This week, we pay our respects to Vinnie, a 4-year-old African Grey parrot and Concord celebrity who recently passed away.
Vinnie, whose full was was Vinchenzo Capuchelli, was no stranger to The Insider, gracing its pages a handful of times – most recently on the cover of our April 6 pet-stravaganza issue. He died last week after a long illness, his owner Jill Drago told us.
On warm spring and summer days, Vinnie and Jill could be spotted at the Concord farmers market and on the State House lawn, munching on treats.
“Vin would sit on his carrier, holding the fruit or veggie treat of the day. As people came over to greet him, he would cock his head, look regal and go back to devouring his snack,” she said.
Among Vinnie’s favorite food: grapes, cherries, spaghetti, mashed potatoes and, above all, Cheez-Its, for which he would go to great lengths to get, Jill said.
He was smart, too, and could say hello in seven different languages. When a new baby girl was introduced to Jill’s family, Vinnie began to mimic her sounds by crying, cooing, laughing and squealing, she said.
“He was pro at them all. So much so that I would come running every so often thinking the sleeping baby was in distress! When Vinnie saw that I had come into the room, he would cock his head and say, ‘Hello!’ ” Jill said.
“While I was pregnant, Vinnie would sit on my tummy and talk to the baby (and) sing, babble and bop my belly. The baby would play too, kicking him off my belly. They would go back and forth like that for a while.”
Above all, Jill said she’d remember Vinnie for his happy demeanor, sweet songs and penchant for snuggling.
Here’s to you, Vinnie: We hope you get plenty of Cheez-Its in that big birdy paradise in the sky.
