DEATH in the FAMILY

There was a death in the family.

Nugget died.
He was a chicken.
(He was named after a chicken nugget, Bro. Chuck's suggestion. Sierra never did quit understand the humor in it.)

Sister K sent me a text about it when I was in Utah. I thought it would best if we kept it on the DL. When we got back to the farm and Sierra ran to meet her chickens and realized one wasn't there she asked, "Where is Nugget?" I piped up before Sister K could answer, "He ran off." Death is a touchy subject for Sierra, so I thought I would tell a little fib to help her, and frankly me, get through it. She was satisfied and went off to play.

Two weeks later, I paid for my lie. We were walking home from school together and she started up, "Why did Nugget run off?" I said, "I don't know. Maybe he wanted to go out and see the wide, wide world." She said, "Well, he shouldn't have done that! Anything could happen to him. Like, what if he got ran over by car?" This thought produced tears. Then she said, "What if he got crushed by stampeding antelope? What if his body is splat on the ground and no one is there to bury him? What if he fell in a river and is struggling? What if he is lost and cold with no one to take care of him?" More tears. Then she worked herself into such a frenzy and she couldn't calm down. I finally blurted out, "He's dead, I am sorry I lied. He's dead."

She stopped freaking out and looked up at me with tear stained eyes and said, "Seriously?" I said, "Yes. Then she went out in the back of the house and collected weed and came back in and said, "Take me to the grave."

 Luckily, Sister K had buried him and marked his grave. I said, "Okay." We drove to the farm. Yes, I brought my camera because it was sad, but funny. (Funny because all the drama was over a chicken and we eat chicken on a weekly bases.) She walked solemnly with the patch of weeds in hand to the grave sight.

She cried harder as she pet the Nugget's grave. I said, "Maybe we should say a few words." She said between her tears, "Mommy, don't make me." I said, "You don't have too." Then she began, "Nugget you were the bestest chicken that ever was. I loved to hold you in my arms and pet you. I loved you so much." Tears streamed down her red cheeks and in that moment all the humor was gone and I stopped taking pictures and I cried right along with her.

After she was done paying her respects she had to go and get some chicken therapy. She went into the hen house and held a few of her, now grown, baby chickens. 

Later on at the kitchen table Madison said to Sierra, "Is Little Grey dead?" Another one of Sierra's chickens. Sierra gave Madison the stink eye. Madison exclaimed really loud, "NO! HE IS ALIVE!" With emphasis added ot the A, which is more funny. I guess that was suppose to make it all better. Thank you Madison. THE END.