Season Episode #13

[alvin]

'Pijies front and center!'
Dudley and Hali found themselves automatically shifting into line and standing to attention in front of Stratton. The CHBs shuffled into something like order too. They managed to convey an "I'm doing this because I want to, not because I've been ordered to" air, but not so much that it crossed the line into actual dissobedience. CHBs may be a bunch or rebellious kids at heart, but they were not stupid.

'Sound off!'
'Scooter!'
'Yup!'
'Skeeter'
'Over Here!'
'Scotty!'
'What?'
'Scarlett!'
'Sure.'

'Sammy!'
'Sammy?'
'Sammy, I know your here. I saw you a second ago.!'
'Oh, Sure. I'm Here. Sorry Gunny.'
'Skip!'
'Yup Gunny.'
'Squiggy!'
'Present Gunny'
'Shiloh!'
'Yup.'

'Stony!'
'Stony 'aint here right now. Leave a message'
'Stony. - Drop and gimme 20! Now Pijie!'

'Scamp!'
'Up here Gunny'
'Skittles!'
'Skittles?'

'Ok where's Skittles?' Growled Stratton
'Him. Sandy, and Solo had to go out to requisition some supplies.' Answered Skeeter.
'What Supplies?'
'Erm....Bibles....Yeah, Bibles for our prayer meeting tomorrow. Gunny.'`
'I'll get back to that in a second......Don't go anywhere.'

'Santyclaus!'
'Ho Ho Ho.'
'Ho Ho Ho What?'
'Ho Ho Ho Gunny'

'Shadow!'
'Right behiend you Gunny.'

'Sarah!'
'Sure thing Sugar.'
'Savannah!'
'Yup Gunny'
'Peaches!
'That's Me!'
'Gingersnap!'
'Here Gunny'
'Sarge!'
'Eye-Firmative Gunny.'
'Signa!'
'Mmfph Mmfp'
'Signa!. That better not be chewing gum....You know the rule'.
Signa dropped and joined Stoney doing pressups.
'Stoker!'
'Here gunny.'
'Spades!'
'Present Gunny.'

Stratton walked up and down the lines of pijies. He didn't look at any of them directly, but every now and then he'd stop and point

out a particularly out of place feather, or some dust on a beak. As he walked down `the ranks of huddled birds, he delt with the days business.

'Ok, I know that your "Prayer Meeting" tomorrow is the kind where there is a two root beer minimum, and the house takes a straight 10%.' He stopped right in front of Skeeter. 'Which means that 90% of the house's cut goes to where?'

'The widows, orphans, and distressed pijies fund'. They answered.
'The rest, you can keep as long as I don't see it. So keep it down. - The LT (Lady Tarheel) can't find out, or we are all in deep poopy.'

Stratton got to the end of the lines of Pijies and noticed that there were two more, and one who looked like a.....Parrot.

'Who in the blue hell are you?'
'Her name is Hali'. said Dinkster, then he paused for a second and added 'Sir', because he thought it necessary.

The CHBs backed away and stuffed their wings in their ears. Dudley, Uni, and Hali found themselves suddenly alone.

[Lady Tarheel]

Hey Alvin - So cute how you worked all my babies' names in. I had a heck of a time coming up with names for all of them

They are honored and will do the SPP's justice.

You are a terrific storyteller but where did my babies disappear to?

[alvin]

It's in the queue. A Mod will sort it out soon.

Just remember. Stratton is a Marine. And a Gunnery Sargent too.
He's going to be loud....

[Feather]

That's what I want to know.

Great Job with all the names of the CHBs or Ps That is what they call the California Highway Patrol. CHPs! Maggie I think that is so sweet that your little darlings give to charity.

Feather

[mr squeaks]

OH my, what a great bunch of CHBs there are!

At the rate the count is goin' up, I'm gonna be in DEEP DOO DOO...My eyes took one look and the memory circuit alarms went OFF....HEEEELLLLLPPPP!

I need a program...pant, pant, OK, I'm better now. Slow and steady, slow and steady...

Thank goodness for Squeaks - he has a GREAT memory and will keep me on track!

[Lady Tarheel]

I just love this.

This morning, we moved Briggs and Stratton (the gunnery sgt) and LD and Hannah from the old, small aviary, into the larger, new aviary with all the CHB's so all of them are together now. ( We (or rather, Lewis ) will tear down the old aviary sometime soon. Wow, kinda sad because it housed a lot of pigeons over the years.) We had wanted to keep them apart for a few weeks to make sure we didn't introduce anything into the CHB aviary but all seems well. We wormed Hannah this morning and would you believe it, that little thing is still squealing even tho she is over 300 grams! Just a big old baby.