‘Cute Little Chickies’

Something didn’t seem quite right to Rupy as she and Grandpa drove along the country road. Grandpa had a slight smile on his face.

“Hmmm, I wonder what he is thinking! Oh, well,” she shrugged, “I can hardly wait to get my little chickie.”

Rupy would not have to wait very long because she could already see Tom’s farmhouse just up the road. Tom was one of Grandpa’s best friends and always welcomed visitors. As they approached the turn that led up to the farm, Rupy could see a small group of chickens gathered on the dirt road. They were all pecking at the ground. She was so excited, she was clapping her hands together rapidly while bouncing up and down on the seat.

She had been to the farm just a few weeks earlier, and on that visit Rupy saw some little tiny chickies following their mother.

“Do you think I could have one of those to keep?” she asked Tom.

“Well, I don’t know, Rupy, you’ll have to ask your Grandpa,” he replied.

“Can I, Grandpa, can I have one? They are so tiny and cute!”

Grandpa and Tom looked at each other and smiled. “I suppose we could come back in a few weeks when these chickies can leave their mother, if you still want one as a pet.” Grandpa told her.

“I will, I love these little chickies!” Rupy said. She thought to herself, they look just like the little cotton ball chickies we used to make in Miss Johnson’s kindergarten class, only these are real!

When Rupy arrived home later that day she began making a house for her new pet. She started with just a box and added little chairs and a couch. She also put in a tiny bed and dresser. Rupy knew her chickie couldn’t really use this furniture, but she could pretend. She told her friends about her upcoming new arrival and was anxious to show them.

Connor lived down the street from Rupy and told her, “Chickens grow real fast, and they don’t stay little.”

“Oh,” she thought, “he just doesn’t want me to have one.” Mom, Dad and Grandpa told Rupy several times that if she wanted to change her mind, she could wait until she was older to have this type of pet.

“No,” Rupy would tell them, “those chickies are so tiny and cute, I’m sure I want one.” Before she and Grandpa went back to Tom’s farm, Rupy read a book that told how to care for a chicken. She wanted to be sure and feed it the right kind of food and care for it properly. Mostly though, she wanted it because it was so tiny and cute. She knew she would have fun playing with it and showing her friends.

Finally the day had arrived to get her new pet. Mom was standing in the yard as Rupy and Grandpa were driving away. “If you change your mind, just tell Grandpa.” she shouted.

They drove in toward the farm and the group of chickens scattered away. As she got out of the car, Rupy could see Tom near the barn.

“OK. Rupy, you can pick any one of those chickens,” said Tom as she and Grandpa walked closer.

Rupy was a little confused at first. Those chickens are big, she thought. I wanted one of those little chickies. Just then she realized those were the little chickies she saw a few weeks ago, they had just grown larger.

“Grandpa, I changed my mind, I think I’ll wait until I get a little older before I get this type of pet!”

Grandpa just smiled.

Jeff Molinari is the author of “Little Eppy.” To learn more about his book, visit littleeppy.com. Special thanks to Leah Reed for the illustration.

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