Little Nuggets

SPECIAL NOTE: This is a semi-true story. Well, actually the only part that is true is the part about being held up at a stop light waiting for a chicken to cross the road. It was done in fun on the way home to Texas by me with valued input from my brother and sister. They seem to think I "tweak" my stories to make myself look like the sainted hero...imagine that! My mother, brother, sister, Aunt J and Cousin C are the sweetest, most fun people you could ever wish to know.

The last week of March I talked brother and sister (it took quite a lot of coaxing) into joining me on a trek to Arkansas. I really felt the urge from above to drive mama…my poor little, precious, almost 80 year old mother back “home.”
There are so many tales of inspiration that occurred while we were there but this one really stands out in my mind the most, at least today.

We were coming back from a long day traveling up and over through the Ozark Mountains; through mothers “memory lane.” Having arrived back to Rogers safely we were all wiping the tears from our eyes as we were sitting in sisters SUV, laughing at something cute I had said. The light turned green and brother pressed on the gas pedal. The vehicle slowly started moving but brother was forced to slam on the brakes as the two cars in front of us suddenly stopped. We noticed the lane to our left was at a halt as well.
We sat there a couple seconds when tempers began to flare. With the exception of self… sister, mother, brother, Aunt J and cousin C. all began cursing and waving balled up fists to the cars ahead.
My face flushed red not from anger but embarrassment as mother, brother, sister, cousin and aunt flew off the handle over this inconvenient situation. I remained calm in my never ending Christian state of mind. You can imagine my embarrassment for their behavior… especially brothers, a deacon of his church.
Being the peacemaker that I am I knew what I needed to do. To everybody’s surprise I opened the door, hopped out and walk smoothly up towards the commotion. As I walked, I reached in to my front blue jean pocket and took out a pack of gum. As the reason for the commotion came into my view, I finished unwrapping the packet , slid out a stick of gum,(spearmint flavor as it relaxes me), unwrapped a piece and popped it into my mouth.
“Well hello there.” I said tenderly to the frightened chicken in the road.
I flinched as the verbal abuse continued…not from the verbal abuse but from the various items that were being flung at us. Who knew Aunt J had such a great arm! She hit me dead in the forehead with her cane (which I later returned to her polished and complete with a new rubber tip because the old one had gotten damaged when the doctor removed it hours later from my head) for this is just my nature.
I deducted I needed to take action quickly as the impatient motorist inched closer. The poor little terrified chicken just stood there like a deer in headlights…frozen. I laid my body down across the two lane road between the chicken and cars, stretching as long as my petite little body would allow; sacrificing myself for this chicken, one of God’s little creations.
Amidst all this honking and yelling the little creature began to focus on my soothing voice which encouraged it onward by saying, “Shoo, little chicken…shoo.”
With the little chicken now safely on the other side of the road, I returned to our vehicle to a car full of speechless, enamored relatives satisfied with myself and the end results. We drove past the chicken and I waved a humbled wave to little chicken as I saw it turn and head up towards the fast food building in the parking lot it had caused such a stink to get over to…McDonalds.

LAST NOTE: Oh, and the other part of the story that was true the chicken did cross the road to get to McDonald's restaurant!