What happens to lost pets?

2

I once had a pet named Calvin.

He was a bird.

A Cockatiel.

He was a good bird-

a very nice bird.

I liked him.

He had rosy cheeks.

I like to think when he spread his wings the last time he thought he might fly, fly to a better place.

But that was not so.

He was preparing to fade away.

We are not sure how he died.

We know he spread his wings, and then fell to the bottom of his cage.

My dad saw.

I did not.

But I wept.

I wept because he'd been with me my whole life.

He'd lived past Hobbes.

He'd lived past many pets.

He was a good bird. 

He was old.

I am not sure what to say

I do not remember him so well.

Is it bad that I remember his death more than his life?

I remember once when I was walking at night, he screamed at me, with his chirping voice as I walked past his cage.

He was not sure who I was.

I like to think he was warning us of an intruder.

And really, I think he was.

I remember also once when he sang with me, but he sang the wrong notes.

I like to think he was letting me sound better than him.

And really,  I think he was just not sure what I was singing.

I remember he would follow my finger.

Ii like to think he was training himself to been more keen-eyed.

And really, I think he was just hungry.

I do not remember much about him.

I remember he was named after a comic book character, like my cat.

Calvin and Hobbes.

My parents liked those comics.

So, they named them that way.

I am sad now,  thinking of it.

I did not see him fade, but I saw his body, and I buried him.

It makes me sad to think of it.

I am older now, and I remember it.

I remember his rosy cheeks, and his yellow face, and grey body.

I remember thinking that it was a dream.

It was not a dream.

I remember hoping he would be reincarnated into another bird and we'd somehow get it.

I do not think we will get it.

I miss him.

He was a good friend.

A good bird.