The Canary Game

When Stephanie Marks learns that her father is having an affair, her loyalties are divided between her long-suffering mum and her charismatic dad. So if married couples live a life of quiet desperation, Stephanie reasons, wouldn't it be better to be an exciting mistress than a boring, predictable wife?

She'll need courage to play the role of a femme fatale, but Stephanie believes she has what it takes to be just like her dad. When she sees what a short shelf-life his mistresses have, however, she wonders how she will ever find fulfillment in life.

Everything changes when Stephanie's dad gives her a champion canary. The pet shop lady offers to pay her big bucks to breed him to her best female, and that's when Stephanie's real education begins. Dickie and Speckles teach her some lasting lessons about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness.

Renata Peraldi has written a poignant true story based on a diary she wrote fifty years ago. Her comments on the behavior of her canaries remind us that all God's creatures are members of our extended family, and through them we find comfort in learning that love is possible even for those of us who are pleased to call ourselves homo sapiens.