Category: News and Views
Parrot's love declaration turns boyfriend into a cuckold
Date: January 18 2006
TO COIN a phrase, there were three of them in the relationship - plus a
bird called Ziggy.
But for Chris Taylor, the only cloud on his horizon was that his
girlfriend did not share his fondness for his eight-year-old African
grey parrot.
If relations between Suzy Collins and Ziggy were always on the cool
side, it seems fair to say that now they must be deep-frozen after the
parrot's mimicry
revealed the existence of her secret lover, known only as Gary.
At first, Mr Taylor was amused when Ziggy started screeching "Hiya,
Gary" every time it heard Miss Collins' mobile phone ring. He even saw
the funny side
when the parrot began making kissing noises when the name was mentioned
on television.
But the truth finally dawned as the couple snuggled together on the sofa
and Ziggy blurted out "I love you, Gary" in her voice.
Miss Collins, 25, a call-centre worker, broke down in tears and
confessed to a four-month fling with a former colleague.
Her confession not only ended their two-year relationship but led Mr
Taylor to part with his pet because it kept repeating the offending
name.
"I wasn't sorry to see the back of Suzy after what she did but it really
broke my heart to let Ziggy go," he said. "It was torture hearing him
repeat that
name over and over again.
"It feels like someone's got it in for me because I've lost my
girlfriend and my best mate at the same time ... I didn't want to
believe it at first but when
Ziggy said 'I love you, Gary' in Suzy's voice it sent a chill down my
spine."
Mr Taylor, 30, a computer programmer who lives in Yorkshire, named the
parrot after David Bowie's alter ego, Ziggy Stardust. But when Miss
Collins moved
in a year ago, she was not so enthusiastic about Ziggy and the attention
the pet was paid.
"To be fair to her, you either like parrots or you don't," Mr Taylor
said.
"At first she didn't mind me having one but over time she began to
resent the time we spent together.
"She used to say I spent more time talking to Ziggy than I did to her
and she often moaned that we never went out."
Mr Taylor said Ziggy was an excellent mimic "and he had Suzy down to a
tee. Whenever he heard the name Gary on the telly he would start making
these big,
slurpy kissing sounds. I didn't have a clue what he was trying to tell
me. In fact I think I even joked to Suzy that he (Gary) must be her bit
on the side."
Miss Collins, who is staying with friends, admitted her affair with
Gary, who is thought to be in his 20s.
"I'm not proud of what I did but I'm sure Chris would be the first to
admit we'd been having problems," she said.
"We'd spoken about splitting up several times and I think it was
inevitable.
"I'm surprised to hear he's got rid of that bird. He spent more time
talking to it than he did to me. I couldn't stand him (Ziggy) and it
looks now like
the feeling was mutual."