Given today's political chaos and the behavior of our White House resident, make me want to employ a powerful tool of my childhood, which I dubbed My Mighty Peckinstick. It needs an explanation, I'm sure, so here you are.
Submitted to Poets & Storytellers United, November 22, 2020
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MY MIGHTY PECKINSTICK
Growing up on a farm you learn to help out at an early age. Farm animals need to be tended morning and night, and this is called “doin’ the chores”. When I was fairly young, my chore was gathering the eggs. When you’re a child, you simply parrot phrases you hear your parents say, so, using my mother’s southern Illinois twang, I called my chore “pickenup aigs”. Walking into a hen house of a couple hundred hens is a fairly intimidating thing. Toting the wire egg basket, the long row of nests looked endless to my child’s eyes. Most were empty, but there were always a couple with resident hens. These were of two types---the cackling hen who’d fly off in a flurry of feathers when I approached, and the other a formidable foe. She had no intention of giving up her nest and she’d greet my approach with an evil eye, some threatening clucks and a sharp peck on the wrist if I reached under her for the eggs. I devised a counter-attack for the clucking hens. I found a stick about a foot long and dubbed it my peckinstick. I’d give the hen a gentle nudge to see if she were the pecking type. If so, I’d hold her head down with my mighty peckinstick, rendering her unable to peck me while I reached under her for the eggs.
Many years have passed. I’ve learned proper grammar and proper use of the King’s English. There have been times through the years, however, when I’ve encountered people who’ve been sharp and hurtful. I smile to myself and think they wouldn’t have caught me so unaware if I’d been armed with my mighty “peckinstick”.
Love the idea of a pecking stick. Perhaps we need to at least use an imaginary one, that prevents any pecking from happening or making us hurt. Enjoyed your story.
ReplyDeleteBev with her mighty peckinstick a sight to behold I am quite certain. One of my chores was slopping the pigs. No sticks required but I certainly developed biceps flinging them thar buckets!
ReplyDeleteSmiles...peckinstick a useful thing.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a very handy implement to have in all sports of situations!
ReplyDeleteAdorable story! Not so adorable as a child putting up with hens. Chickens can be quite vicious. I've seen a group of them tear a rat apart. I'll imagine using a penkinstick to do more than gently poke!
ReplyDelete"Peckinstick." Sounds cute. I know someone in my own government I would like to use a peckinstick with. I'll stop right there. Days in the farm were the best. I didn't grow up in one but spent summers in my Grandpa's farm. I was a cousin's helper in gathering eggs every morning.
ReplyDeleteI think I've found myself in too many situations where your “mighty peckinstick” would've come handy. And I suspect that the necessity is going to become even more pronounced as November 20th approaches. I'm also pretty sure that the thought your “peckinstick” will make me grin the next time someone shows “sharp and hurtful” pecking behavior.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Magaly. It'a amazing how the thought of my peckinstick defuses my anger in certain situations!
DeleteI wish I had thought of a peckinstick when I kept broody hens. It would have saved me some grief.
ReplyDeleteLoved the comparision. It is a fact that such people do need to be shown that they can be effectively fended off if they try to act too rough or smart.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you used your peckinstick!
ReplyDeleteAs a child I liked animals but was timid around them. Went off horses after one chomped my fingers. Adored my beautiful pet hen and her dear fluffy babies, but backed away when Mrs Hen grabbed eagerly at food. I believe the hen felt sorry for me. She knew her protective threat displays had worked...and when she resumed laying she would *let* me reach in and collect the surplus eggs.
If I'd had a less intelligent pet hen, would I have been clever enough to invent a peckinstick? Who knows?