Tuesday, December 24, 2013
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Race to the Chicken Coop
It was spring 1970. I was a typical active 6 year old boy living on the farm outside Willow Bunch. It was a sunny Saturday morning and Mom was going to feed the chickens. The food we fed the chickens was table scraps from meals Mom prepared for us. Nothing went to waste on the farm. When I saw Mom walking for the chicken coop I stopped her and said "I’ll race you to the chicken coop Mom”!
With a mischievous grin on her face, she said "I don’t know Bobby, I can’t run as fast as I use to”.
"That’s ok mom” I said. "Just one race, pleeeease”!
Now unbeknownst to Mom, I had a race with Dad to the chicken coop some time before this. Dad kicked my butt (to put it gently). He even gave me a head start! I can still remember the sound of dad’s boots hitting the ground as he passed me with a big grin on his face and the complete look of astonishment on mine as he passed me. I thought I had him beat! Wow I thought, Dad could run like the wind! Well it was time for retribution! Mom was a girl after all! I should be able to beat Mom.
Mom looked down at me with a beautiful smile on her face. "Ok Bobby. I’ll race you to the chicken coop” she said.
"Alright Mom!” I said. I had been running all over the farm that morning, and at the age of 6 I was in the peak of my physical running condition! There was no way Mom was going to beat me!
We lined up by the by the front lawn. Mom, still holding onto the pail of chicken feed, and I leaning down low for the race of my life! "Are you ready Mom? I asked.
"Yes I am, Bobby” she said, with just a hint of a giggle in her voice.
"On your mark, get set. GO!” I yelled. The race had started! I was running faster than a deer! There’s no way Mom was going to beat me! That’s when I heard the first laugh. We had just reached the road when I looked over my shoulder and saw Mom with an enormous smile on her face. She was only half a step behind me! Holy macro, I thought to myself! I have to run faster!
We had just reached the big power pole in the middle of the yard. This was the half way mark! That’s when I heard Mom laughing even harder than before. I turned to take another look, nervous that it would slow me down, but I had to know what Mom was laughing at! The look on her face was of pure joy. I had never seen Mom laugh so hard in my life. Her arms were swinging and the pail of chicken food was swinging along with them. And still, Mom was only a half-step behind me with the chicken coop was fast approaching!
As we we’re running our final approach to the chicken coop I could hear Mom laughing even harder than before. I glanced back again to see that Mom was in a full fit of laughter, and still only half a step behind me! Wow, I thought, Mom can really run fast. Maybe all that laughing was making her run faster? At that point I started to laugh. Mom’s laughter was infectious.
We finally reached the chicken coop. By that time Mom and I were in laughing so hard we could scarcely catch our breath! The trail behind us was strewn with table scraps from the pail of chicken food that Mom carried with her. I looked up at Mom with a big smile on my face and it was at that moment, when I looked at Mom, that she looked like a young school girl. Her cheeks were rosy from the run. She was out of breath, laughing and happy.
In between fits of laughter Mom came over to me and gave me a big hug and said "You beat me Bobby! Good job”! I was so happy at that moment. Not that I had beaten Mom but that we were laughing together. Ok.....I was a little happy that I won the race too.
I never did find out why Mom was laughing so hard. My guess was she was just happy to be living that moment, or she was laughing at the site of me running with my skinny arms and legs flailing all around! In either case, this was a beautiful moment in a memory filled with wonderful moments of my mother.
I’m going to miss you Mom. Your smile, warmth, generosity and ability to see the good in people are all traits you left behind in your loving family, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
I’ll see you again one day Mom. And when I do you better be ready for another race to the chicken coop! Maybe this time I'll beat Dad too!
----Bobby
Assiniboia Chapel