Pablo and Birdy – Blackbird and Company

elusive: difficult to find, catch or achieve
flotsam: the wreckage of a ship or its cargo found floating on or washed up by the sea
perpetual: never ending or changing; occurring repeatedly
inferior: lower in rank, status, or quality
intricate: very complicated or detailed
strut: a rod or bar forming a part or a framework and designed to resist compression

Pablo and Birdy’s almost doing morning ritual is to almost fly. (pg. 5)
When a storm is on its way, Emmanuel and Pablo prepare by wheeling in the t-shirt racks, rolling up the awnings, buttress the door with sandbags and lock the store tight. (pg. 7)
Everyone in Isla knows the story of how Pablo and Birdy arrived on Isla after a storm in an inflatable swimming pool. (pg. 10)
Every time Birdy hears the words, “for dear life,” she cocks her head as if the words reminded her of something. (pg. 16)
Pablo goes to the beach to talk to Birdy about things he can only tell her. (pg. 18)
Rhody is not a parrot, but a Rhode Island Red rooster. (pg. 19)
Isla is famous for its birds, especially its talking birds. (pg. 24)
Television’s most zealous Seafaring Parrot reporter is Elmira Toledo who always wears a trench coat and purple glasses. (pg. 32)
Pablo’s very first word was “Birdy.” (pg. 49)
In his room Pablo has a hammock instead of a bed. (pg. 69)
Seafaring Souvenirs opens at 10 am just in time for the tourists. (pg. 74)

frequent: occurring or done many times, in many cases in quick succession
inconspicuous: not clearly visible or attracting attention; not conspicuous
indistinct: not clear or sharply defined
precocious: having developed abilities at an earlier age than usual
ruckus: a disturbance or commotion
slink: to move smoothly and quietly with gliding steps in a stealthy manner

Pierre says that a rash of unsolved crimes would not be good publicity for Isla. (pg. 85)
Pablo does not allow tourists to take pictures of Birdy because she is not a tourist act. (pg. 88)
Darren Mandible has strong feelings about the weather, especially the winds of change. (pg. 93)
The two things that the winds of change portend are possible arrival of a Seafaring Parrot or the leaving from the island of a Seafaring Parrot. (pg. 95)
Pablo tells Birdy that he would write, “My mother,” on Lula’s chalkboard. (pg. 101)
When Birdy looks right at the dog, the dog’s head is filled with staticky noise, laughter, voices and shrieks. (pg. 105)
Pablo is able to count five elephant ears in the jaws of the little dog, before he veers right, hurdles over Peaches, and zooms down the sidewalk. (pg. 109)
Three of the smells that come out of the building that house the café are tortilla soup, chicken mole and quesadillas. (pg. 116)
In the early mornings as Emmanuel, Lula and Pierre sit in the bakery and drink their coffee and eat pastries they argue over the theories concerning Pablo’s arrival to the Isla. (pg. 118)
Around the time of Pablo’s non-birthday the types of dreams he has are ocean dreams. (pg. 125)
The four things that Pablo knows are absolutely verifiably true are the necklace that he had never taken off; Birdy; the swimming pool; the green blanket. (pg. 135)

adamant: refusing to be persuaded or to change one’s mind
contemplate: to look or think thoughtfully for a long time
iridescent: showing luminous colors that seem to change when seen from different angles
picturesque: visually attractive, especially in a quaint or pretty style
piffle: nonsense
unison: simultaneous performance of action or utterance of speech

Elmira Toledo’s trademark line is, “This is Elmira Toledo, reporting on behalf of you and the winds of change, fortune lost or fortune gained.” (pg. 145)
The people of Isla sell bird souvenirs, but not the birds themselves they are free. (pg. 151)
The shadow that Pablo sees halfway across the steel cable leading to the grotesque’s ledge is Birdy. (pg. 157)
If the man did not put his plate onto the floor that was signal that the dog would get no food that night. (pg. 167)
The distant crowing of a rooster pierces the dog’s dream. (pg. 168)
Given the choice Pablo would choose cheese quesadillas over Cuban food. (pg. 170)
Emmanuel says that the Buena Vista Social Club reminds him of Old Cuba where he had come from as a little boy. (pg. 171)
If Emmanuel could dance with anyone in the world it would be his mother. (pg. 176)
For the first time that Daniel Mandible can recall the Isla winds are blowing away from the island rather than blowing onshore. (pg. 180)
According to legend Seafaring Parrots that are kept in captivity die. (pg. 183)
When Birdy untucks her head she hold out one of her blue-green feathers to Pablo. (pg. 198)

bewildered: to be confused, perplexed
impervious: unable to be affected by
perilous: full of danger or risk
swoop: to move rapidly downward through the air
undulate: to move with a smooth wavelike motion
writhe: to make continual twisting, squirming movements or contortions of the body

Emmanuel suggests that they call in fake tips of Seafaring Parrot sightings to put Elmira off of Birdy’s trail. (pg. 216)
Emmanuel, Pierre and Lula made up stories to explain Pablo’s arrival at Isla so that he had a happy story. The truth was probably too sad. (pg. 218)
When Birdy dips her head into the crook of Pablo’s neck she pulls out the Dios men bendiga pendant. (pg. 221)
Emmanuel’s family left Cuba because they did not trust the new government. (pg. 226)
Pablo says Birdy has been talking in her sleep for the past couple of weeks. (pg. 232)
The principle known as Occam’s Razor is that the simplest explanation is usually the right one. (pg. 233)
Birdy knows all of Pablo’s secrets. (pg. 240)
Pablo has to knock on the door of Pierre’s Goodies threw times before Lula opens the door. (pg. 244)
The large neon script on the helicopter spells out TOLEDO TIP LINE. (pg. 251)
Emmanuel names the little dog Osito. (pg. 274)
If looked at in a certain way an elephant ear looks like a heart. (pg. 284)