Arnold the Quaker

Arnold's Story

Arnold began as the baby Quaker of Frank and Liz. Frank and Liz got him from a breeder very early and dropper fed him until he weaned. For almost 2 years Arnold was very happy at Mama Liz's house and learned to talk real well. In the fall of 1997 Liz had a new baby "Mathew" and realized that first babies can be a handful and even need extra attention. Arnold was getting less and less attention and soon both Frank and Liz decided to put Arnold up for adoption so he could be happy again. Ruben and Frank and I worked together for several years and Ruben really wanted a Quaker of his very own so Arnold was lovingly moved to Ruben and Daisy's home in April 1998.

Arnold quickly became a well loved family member. He learned new words and sounds. He learned how to "ZIP" like a zipper and how to snore like Ruben. I would visit and play peek-a-boo around the corner at him as he played on the top of his cage. He became a well adjusted bird in just a few weeks. Ruben recorded Arnold's words and sounds on tape for later listening. Ruben loved that bird.

It was a Saturday night in May. The phone rang. My wife answered and started crying. It was Daisy, something awful had happened. We rushed to her aid. Ruben had been in a terrible accident. A few days later we were burying Daisy's husband, my friend and co-worker, Ruben. Services were held at the grave where he was buried and at the very end I looked up and listened. There, not to far away, in a tree just a few yards from where Ruben is now lying, I heard wild Quakers. He is being watched over and visited by his friends, his beloved Quaker birds. Those who know Ruben knows he made it to Heaven. He was a Christian, a good person,  and good friend to us all but knowing that his beloved Quaker parrots are close by lightened my heart a little more that day. Ruben, you will be truly missed.

Just 7 weeks after he left mama Liz's house, Arnold returned with a few new words and sounds. There was a lot of kissing and squawking and crying at his return as everyone knew why he returned. Arnold is well loved, even more than before, as those of us realize that he had so much to do with loving a special person to us all and what he meant to Ruben.

Life is short, to short for most of us. Make the very best of it you can. Love your parents, your spouse, your kids, your family, your pets, your friends, praise your God and thank him for your very breath, every moment of every day. Don't waste a single second of life.

Ruben, you are missed. We will always remember you every time we see Arnold and  hear him laugh and zip and snore.

At the age of 46, Ruben Hernandez, died May 25, 1998 as a result of head trauma received from a motorcycle accident. He left a wife, 3 children, one grand child he did not even know he had, a special Quaker, and a lot of friends and co-workers.

He was wearing a full helmet.

My favorite line to him,

"Let's get out of here and grab lunch............"

Jon-Mark Davey
Owner/Editor, quakerville.net