Spring had come and the nest was full. There was Betty, Bonnie, Bennie & Billy. It was quite a large family. Four little squawking mouths all confined to a very small nest. For the most part, everyone got along just fine: everyone that is except Billy. He seemed to have his own ideas about almost everything. Betty Blue jay loved to do as she was told. And Bonnie, never a gruff sound came from her beak. She just wanted for everyone to be happy. Bennie, wanted to be wise and kind just like Daddy Blue Jay so, he did exactly as father asked.

Now Billy, on the other hand complained quite often and quite loud. He didn’t like rules he often said to his brother and sisters, “I think the rules are all about Mom & Dad just wanting to be the boss!! I think they make them up so they can just go and do what they want. I don’t think they even care about what I want!!”

All of his family was just a gasht at his speech. Where did he get such horrible notions? No one could quite figure him out. Both Mother and Father Blue Jay, scratched their feathered heads over Billy. They had never seen the likes of such a young bird so eager to break all the rules.

Father Blue Jay would often take Billy aside and talk to him and explain to him why the rules were so important. Father Blue Jay said, “Listen Billy I know sometimes it looks like it would be a lot more fun to be free from this old nest but you just don’t know how many terrible dangers there are outside the nest.” Billy smartly replied, “Well how will I ever learn if I’m cooped up in this old nest forever?” Father Blue Jay explained, “ Billy, you cannot see the cat lurking in the shrubs or the fast cars on the road or the other big birds and animals that think of us only as their lunch. Trust me, be young and enjoy your time in the nest while you have it.” Billy could hardly keep his voice to a civil level as he answered his Father’s warnings, “Father, I am very smart and I am very fast so fast, that I doubt that any other living thing could ever catch me! Why, I am soo fast, that I bet they couldn’t even see me as I fly past them.” Just then Mother Blue jay arrived with a worm in her beak. She fed all of Billy’s siblings but Billy was just too agitated to eat he was in a heated argument with Father. Mother spoke up, “That will be enough out of that smart mouth of yours Billy, it’s time for your nap. You lie down and get some rest.”