, Robin and Joe from being
shot!    I guess old birds can learn new tricks, right?   Well, it looks
like I'm not having any luck at all with these tree roots, even after all
these years, those pesky little termites are STILL hard to get!   Oh well,
I reckon some things never change, do they?   

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