By Online Desk
“I know why the caged bird sings,” wrote American poet and author Maya Angelou in her autobiography. Years on, a pet mynah, rescued from the strife-torn lands of Afghanistan and that has learnt to chirp Bonjour, has infused the twitterverse with hope.
The mynah, belonging to an Afghan girl who was evacuated after the Taliban took over her home country, has found sanctuary with a French envoy in Abu Dhabi.
Juji, the mynah, was taken in by Xavier Chatel after the girl was stopped from bringing her pet on the France-bound flight for sanitary reasons. Chatel is the Ambassador of France in the UAE.
There is a story I have been meaning to tell for a while. During the Afghan evacuation operation, a girl arrived at Al Dhafra airbase, exhausted, with an unusual possession: a bird. She had fought all the way at Kabul airport, to bring the treasured little thing with her.1/8 pic.twitter.com/75cKq1ltPf
— Xavier Chatel (@Xavier_Chatel_) October 5, 2021
The bird, who ‘doesn’t like men but giggles at females’, was given shelter at the ambassador’s residence and has even learned to chirp ‘Bonjour’.
Chatel, who promised the girl that he will try to reunite her with Juji, took to Twitter on Wednesday to narrate this heartwarming incident.
“A girl arrived at Al Dhafra airbase, exhausted, with an unusual possession: a bird. She had fought all the way at Kabul airport to bring the treasured little thing with her,” Chatel tweeted.
“For sanitary reasons, the bird could not embark on the plane,” he added. “She cried silently. I was moved. I promised to take care of the bird at the residence, feed him. She could visit him anytime and take him back.”
Chatel further wrote, “During that heavy fortnight at the base, I was sleeping 2 or 3 hours a day, so intense was the evacuation organization. On a dizzy interlude I took Juji – the bird’s name – to the French residence. This energetic little mynah escaped his box and made a big mess in the car.”
“He hid beneath the seat and wouldn’t budge. When I tried to talk him into coming back, the fierce little fellow showed me that if he survived the Kabul airport, I was no match.”
The ambassador also bought a cage for the mynah, fed it, and took it out to meet other birds. According to his account, the mynah now has a girlfriend- a dove that visits him and it even spoke in a foreign language which no one could make out.
Following this, Chatel tried to teach Juji some French starting with the popular greeting, Bonjour!
“But the thing is: Juji doesn’t like men. He frowned at me and looked angrily, while he giggled at females. I went on trying hopelessly my daily bonjour – but sure enough he wouldn’t listen,” the ambassador said.
“…Or so I thought. Until one day, the (female) manager of the French residence sent me this bonjour that went straight to my heart.”
…Or so I thought. Until one day, the (female) manager of the French residence sent me this “Bonjour” that went straight to my heart.7/8 pic.twitter.com/0k5BIn7hR7
— Xavier Chatel (@Xavier_Chatel_) October 5, 2021
Chatel also said that Juji’s owner, Alia, contacted him from Paris and was “so happy to see her bird thus cared for”.
“Alia, your bird has become the embassy’s mascot, but he is here for you, and if I can, I’ll take him personally to you one day,” Chatel wrote and made the twitterverse a happy place today.
