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The last time Pepperberg saw Alex was Thursday, she said. They went through their back-and-forth goodnight routine, which always varied slightly and in which she told him it was time to go in the cage.

She recalls the bird said: "You be good. I love you."

She responded, "I love you, too."

The bird said, "You'll be in tomorrow," and she responded, "Yes, I'll be in tomorrow."