"...African Grays are GREAT birds, and can live to be over 100 years. i would love to have one, but i am too old, unless I work out a deal with Caitlin to take care of him after I die."
My sister bought hers knowing she would not live long enough to care for it all it's life. But now that her husband has passed away, the parrot (Buster) is a good companion for her. He has a very large vocabulary, so he is a good pet for her.
Buster sounds wonderful.
And as you say, Grays can be WONDERFUL companions! They are SO smart, and each has his or her own personality!
Part of why I bought this young parrot for Caitlin is that this particular kind is known to be a good talker.
Caitlin has slight social and language impairments, and I thought it would be a good motivator for her to have a bird to "teach".