What does the parrot of a famous writer say? I never heard this parrot say anything. I photographed Kesey with his parrot on the street in Springfield, his home town. There was some sort of parade and a lot of people around. Kesey's son asked to hold the parrot and Ken said "No. If we get him down there on your level he'll bite some kid on the nose and I'll have to fight his old man." During the parade somebody lost their black helium filled ballon and it shot into the sky. Kesey shouted "look at that black balloon! It's an evil omen!"