Week Six

(Photo courtesy of my dear friend, Ms. Luckie)

Coordinating Conjunctions
By Butternose

And

Sits this chair meant for me,

A place for more than a memory.

So

Here I should sit and laugh,

Maybe cry with you.

But

Now I am gone,

And you are gone too.

Yet

Somehow it seems,

Things are the same.

Nor

Time or distance,

Has caused us disdain.

For

In our hearts are memories,

A conjunction I shared with you.

Or

Maybe a hope that at the end of the night,

You might sit there too.

Chicken Chat

By Butternose

Here's my second edition of Chicken Chat. I'm still trying to figure out exactly how to word everything so bare with me.
Like I said in my first edition, I just want all of us cackling chickens out there to keep in mind some of the not-so-wise decisions people make, including myself, and hopefully use them to take a step back and think about our daily lives and what we can do to make them more worthwhile for ourselves and for those who we come in contact with, whoever they might be. Mind you, with these Chicken Chats, I'm not saying you shouldn't cackle with your husband or your very best friends if you think it's appropriate, but even with them, as with anyone, be mindful of the words that are coming out of your beak, because once they leave you can never take them back.
Here's my TRUE story with altered names in order to protect the privacy of those involved.
Again, I was sitting in a high-traffic public place watching my little chick playing with all of the other little chicks.
There was an older chicken who began making small talk with me. We talked about this and that, that and this. I told her I was there with my little chick and she said she was there with her grand-chick - a pleasant conversation overall.
The play area was confined and there were a lot of little chicks of all different ages, but seemingly of the same cultural background, running through the play equipment and playing nicely. Well, for the most part - there were some quick cries and a few screams, but nothing major.
After a moment of silence in the conversation, the older chicken said "Now isn't this nice?"
"Yes," I said. "It's great for the chicks to have a place to play."
The older chicken said, "No, I mean that there aren't any" and she looked around quickly and then leaned towards me and said in a softer voice "black chicks here."
I shrugged my shoulders as to say I hadn't noticed, which I hadn't.
"They're just so mean when you get into places like this," she continued. "Their parents don't give a damn about them and they just let them run. One time when we were here before one of them kicked my grand-chick right in the face. That little black chick knew exactly what she was doing and did it on purpose."
"Did you tell her mom," I asked?
The older chicken said,"Well, I was afraid it would cause a scene and I didn't want to start any trouble so I never said anything. You know they learn it at home though, they have to."
"Who knows how any of our little chicks learn their behavior," I said. "My little chick doesn't like any little chicks in her face so I know if any chick gets too close for her comfort and she doesn't want them there, she'll hit them. And I never taught her that."
And now my story stops as the facts have been told, and plus there was nothing further said as I think the older chicken got the hint that she didn't want to go there with me.
The Problem: Assuming it's okay to make prejudicial and stereotypical statements to a person of a seemingly similar cultural background.
The Solution: Don't assume it's okay to make prejudicial and stereotypical statements to a person of a seemingly similar cultural background.
Lesson Learned: You might have your reasons for being prejudice or stereotyping a group of people, but realize that not everyone, even if they look like they should agree with you, feels the same way. I know most everyone has a story of a bad experience with a person of different age, gender, religion, race, etc., but be the better person and don't let it cloud your entire outlook on that group of people. Because the reality is that individuals are what make a group, and not the group that makes the individual.

Chicken Chat

By Butternose

This is my first edition of a new series called "Chicken Chat." It was inspired by all the cackling chickens out there afraid to say what they feel unless, of course, they are talking to a complete stranger - Butternose.
Now, by no means am I saying that I am an individual that leads the way by example because Lord knows I'm Irish and we don't talk about anything. Nope, we just order another drink to empty the bottle so we can make room for all of our feelings - oh, you thought us Irish drank because we actually enjoyed it?
Shame on you!
My goal is for all of us chickens, including myself, to keep these chats in the back of our minds as real life-lessons learned. Hopefully we'll begin to make better decisions in our daily lives based on someone else's not-so-great-decisions.
Back to the circumstance-at-hand.
I must proceed to tell you this story using lame representations of who everyone really was because otherwise someone's liable to sue me.
My first experience of Chicken Chat was a very impressive introduction and I must say it was amusing yet unbelievable all at once - utterly jaw-dropping!
Here's my TRUE story with altered names in order to protect the privacy of those involved.
Once upon a time there was a chicken who's little chick, Fannie, got dunked in a pool as a friendly gesture from another, much smaller little chick, Rosie. It just so happened that I, Butternose, witnessed the events in their entirety and all mother chickens involved seemed unconcerned and the day went on about its business.
The next day, Rosie's mom called me and was very upset because she had received a phone call from Fannie's mom explaining that Fannie had not slept through the night due to nightmares from being dunked in the pool by Rosie. Fannie's mom proceeded to tell her that Rosie could have killed her daughter by dunking her and that Rosie is a bully and she will no longer be allowed to "hang out" with Fannie because she said Fannie was now "terrified" of Rosie.
Well, about four weeks had passed and as I was taking a break with my little chick in a high traffic public area, I found a place to relax and watch my little chick play with all of the other little chicks.
Another mother chicken, who looked so familiar to me, sat across the way from me probably watching her little chick too.
As I sat there and struggled to figure out why she seemed familiar to me, I heard her yell, "Fannie!" Right then I remembered who she was, but before I could get out that I remembered her she was already talking about Fannie and then I naturally began talking about my little chick.
Before I knew where the conversation had gone, Fannie's mom began talking about how her daughter, although she's a "big girl" (in height) is always getting picked on. Then she proceeded to cackle and out came the whole cock-a-doodle-do about a bully named Rosie who had "almost killed" her daughter a few weeks before. She obviously did not recognize me, as I had her.
She continued to disgrace the name of a few other little chicks who her daughter hangs out with that supposedly bully her, and the sad thing is that I was aware that she is also friendly with the other little chick's moms.
Dumbfounded, I allowed her to cackle her little heart away. At this point I figured why stop her when she's already got the entire foot in her mouth, and she gladly continued.
Here's where I stop because the facts have been told so there's no need to continue.
The Problem: Besides talking to a complete stranger about specific people in a public place when there's a possibility they might know them, the problem here was how Fannie's mom exaggerated the truth, especially when I witnessed the situation.
The Solution: I should have stopped her mid-complaint and told her who I was, and let her know that it was not okay for her to be discussing such personal matters not to mention disgracing the reputation of a 4-year-old little chick.
Lesson Learned: There are probably many, but one that comes to mind immediately is DO NOT GOSSIP! Gossiping is rumor or report of an intimate nature, and it usually comes back to bite you in the tail anyhow. Leave the gossiping for the people who get paid to do it without repercussion, like gossip magazines. So, the next time you think you have something "juicy" you'd like to share with another person, think about the short and long-term effects on yourself and those involved.