
07/24/2025
MY DAUGHTER KEPT STEALING THE NEIGHBOR'S CHICKEN—AND I FINALLY FOUND OUT WHY
At first, I thought it was just a phase.
Every couple of days, I’d find Clove—the neighbor’s fat, bossy hen—in our backyard coop, even though we didn’t own any chickens. My daughter Junie would always be nearby, holding her tight like a raggedy stuffed animal, whispering secrets into her feathers.
I kept walking Clove back to old Miss Dottie’s place next door, apologizing each time. Dottie would just wave it off with a dry laugh and say, “That girl of yours loves deep. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.”
But then one afternoon, I caught Junie sneaking Clove out again. This time, she had a blanket and a juice box packed in her little wagon like she was prepping for a road trip.
I crouched down and asked, “Baby, why do you keep taking Clove home?”
She looked up at me, eyes wide, and whispered, “Because Miss Dottie said she’s gonna put her down. Like we did with Grandpa. And Clove didn’t even do anything bad.”
My heart sank.
I didn’t know what to say, so I walked her back over. Miss Dottie was pruning something by her fence when she saw us. Before I could even explain, Junie blurted out, “You can’t take her away! I already promised her she’s safe.”
Dottie sighed. Long and tired.
Then she said something I didn’t expect—something that made me look twice at both her and the bird in Junie’s arms.
And that’s when I realized this wasn’t just about a chicken.
— — — continues in the first 🗨️⬇️