Happy Birthday Carolyn Thompson!

    Ms. Carolyn Thompson is the charming and compassionate lady who rescued Roosevelt from a rabbit cage. She fed him, sheltered him, loved him, and found a new home for him with two people who are now completely foolish over him!

     I first met Roosevelt over the telephone one day when I called Ms. Thompson at her office in the Antique Center of Texas to ask about an Italian Renaissance Revival dining table I had spotted there. When her response was drowned out by the roar of a jet airplane (I thought) landing on her desk, she explained to me that what I had heard was in fact a Moluccan Cockatoo who was living in her office. Things progressed from there, and eventually she placed Roosevelt in our home.

     Before Ms. Thompson rescued him, Roosevelt had been confined to a small rabbit cage in the back yard of someone who lived with donkeys, horses, cows, chickens, cats, and dogs, judging by his renditions of their various singing voices. His feathers were tattered, he was pale, and he was not very interested in a social life. He screamed most of the time, bit often, and recoiled if anyone opened the door of his cage while carrying a perch, a broom, or a stick of any kind. Most disturbing were his renditions of a dog crying as though it were being abused. We could only imagine with horror what punishment the person who had abused that dog would inflict upon a noisy cockatoo!

     Ms. Thompson was very brave to invite this little foundling into her life. She took the first, most difficult, steps toward restoring peace and security for this little fellow. Mohammad and I appreciate her kindness to Roosevelt before we knew him, and her confidence in us to entrust him to our care.

    Carolyn Thompson, Caregiver and Rescuer, very happy birthday to you! The world is better because you are here.

     With love, from

Gilda and Mohammad Bayegan,
and Roosevelt, of course!


This tribute was donated with love, admiration and gratitude by Gilda and Mohammad Bayegan and will remain on the NPRPF website in perpetuum in honor of Carolyn Thompson.