As a result of this shift, Mr. Tillian purchases a parrot to keep him company in the shop. Unfortunately, the addition of a talking parrot only causes Harry to feel more alienated from his father. The author writes, “The more Mr. Tillian grew to like his parrot, and the more he talked to it instead of to people, the more embarrassed Harry became. Harry would stroll past the shop, on his way somewhere else, and he’d take a quick look inside to see what his dad was doing. Mr. Tillian was always talking to the bird. So Harry kept walking.” Mr. Tillian craves the companionship of his son and misses the regular visits. Harry is embarrassed by his father’s attention to the bird and actively avoids the shop even more. This cycle causes their connection to deteriorate even further. Interestingly, at home Harry and his father remain close and continue to joke and play around. The author states, “at home things were different…at home things were all right.” This demonstrates that they both continue to care for each other, but the pressures of the outside world pull them apart. As the conflict develops, Mr. Tillian becomes ill and goes into the hospital. Harry agrees to take care of the shop and the parrot. At this point, the reader can see that Harry willingly accepts the responsibility to help out his family, despite having to give up the time he spends with friends. We can infer that the distance between the father and son is not intentional, but rather one of miscommunication and normal adolescent development. While in the shop taking care of Rocky, Harry hears the bird ask, “Where’s Harry?” At first, Harry is frustrated and confused, but then he comes to a new realization. “Harry sighed and wiped his face on his sleeve…He understood now: someone had been saying, for a long time, ‘Where’s Harry? Miss him.’” Harry realizes that Mr. Tillian had been missing Harry and talked to the bird about his feelings of loss. This incident with Rocky gives Harry a new understanding and an opportunity to repair the distance between the two of them. At the end, Harry leaves the shop to go visit his father. The reader is left with the hope that Harry and his father will be closer as a result of this experience.
As a result of this shift, Mr. Tillian purchases a parrot to keep him company in the shop. Unfortunately, the addition of a talking parrot only causes Harry to feel more alienated from his father. The author writes, “The more Mr. Tillian grew to like his parrot, and the more he talked to it instead of to people, the more embarrassed Harry became. Harry would stroll past the shop, on his way somewhere else, and he’d take a quick look inside to see what his dad was doing. Mr. Tillian was always talking to the bird. So Harry kept walking.” Mr. Tillian craves the companionship of his son and misses the regular visits. Harry is embarrassed by his father’s attention to the bird and actively avoids the shop even more. This cycle causes their connection to deteriorate even further. Interestingly, at home Harry and his father remain close and continue to joke and play around. The author states, “at home things were different…at home things were all right.” This demonstrates that they both continue to care for each other, but the pressures of the outside world pull them apart. As the conflict develops, Mr. Tillian becomes ill and goes into the hospital. Harry agrees to take care of the shop and the parrot. At this point, the reader can see that Harry willingly accepts the responsibility to help out his family, despite having to give up the time he spends with friends. We can infer that the distance between the father and son is not intentional, but rather one of miscommunication and normal adolescent development. While in the shop taking care of Rocky, Harry hears the bird ask, “Where’s Harry?” At first, Harry is frustrated and confused, but then he comes to a new realization. “Harry sighed and wiped his face on his sleeve…He understood now: someone had been saying, for a long time, ‘Where’s Harry? Miss him.’” Harry realizes that Mr. Tillian had been missing Harry and talked to the bird about his feelings of loss. This incident with Rocky gives Harry a new understanding and an opportunity to repair the distance between the two of them. At the end, Harry leaves the shop to go visit his father. The reader is left with the hope that Harry and his father will be closer as a result of this experience.