This afternoon, Claire and I calmly swung on the front porch.
We chatted over the sound of cicadas and watched
the chickens peck around the yard.
Suddenly, a sly orange fox dashed in and snatched our beloved hen,
BB, before running off along the outside of our fence line.
I was in shock, and the chickens were going wild, clucking loudly.
Without even thinking (and without shoes), I flew off
my front porch with Angus speeding at full blast next to me.
And we ran and ran after the fox.
I felt like Usain Bolt.
I was determined to catch that sneaky fox or at least scare
it enough to drop my cute little BB (who laid BLUE EGGS! I'm so sad).
As I was running, I thought of myself in 2005, living in New Jersey,
listening to Nickel Creek in the car, singing "The Fox"
with Claire, Jane, and Ollie buckled up in their car seats.
The girls would beg me to play it over and over again.
surprised that in those seconds of adrenaline and running,
I remembered that lovely memory.
After sprinting full-on for 60 seconds,
I stopped; my feet were dirty and stained with blood.
I called for Angus, and together, we went back home
with a sad tale to tell.
Christian was on the porch with his Glock ready for action.
But that sly fox knew what he was doing; he was long gone,
probably back in his den, greasing his chin with BB and all
the other chickens we've lost.
Now we're down to five hens and one rooster.
The Fox:
"The fox went out on a chilly night
He prayed for the moon to give him light
For he had many a mile to go that night
Before he reached the town-o, town-o, town-o
He had many a mile to go that night before he reached the town-o
He ran till he came to the farmers pen
The ducks and the geese were kept therein
He said: a couple of you are gonna grease my chin
Before I leave this town-o, town-o, town-o
A couple of you are going to grease my chin before I leave this town-o
He grabbed the gray goose by the neck
He threw a duck across his back
And he didn't mind the quack-quack
And the legs all danglin' down-o, down-o, down-o
He didn't mind the quack-quack
And the legs all danglin' down-o
Well the old gray women jumped out of bed
Out of the window she popped her head
Cryin': John, John, the gray goose is gone
The fox is on the town-o, town-o, town-o
John, John the gray goose is gone and the fox is on the town-o
He ran till he came to his nice warm den
And there were the little ones eight, nine, ten
Sayin' daddy, daddy, better go back again
It must be a mighty fine town-o, town-o, town-o
Daddy, daddy, go back again for it must be a mighty fine town-o"
