Goose In The Kitchen

Animals on the menu

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How Goose had ended up on the menu is anyone's guess. Everything was going great. The trip down came off without a hitch. They made it to Miami in time for their cousins White party (When all the swans gather together to hook-up by the ocean). The city was beautiful all decorated for the holidays. And the weather was serene compared to what Rabbit must have been dealing with. And the latin vibe created images of salsa dancing through Goose's head. She wanted to get back to Rabbit and maybe go with her to the Royal Roost on some occasion. Goose wanted to apologize to Rabbit about all the times they had argued about the Hen House. "Don't call it that Goose. you know what it makes it sound like, and it's not like that. At least not for me" begged Rabbit. "Don't tell me that is not the kind of place. It is that kind of place. I've been around Rabbit. I've seen the world. And I know that Chicken. She's fowl. You may not have noticed but I've seen her eye on you." "Oh, please Goose, just come out with me sometime. You'll see. We'll go dancing with the other Royal Roost patrons, and it will be just plain fun."You won't catch my cooked goose in that place."

Now that Goose was in the cage waiting to go into the oven all she wanted to do was be with Rabbit. Even if it meant dancing in the Royal Roost. "I mean how bad could it be? Not worse than this. I could have stayed up there, and we could've been dancing in the stables at the solstice." The incessant latin music was just reinforcing dancing with Rabbit thoughts. "And maybe I'm wrong about Chicken. Nah she's got her eye on Rabbit because Rabbit is one of the few frisky animals to escape Chicken's charms. What am I talking about. Nothing will matter if I'm cooked. Well at least not to me. Maybe I should be happy that Chicken will pick up the pieces when I don't fly back in the spring. No, no, no this is pigeon shit! I am not going in that oven." She could hear the humans doing 'Palm Tree' knows what to the poor group of roosters she was caged up with in the van ride over. It sounded like two cocks fighting in the next room. What a mess.

Goose had a great time at the White party. She did not tell everything to Rabbit who no doubt thought she was on a quiet lake sunbathing the entire time. Her and the other Geese were going to relax on a serene lake while down here. That was true. Just after the White Party. Everyone knows about Geese and their monogamy. And their issue with soiled animals, thats true. But rarely do people know how Geese find their mates. Salsa dancing at the White Party. Or Pink Party Polka with the Flaming Gulls in Vegas. Or maybe the Ballroom Blue Crown party with the Cassowary in Australia. And many more. Basically if you are a Bird there is always a party somewhere. Her group were coming to accept her being with Rabbit. Slowly but surely. She was concerned about Chicken and the Royal Roost not because of the Farm, but because she knew from first hand experience. She had met her mate at the White Party back in '04. And every year they attended the party for the experience. There were no rules to the celebration. If you just wanted to spend it in your mates arms that was more than acceptable. But it was expected for you to make at least an appearance early in the night if for no other reason than encouragement to the single feathered of the flock.

A downside to the party is if you wake up too late or too early you may miss most of the flocks heading out to the lakes further inland. Sometimes as far as Georgia or the Carolinas depending on the weather that time of year. And with Global warming it was hard for the flock to make plans in advance anymore. It used to be they could make reservations, with the Beaver Booking Business, for this Lake or that Lake, but now who knew which lake would be unfrozen when. Goose was glad she wasn't part of the Migratory Committee. Goose had gotten up early and was enjoying the ocean breeze when suddenly she was knocked out by a rock. The rock had been thrown by a young 15 year old latin lad who was out picking up roosters for the games later that day. He had been enjoying the breeze as well when he laid eyes on the goose. Which was quite odd he thought while picking up the rock. Known to be an industrious lad in the neighborhood he knew a good meal when he found it. He gathered up Goose and tossed her in a cage in the back with the roosters. "What a great day he thought." And Goose found herself without her flock surrounded by sad cocks who told her somber tales about humans. With this and after what happened to her mate she really did not want to hang around a pack of humans for too long. Right away she started to look for a way out of the cage. The roosters assured her there was one. Through the door and onto the cutting board or into the arena. Two young roosters who looked much more alive than dead-eyed like the others were in a cage in the back corner of the bumbling van. One kept saying over and over "I am Sparta". Goose couldn't help but think "WTF have I gotten myself into".

And there she was in the cage and the cutting board right on the table in front of her. She could see vegetables and knives and absolutely nothing that could help her out of this. She had already gone through various stages of acceptance that she would indeed be staying for dinner. Too bad no one saw Goose cry or their human hearts would have broken, and they would have had to free her. If they survived the heartbreak. She decided if she was to be food she was gonna take a human eye or two with her. She started working on her pecks. And a 1 and a 2, and a 3 and a 4. Gonna grab your right eye, you motherf*ing w***! And a 1 and a 2, and a 3 and a 4. Gonna grab your left eye, you motherf*ing w***! When she heard a click. And there was the second young rooster who had spent his time primping his feathers during the ride over. "Well let's go" he said in the most beautiful feminine voice Goose had ever heard.

"And you all know the rest" Goose said to the crowd. "Introducing the Greatest Singer ever to grace any Coop anywhere. The Royal Regals very own Divine Diva. Regina the 'Raulster' who will now regale us with her rendition of 'Rescue Me" Fontella Bass style." Goose went back to the table where her beloved Rabbit was sitting. She was clearly enjoying having Goose back. Goose had one arm around Rabbit as they, and their friends, watched Raulster make his singing debut.

By Alex Almeida

From: United States

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