The KEA is a native NZ mountain parrot, that has a reputation of being intelligent and ready to steal anything that's not tied down.
It appears that I have the human version living next door to me...
Yesterday evening, I was just about to leave for the store to buy some cat food. A I walked out the door, I saw my next door neighbour's 3 yr old going down my front deck steps, with our yellow plastic, dog food scoop, clutched firmly in his chubby little hand.
'OI', yells I. 'BRING THAT BACK NOW." Young blighter takes off running as fast as his little legs can take him, still clutching his prize.
I take off in pursuit and as I round the corner of his house, see him disappearing inside the front door.
I go up, knock on the partly opened front door. I can see straight into the living room. TV is on, lights are off. No Mum or Dad in sight. There is however a pile of stuff sitting in the middle of the floor, with a lit flashlight sitting on top.
The young Artful Dodger, pokes his head round the door. I look at him sternly and say "You need to give me that back."
He disappears and then comes back and solemnly hands me ....
.... one of the basting mops that my husband uses for BBQing. Okay, hadn't realised that was gone, but thank you for giving it back, young man !!
Still no pet food scoop, so I put my hand out again.
He looks at me and then disappears again. This time he comes back with ....
... my gardening trowel !!! Hadn't realised that was gone either...
At this point, I'm really trying hard to keep the stern look on my face as he sheepishly regards me with his big, brown eyes. I put my hand out again and waggle my fingers. He disappears around the door again and I'm doing a mental catalogue of the other things currently on my deck. He reappears and holds out .....
.... the dog food scoop !
I thanked him and asked him if there was anything more. He firmly closed the door in my face. I guess that was a 'No'....
I'm now wondering if that's where the grill scrapers and other little bits and pieces, that have turned up missing, have disappeared to.
The less funny side of the whole incident is that he appeared to be home alone. I did see his Mum run out after him about 20 minutes later and after I'd caught him on the deck twice more. At that point I was just about to take him inside and call the police to do a welfare check.
Mum doesn't speak a word of English, so I'll talk to another neighbour this evening, who speaks Spanish, and get her to talk to her about his burgeoning larceny and the need to supervise him a bit better...
