My cat went missing over a week ago. It’s not unusual for him not to be seen for days. I did name him Curious purposefully. He had to be an indoor/outdoor cat, he’s my little explorer. But a week is a bit much. I tried to put my neighbors daughter Margo on the case since she is always looking for a mystery to solve but she has not gotten back to me with anything yet.
I started calling up the shelters but so far nothing. I decided to put together a flyer for him. As I stepped out the door to make photocopies I noticed there was a chicken pecking on my lawn. An odd sight considering there are no farms nearby. I know many people these days keep chickens in their yards even if they don’t run a farm. Fresh eggs are supposed to be so much better. But I had never seen anyone with chickens around here.
I shrugged and continued my way to the car when I heard a voice say, “Are you Curious’ person?”
I looked around but there was no one around. ‘Great I’m hearing voices’, I thought as I went to open my car door.
“Lady did you not hear me?”
“Is someone speaking to me. I don’t see you?”
“I’m right in front of you”, came the shrill voice again.
“No one is in front of me.”
“Lower your head.”
I instinctively titled my eyes toward the ground but all I saw was the bird.
“All I see is a chicken.”
“Yeah, exactly.”
The thought I am going crazy crossed my mind. I tried to shake it off. Surely animals cannot talk but the voice continued.
“You think we chickens can only cluck.”
I squatted down so I was eye level with the foul. “As a matter of fact yea”, I said out-loud. ‘What am I doing having a conversation with a chicken?’ I thought.
“Well, that’s mighty shortsighted of you if you don’t mind me saying so.”
“Alright, let’s say I’m not losing my mind and you are talking to me. You mentioned Curious. Do you know where my cat is?”
“He crossed the road and went to the other side.”
“Okay now I know someone is playing a joke on me. Where’s the speaker?”, I said as I stood up and pulled out my phone to see if someone was using it as a two way radio.
“Don’t worry though cats have nine lives. Curious only used up five of them so far.”
My heart jumped into my throat. “Wait you mean Curious died?”
“What do you think the other side meant?”
“The other side of the road.”
“Yea we chickens think it’s funny you humans never got that joke.”
“I would hardly call it a joke if it’s about death.”
“What’s a joke but a play on words.”
“So my Curious is really gone.” Tears began to start pooling in my eyes.
“No one is really ever gone. Just a change of costumes. But don’t worry cats worked out some kind of special deal or something because they have nine chances each go around down here. Think of life like a video game and they entered some kind of special code for bonus lives each time they play.”
“How do chickens know about video games?”
“We watch you humans a lot more than you watch us.”
“So why isn’t Curious back home yet?”
“Oh just as he got to the other side he got side tracked and tagged along with this guy named Bob for a while.”
“So Curious is back?”
“Eh it’s complicated. This Bob guy is all over the place. But Curious wanted me to tell you to not worry and he will return in another couple days.”
“Why did my beloved send a chicken to give me this message?”
“Let’s just say we have our own special codes for the video game. There’s a reason we were picked for that joke. Anyway I gotta get going but just wanted to pass along the message so you no longer had to worry.”
“Can all animals talk?”, I blurted out as the peculiar avian started to walk away.
“Sure. You just need to listen.”
I watched the chicken disappear from sight. I pushed what just happened out of my head. It was just my imagination playing tricks on me. I just wanted my Curious back more than I had even realized. I became all the more determined to put up those posters.
A couple days went by and still I heard nothing. As I got ready for bed one night I heard a familiar meow. I dashed to the door and there was my Curious unscathed. He waltzed right in and purred and rubbed against my leg. I picked him up and cradled him in my arms. I squeezed him and cooed, “Oh my baby I’m so happy your back safely. Don’t scare Mommy like that again.” I assumed it was just a coincidence that Curious showed up on my door step just as the chicken said. Surely there was nothing strange about a cat finding their way back home. But all the same I decided to lay off the Chickfila for a while.
Lol. You think "we chickens can only cluck." Yeah, at least that's what I used to think. ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, love the ending. :)