One summer evening I was sitting by the open window, reading a good science story book. I was so interested in the story I was reading that I did not notice that it was getting dark. When I realized it was too dark for me to read easily, I put the book down and get up to turn on the light. Just then I heard someone crying: "Help! Help!" It seemed to come from the trees at the other end of the yard. I looked out but it was now too dark to see anything clearly. Almost immediately I heard the cry again. It sounded like a child, but I could not imagine what anybody would be doing in our backyard, unless one of the neighborhood children had climbed a tree and had not been able to get down.
I decided that I ought to go out and have a look in the yard, just in case someone was in trouble. I got a flashlight and a stick, I thought it might be useful. Armed with these, I went out into the yard. Once again I heard the cry and this time there was no doubt that it came from the trees at the far end of the yard. "Who's there?" I called out as I walked across the yard toward the trees. But there was no answer. With the help of my flashlight, I searched all over that end of the yard, including the branches of the trees. There was no sign of anybody or anything. I came to the conclusion that my imagination was playing tricks to me, probably because of the story I was reading about strange creatures on another planet.
Feeling rather foolish about hunting around in my own backyard with a baseball bat, I went back into the house and put the bat and flashlight away. I had just sat down to read my book again when I was frightened by the cry of "Help! Help!" This time from right behind me. I dropped my book and jumped up. There, sitting on the table was a large green and red bird. It was my neighbour's parrot! While I was out in the yard, the parrot must have seen the light in the living room and come in through the open window.
