Chicken-Chasing

I, along with a few bloggers, went out on a road trip to Tagaytay and found ourselves in Calaruega. I have never been there and the atheist-UPian in me felt indifferent. It was after all a retreat place and I was not really a retreat person. But I was there so there was really no point in not retreating when, in fact, I have recently decided to retreat (and surrender?).

It was there I saw the chicken. He was running around the place like crazy and I was amused. I took a picture. It felt good that in spite of how quickly it ran, I was able to catch it for a few seconds to get a good picture. 

This chicken seemed confused. He probably does not know he's a chicken. He probably thinks he's a retreatant as well. The chicken ran around the place trying to find itself until it settled beside me. I was amused.

"Why me? I am sure there are other chicken-lovers in the area...", I asked.

But the chicken stayed for a while. I must admit, I have never been fond of animals in general and while the metro in me felt weirded out, the agriculturist in me (oh yes, I come from THAT State U) felt right at home. The chicken was interested to get to know me and I, I had my stories to tell. The chicken was reaching out and I, even if I knew my niche, reached out as well. For a few moments, the chicken and I shared a bond. It felt good.

But the chicken probably realized that it was good for him to play around with other chickens. He was comfortable with that arrangement and so off he went. I saw him running around the place, this time with another chicken. They looked good together - they were both chickens anyway. I looked at them from afar. I imagined their lives together as chickens while I lived mine. But at the back of my mind, I was envious of them. 

"The chicken seemed happy with his life...", I thought.

I looked around the place and started walking towards the nearest makeshift store to buy my drink. I saw my chicken again but that was just about it. He approached me and looked at me in the eyes. I looked at him and I smiled. I wanted to hold my chicken but something stopped me. 

"I cannot hold a free bird in hand, that would just be not right", I whispered.

So I looked at my chicken one last time and said goodbye. 

"I am setting you free now, dear chicken... "

The chicken kept on reappearing before me. He was really stubborn. He must really be amused by me and was probably hoping that we can still be within arms reach. But we both knew better. 

"I am human and you are a chicken... it's just not meant to be...", I told him.

So with one final look, my chicken and I bid farewell. 

"Goodbye chicken..."

And my fellow humans and I, left the place. Walking away, I felt a tinge of sadness. I know that I will miss that chicken but I had to accept the fact that there are just some things that can never be - he will forever be a chicken while I will always be me. But for that brief moment, I connected with that chicken and he, he forever changed my life. 

I am done chasing chickens, finally.

Blogger's Note: Just because I missed my chicken so much, the bloggers and I later found ourselves eating at KFC that night. I enjoyed each and every bite of my original recipe chicken. I may not have had my provincial chicken for a long time but, I am surely enjoying (and will continue to enjoy further) tasting other chickens in the metro. 

I am sure my chicken is already happy where he is. And next week, he told me then, that he would be on vacation with his chicken-lover. And that is a story worth telling: how chickens finally learned how to fly.

This post was inspired by a Dyosa a.k.a. Ms. Philippines - Visayas who had that innate talent of conversing with plants and animals. This Dyosa is pikon but he's one cool dude to hang out with.