Chicken Kissing

Mom’s AL community held a breast cancer fundraiser this morning. While the event was in planning mode, the general manager (GM) told his staff that should they collectively raise $1000, he’d kiss a chicken. My daughter called me immediately to ask if I would provide the bird. I said I’d provide two.

Chickens are very social creatures, as in they don’t do well solo. I brought our two most gregarious birds, their pop-up shelter, water, feed, etc… The chickies were delighted with the clover their temporary environment provided them. They had lots of admirers, who mostly asked, “Is the GM gonna kiss both?”

The fundraising was an amazing success. More than 500% of goal was raised. The GM kissed Specks.

Mom showed up toward the end of the event. She was happy to see me while saying she didn’t know I’d be attending. 7 days ago I told her I’d be there with the birds, but know she can’t track such detail. She had a good time socializing with friends, and even dancing to the (amazingly well done) recorded music.

 Mom was also delighted with a spiral bound crossword book I brought for her.

Upon arrival, a staff member parked my car for me, so I could concentrate on getting birds set up. He kindly left the car close to the entrance to the building. Mom walked me to the car. Predictably, she had a few things to say about conspiracy, and her perceived future:

• She told me she was going to start looking around for a car for the Island. Nothing much, maybe a VW. She doesn’t expect to take the car off Island further than the town where the Island ferry greets America…
• She said, “Is it true that someone told me you’ve been taking things back to the Island (from the mainland house)?” I said I had. She asked me to take the mattress from the mainland house to the Island house. Interesting what parts of her are so ‘on-point.’ The bed on the Island is 40 years done. She said, wistfully, she hated to get rid of it, but it was time. I told her I’d take care of it.
• She asked me, again, if she’d told me her Island doctor had come to see her, I said she had. She went on to say that,
• She was going to talk to her mainland doctor about her Island doctor (that will be illuminating for Dr. O!) and, 
• That Dr. O said she didn’t need to go to neurology, which meant she could go home at any time. I suggested she get in touch with Dr. O to confirm. She agreed. 

Mom and I gave each other a salute as I drove out of the inner drive of her community. She was in good spirits.