It is early Sunday morning. Oto-san is day off.
Oto-san opens the birdcage and holds out his hand to my beak.
He says.
"This is Oto-san. You are a good boy, aren't you, Pea-chan?"

What about Oka-san now? At this time, she is usually still asleep in peace in her room. She does not get up until two hours later.

As Oto-san has high blood pressure, he cannot get up late. On the other hand Oka-san has low blood pressure. Therefore, she is not good at getting up early.
What is more, Oto-san has a drink with dinner every night for a long time. His dinner drags on watching TV, putting even my sleepy self to so much trouble.
In spite of it, he goes to bed as soon as he finishes dinner. He cares only about himself.

Then, Oka-san cleans up the dinner and begins to watch her favorite TV program.
It is the time I sleep, with the furoshiki over my birdcage.

Oto-san is naturally an early bird. He never gets up later than Oka-san.
After folding up a futon, he boils milk and toasts a piece of bread. At his breakfast time, he reads a morning paper and listens to the radio.

Well, the above is what usually happens on Sunday mornings at our family's home.

-----
There is sometimes unfortunately no milk in the fridge, nor bread at times. In such cases, Oto-san's unfriendly voice echoes.
"Oka-san, there is no milk here!"
No answer from Oka-san, because she is still in a peaceful sleep in her room.

I hear Oto-san's footsteps going to Oka-san's room.
Oto-san is probably complaining and Oka-san may be mumbling something like "I am sorry" in a monotonous voice rubbing her sleepy eyes.
Such talks may follow.
Oto-san: "What shall I do?"
Oka-san: "It can't be helped, anyway."
Oto-san: "I am asking you what I should eat."
Oka-san: "Well, sorry...., would you make coffee?"
Oto-san: "It's always the same. You should prepare well for breakfast. That's not I am asking too much to you."
Oka-san: "I am sorry. I will do so next."
Oto-san: "You said the same thing last time."
Oka-san: "What should I say now?"

It is the tragic start of Sunday.

I am waiting for Sunday, too. If always, Oto-san is in a good mood until Oka-san appears every Sunday morning.
First of all, taking off the furoshiki over my birdcage, he says.
"Good morning, Pea-chan. It's me."
Then he happily changes the water in a cup and refill the feed box.
His eyes come near me and his hand enters into my cage. He says.
"Pea-chan, I like you very much. You are a good boy."
His forefinger rubs my neck. Comfortable. As I cannot expect Paco-chan's preening any more, it's above all. Oka-san is better but Oto-san is more polite.
I answer him.
"Pea-chan iiko-dayo. Pea-chan daisuki. Oto-san daisuki!" (I am Pea-chan. I am a good boy. I like Oto-san very much!)
Hearing my greeting, his face turns brilliant at once.

The situation is completely different after their quarrel. Without notice, his hand abruptly enters into my cage. Therefore it is also the matter with me.

After a while, Oka-san is greeting to the Oto-san's room.
"Good morning, Oto-san." But, no answer.
Then she comes to the living room where I am in the cage, and says.
"Good morning, Pea-chan. This is Oka-san."
I answer her.
"Pea-chan daisuki. Pea-chan iiko-dayo." (I am Pea-chan. I am a good boy.)
Oka-san says to herself.
"It's a beautiful morning. Well, it's the start of our family."
Then she changes the water in the cup and refill the feed box this time.
Now Oto-san comes here, ignores us, sits on a sofa and pretends to watch TV with a sulky face.

This morning, Oka-san's forefinger rubs my neck. I don't feel comfortable in a gloomy mood because of their quarrel a little while ago.
Oka-san's forefinger is rather casual with no motherly gentleness. Her eyes are wandering here and there.

She suddenly says.
"Well! Isn't this a white hair, Pea-chan? Your feathers have increasingly split ends."
I talk to Oka-san, disregarding her attention.
"Oka-san daisuki. Pea-chan iiko-dayo. Paco-chan daisuki. Paco-chan daisuki." (I like Oka-san. I am a good boy. I love Paco-chan very much. I love Paco-chan very much.)

Oka-san calls out to Oto-san watching TV.
"Oto-san, how wonderful Pea-chan is! He cannot forget Paco-chan. He is great!"
Oto-san comes near me still with a sour look and says.
"Yes, he is. He is great."
Both of them look at me gently and sorrowfully.
I talk to them.
"Pea-chan iiko-dayo. Oto-san daisuki. Oka-san daisuki. Paco-chan daisuki." (I am a good boy. I like Oto-san. I like Oka-san. I love Paco-chan very much.)
Oka-san: "You see?! Pea-chan said that."
Oto-san: "True. Pea-chan is really a good boy."

Our happy Sunday began belatedly.

Oto-san whispers to me while Oka-san is away.
"Thank you always, Pea-chan."
Oka-san whispers to me while Oto-san is away.
"Thank you always, Pea-chan. Just as "Ko wa kasugai" (Children are a bond between their parents), so you are "kasugai" (a bond) between us."
Their quarrel always begins like this, and always ends like this.

I don't like their quarrel. I want them always to be close to each other just as Paco-chan and I were.
I am glad to be called "kasugai" (a bond) all right, but I am happier that they are on good terms with each other.
When Oka-san is out, Oto-san talks to me quietly.
"Pea-chan, I love Oka-san very much."
Forever, I wish it to be so.