It finally happened, that question I have been dreading since I brought that little being into the world almost 7 years ago. Ciara suddenly asked me the question. I was, for only a moment, going to lie. But I didn’t, I braved the unknown waters and told the truth, in all its gory ugliness. I told the truth.
We were busy serving the chicken for dinner on Saturday night, and that is when it happened. She looked up at me with her lovely large blue eyes and asked me "Mommy, is that a real chicken?"
I was momentarily flustered, I blushed, I needed time to think, what would I say?
"Do you really want to know the truth?" I said, trying to buy time.
Perplexed that I would even ask such a question, she said "Yes".
"Yes, my angel" I replied, with a hint of sadness in my voice "this is a real chicken."
Her beautiful blue eyes filled with tears. "But mommy" she cried, "there are only a few chickens left in the world"(1).
I smiled the reassuring smile of a mother and said "No, my sweet angel, there are millions of chickens in the world, and it really is okay if we eat them. That is why God put them here on the planet. To lay eggs and for us to eat."
She wiped her tears away, and said "Okay mom." She sniffed, and then shifted gears so fast I was almost knocked over. "You know what? When we were in the butchery the other day, guess what I saw on the floor - CHICKEN BLOOD."
Oh, I how I am looking forward to the "Where does beef come from?" question.
(1) We watch Animal Planet quite a lot.
2 comments:
For a moment there I thought she was going to ask "Where do babies come from?" Be prepared for that one! The correct answer is, of course, the stork.
Ditto to what wiggles said. Gawd. Except you make it exciting:
Yes, the storks fly overhead, drop it through your ear, and you push your belly button and *boom* there's a baby in there!
/anyway...
shame. poor chickens.
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