I am sitting by the phone, nervously awaiting a text from the guy who yesterday promised to come pick up the chickens and chicken gear today in exchange for $25.
Last night, when I closed up the coop and sang "Good night ladies," and they made their little nestling clucking sounds in response, I told myself, "Last time."
This morning, when I opened the gate to the chicken run and heard the "thump ... thump" of their leap from the perch to the floor, preparing to come out to greet me when I opened the coop and said, "Good morning ladies," I told myself, "Last time."
When I got home at dusk tonight and heard their long, low, mournful greeting, and when I dumped the last of their food pellets in the feeder (they eat with the enthusiasm of labrador retrievers), and when I cleaned and refilled their water, I told myself "Last time."
All this has been quite pleasantly nostalgic, but the truth is, I'm desperately hoping this guy doesn't no-show. I haven't had an egg out of the ladies in over two months. I'm not prepared to skin and eat them, but I'm not looking forward to buying the next $15 bag of feed. I'm going on vacation to Captiva Island and St Augustine in five weeks, and I most definitely don't want to pay a birdsitter. I'm ready to be done with livestock.
Why isn't that guy responding to my texts?
I will be humming The Music Mman the rest of the day. Not sorry.
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