Chicken Dance

Picture it…a peaceful summer evening; unseasonably cool with a slight breeze, the sun setting on the horizon – just starting to get dark enough for kids to consider coming inside for the evening. The grass is starting to feel damp, with dew already beginning to form. Lightning bugs are starting to come out, spreading their yellow-green staccatos of light around the yard. And the sounds of a frightened chicken, squawking like crazy in the neighbor’s yard.

Yes, I said a chicken.

Non-English Speaking Neighbors are up to their old tricks again. It was party night at NESN’s house. They were doing it right; the guys out front with music blasting; the women, children, and chicken in the back, having a good ol’ time.

This, of course, was brought to my attention by my beloved dogs, who were losing their minds (along with every other dog on the street) due to the chicken being chased by a small child in the next yard. At first, I couldn’t believe my ears. I really had to stand there and listen for a few minutes in order to really grasp the fact that there was, indeed, a chicken in my neighbor’s yard. And that the very same toddler who enjoys sticking his fingers through the fence at my dogs was gleefully chasing said chicken around the yard. The kid was squealing with delight. The chicken…was not.

It took a feat of strength and swiftness to get the dogs in the house with a chicken freaking out on the other side of the fence. And once I got them securely locked in, being the great neighbor that I am, what did I do? That’s right, I called the Police. Don’t get me wrong…have a great time with your friends. But don’t bring a live chicken to the party. I asked the dispatcher if it was legal to have a chicken in your backyard in the city. She answered in the negative (probably trying to keep from laughing at me) and said she’d gladly transfer me over to Animal Control…where I could leave a voicemail and they’d call me the next day.

At this point, I was more than annoyed…I was good and angry. Which, I was reminded of the next morning when the Animal Control officer called and said he couldn’t understand half my message. He kindly took all the details and said he would go by the house and talk to NESN. But at this point, I knew it would be in vain.

In the midst of the chicken battle the night before, I pulled out the camera. I really wanted to snap a photo of said chicken. Sadly, the party went on for a very long time. I thought I could wait them out, but because I’m a responsible person and had to go to work the next day, I went to bed. Plus, my camera doesn’t have night-vision, so I would have had to use the flash…and that wouldn’t have been good. I even went out the next morning and looked for it. I didn’t see it…of course, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t there – there are plenty of places for a chicken to nestle down in NESN’s back yard.

Let’s just hope the chicken was just a ‘party animal’ and won’t be coming back. Ever.