Dog
Reality pushes up hard against all her yearning. She’s nine-years-old and her priorities are, in this order, comfort, animals and then people.
She dreams of living on a farm with her own horse, just outside the window.
The best thing in life is riding bareback with her friend, doubling up behind her.
But there’s no possibility of having her own horse.
Her nine year old heart is strong and resilient.
A dog? Could she have a dog?
Mmmmmm that’s difficult too.
So she settles for four chicks, knowing they will grow and a rooster will have to go.
He started with a hoarse cough at 6am.. We waited for neighbours to complain.
Within days he had perfected an operative, reverberating, rich crow that woke even the sun.
Her sister named him Dog, blending the yearning or perhaps doubling the heartache.
He was loved - his shining tail feathers arranged like a declaration of leadership and the hens adjusted to his utterly male presence.
But she knew he had to go.
How about a pet that brings no heartbreak. How about an earthworm, I joked. She shot back, “Earthworms bring heartbreak too. We have chickens!”
Pets do bring heartache. In fact loving anything risks heartache.
We have had two peaceful mornings now. Dog was packed off to The Crow and Feather in the bush and is partying with a bunch of wild chooks. They have food and water and the run of the landscape.
He won his first fight within minutes of arriving, with the adversary skulking off, undamaged but subdued.
Dog has a secure place in his new community .
He eats out of her hand when we take him snacks.
One of the hens is practicing crowing.