To read Part I, scroll down to February 12th. Today, we continue with Part II.
To get his mind off Delila and his wounded soul, poor TestaVerde (TV for short) the Roseate Spoonbill visited all his pals near and far. He took horseshoe crab fishing lessons with Maya the Great Egret. 
He dropped in on Julio the Cormorant who was hanging out with his cousins. He listened for hours and hours to their stories about the wonders they saw under water:
Then he started confiding in others about his fragile amorous state. His buddy Jestsayin the Roseate Spoonbill gave him his usual retort when baffled by the conundrums of life. “Get a life and quit worriwartin’ over some fool girl Rosy” Jestsayin sputtered and TV went on his way.
He spent an evening with Grandebouche the Brown Pelican who wasn’t much help either. “Ya think ya got problems??? I cain’t git a fish bigger ‘n a shraimp with all tha competition here.”
Of course, it didn’t help matters much when, next morning, Neptune the Osprey started showing off to his latest conquest by screeching out to her while she was taking a dip:
[caption id="attachment_1503" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""Whoo hoo Bellezza, doan’t git yer feathers too wet—we’ve been invited to the opening of a fancy Sashimi joint over in Naples”"]
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Bellezza was blindingly beautiful but TV the Roseate Spoonbill could barely see this, so smitten was he with Delila:
[caption id="attachment_1504" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""I'm coming, just have to rinse off.""]
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He met up with Rudolph Valentino (RV) the Reddish Egret and complimented him on his dancing and fishing skills. Now, I don’t know if you remember this but Neptune the Osprey told all who would listen that RV made the avian population swoon at the very sight of him.
Well, TestaVerde had learned this fact through Maya the Great Egret and with a hesitant voice, queried RV if he could learn from him. “Ah, my friend—it’s my red feathers that sets ‘em off, doncha know. Maybe if ya dyed your pink feathers a tad red, they’d come running”; he replied to a disappointed TV. His heart, with a little toss, confirmed his thoughts that he only wanted one to come running and that ONE was the Divine Delila.
He ran into a Great, great aunt of Celeste, the Tricolor Heron out doing her morning fishing. She was in a terrible rush and kept on flying. Besides, as she was later overheard to say with a sniff, that she “didn’t have time to stop and chat about the affairs of the heart”:
So on and on he went with no resolution. It was too far to go to see the Shaman on Lake Okeechobee to get his advice. But like his spirit brothers and sisters, the wolves in Yellowstone, TV had developed a special relationship with the moon over the years. When it was full and fully risen, he would sit under a lone palm tree and point his beak towards the sky.
What followed, I’m not at liberty to say but Testaverde came back one night with a little skip and hop to his stride. Everywhere he went after that, the avian and mammal world would sigh with appreciation. Even the humans were stunned by his unique and striking demeanor.
Delila was with her sister Delice when she caught sight of this Adonis and gazed with adoration at him. Of course, Delice could only laugh at this turn of events.
[caption id="attachment_1510" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption=""MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmm""]
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Now, whenever there was a splash party and Delila caught sight of the “new” TestaVerde, she would let out a little screech and run to his side.
[caption id="attachment_1511" align="aligncenter" width="900" caption="Yooohooooo, TV wait for meeeeee""]
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What happened that night under the palm tree, you wonder? I often wonder myself (TV only divulged bits and pieces) but if I have to take a guess, I’d bet that TestaVerde came into his own that night. He realized that by being a kind and gentle soul and having so many wonderful friends was more important than being the latest crush at the rookery.
What do YOU think?? I’d love to hear your speculations. Oh, and Basilio the Roseate Spoonbill: what happened to him? Well, there’s much, much more to this story and all will be revealed down the road a bit. First, we must go back to the Great Blue Herons’ tale narrated by our diva, Maya the Great Egret. So, while you’re speculating on what happened to TV the Rosy that fateful night, why not listen to this love song done by MY biggest crush when I was 13. Oh, be still, my fluttering heart!!! Ciao, y’all et á bientôt. ;D
