The Look Book

Bill Thompson, Photographer, and Lucy

“My daughter tells me, ‘She’s not my sister, she’s a bird.’ But I think in fact there’s jealousy there.”

Published May 24, 2009

(Photo: Spencer Heyfron)

So, about that parrot …
Her name’s Lucy. She’s a hyacinth macaw. I found her through a breeder in California.

And she lives where?
During the week, she stays at my ex-wife’s house. Then I have her during the weekends.

Is she a good companion?
Well, she needs a lot of attention. She gets very upset if I get on the phone or go on the computer. When she starts screaming, it sounds like a woman in distress. It sounds a little suspicious.

How old will she live to be?
She could live to be 100. My daughter says I have to find somebody else to take care of Lucy when I’m gone. There has always been sibling rivalry between the two of them.

Interview by Emma Rosenblum