The backyard was still a disaster. Mother had finally gotten around to cutting down most of the overgrowth, but to do that she had to take down the chicken pen that was attached to the fence. The chickens were elated at their freedom. Too much so. Mom was constantly telling kids to chase the chickens back into the back yard.
The day before, all the chickens had run off. One of them didn't come back. She was hoping the poor thing had just gotten lost. But she knew it was probably dead somewhere.
On this particular day, the last 4 chickens actually stayed in the back yard. Mother was doing laundry, her favorite pastime....maybe not favorite, but most frequent pastime, when all the children began yelling. "There's a dog in the yard!!" Mom ran out faster than you could say dead chicken.
She began yelling and chasing the dog and waving her arms. She had spent so much time with the stupid chickens she started acting like one. No matter her distaste for stepping in their droppings, she wasn't about to let a dumb dog kill of another one of her live stock.
The dog dropped the hen and began chasing another. "CHARLIE!!!!" It was the neighbors dog. "You get out of here!" She ran out the gate. Why did that woman ever bother with animals. It's not that she hated them....yes actually it is.
Mother hated dealing with animals. "I already have to clean up kid messes, why do I need more messes to deal with!" She had bought the chickens in the hopes that the fresh eggs would help the diet of the three of her children with eczema. The eggs were good but she always contemplated killing off the birds in the winter when they weren't laying. The only reason she hadn't is cause she would have to pluck them and gut them. She wasn't queasy....it was just more work than changing water and filling the feed bowl every day.
Once the dog was out the gate she began looking for the hiding chickens. She checked over the back fence....right on her neighbors back porch was a dead chicken. But this was the missing one from yeasterday. It's neck was broken and it's bum was chewed clean off. Luckily no one lived in that house. That would have been unpleasant to step on in the morning. She took the shovel and hopped over the fence. The poor chicken was so scared it laid an egg right before it died. She thought that was just a cartoon thing. Guess not.
She picked up the egg and it's shell was more like a water ballon than an egg. She was surprised it didn't crack. She hucked the egg in the dumpster, then the dead chicken. Well, that's a waste of meat.
After checking the remaining chickens for damages, and finding nothing was awry, she took to the street to find the dog. "Dear, we need to get this pen up before we can deal with that dog." Her husband said. Even still, she knew Charlie was a big part of her neighbors life. She sent the kids on their bikes to try and track the dog down. "We have already had child services called on us for letting our kids ride around the neighborhood. We need to bring them home. " As usual her husband was right. She called home her children and got in the car to look around the neighborhood.
For someone who hates animals she sure has a bleeding heart.
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