A Prophecy Fulfilled
Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at 11:05AM "If these things are to be believed, then my older daughter is going to grow up to be the leader of a street gang... and my younger one will be running the soup kitchen that feeds them all."
-- my mom, circa 1979, after reading our birth horoscopes to my aunt
I don't put much stock in daily horoscopes -- some days I envision a writer throwing darts at a wall full of Chinese cookie fortunes to discern that day's 'wisdom' -- but I can't deny that the season into which a person is born appears to be linked to some very distinct character and personality traits. Do with that what you will.
In any event, I'd never heard that prophecy of my mom's until I called to tell her I had [yet] another new housemate.
As mentioned in the previous post, I evidently now have a time-share rooster. Bockbock, as my son has named him, wandered into my yard looking unkempt and -- pardoning the pun -- a bit peckish. I wasn't sure what was best to feed him, but knowing they're foragers and omnivores, I figured I couldn't go too wrong with leftover grains and veggie scraps. He's also just discovered the little wrigglies in my compost. He must be pretty happy with the arrangement, because he's taken to sleeping on the top step outside my back door and crowing for breakfast around seven in the morning.
...which brings us to last night, when I was expecting it to freeze (though it turns out that cold front is moving in tonight instead). As my roommates and I sat talking in the living room, I started to worry about my feathered friend. "I wonder if he's actually got a warm place to sleep," I mused aloud. "I mean, I obviously can't bring him in the house -- he's still got his spurs. But I..."
At this the boys rolled their eyes, and everyone else in the room started chuckling. "Hey!" I cried defensively, "it isn't news to any of you that I've always had a soft spot in my heart for strays." Then I added with a grin, "... and before you give me any grief about it, you'd do well to remember it's the reason you're here."
Incidentally, my sister did indeed go on to become the leader of a gang -- her daughters are three of the toughest "boys in floral prints" you'll ever meet. As for my soup kitchen... well, more on that later. Right now, having constructed a makeshift coop for my new friend -- complete with removable heating pad -- I have to figure out a way to coax him into it tonight...
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