The Little Bantam Rooster ...

"So tell me what you think," said Jaydee as she slid the papers across the table top towards J--.

"What is it?" asked J--, his eyebrows arching hopefully.

"A little short story I've been working on," said Jaydee smiling, "if it's any good maybe I'll work it out as a children's book or something."

"Nice," said J--, "give me a few minutes and I'll let you know." He picked up the papers and glanced at them as Jaydee moved back towards the counter. Smiling he began to read her words:

He strutted around the Barn Yard, certain that he was THE rooster, and that all others were beneath him and worthy only of his contempt.

He was a proud rooster. The farm yard was his domain. Everyone cowered before him. His cock comb glistened in the sun, his tail held high spoke of his confidence.

His was the only voice that heralded the breaking of the dawn. He was and remained the king of all he surveyed. The other fowl knew how important and powerful he was, and none dared challenge his superiority.

And so this morning with great flourish he stepped into the sun, prepared to stroll like a King amongst his loyal subjects.

He headed to the feed dish. There was no need to push his way through the crowd of cackling hens. They would move for him. He was the important one, and he and they knew that.

So as he stepped up to the edge of the battered bowl lying among the weeds he cleared his throat with a slight cackle that caused the hens closest to him to glance back nervously, then with profuse apologies they stepped aside and granted him access to the feed.

"Ah," he thought as he proudly stepped forward, "this is THE WAY it should be. The proper etiquette must be followed ..."

"Thank you," he squawked with great pomposity.

The hens murmured in reply.

Later in the day, as he strolled around the yard he noted that the farmer was lifting a cage out of the back of the battered old truck he drove around.

"What's this?" the Rooster asked himself as he approached the gathering crowd of hens watching the action intently, "what he doing?"

Around him was a shrill chorus of "I don' know ...", "Looks like a new rooster ..." and most cutting to the Bantie the phrase, "Oooohhhh, isn't he handsome?"

A feeling of apprehension and fear gripped the rooster as he watched the farmer reach down and open the cage and set free a flurry of red feathers that zoomed across the farm yard directly at the Rooster and Hens.

Later, while he was nursing his wounds under the apple tree, the Little Bantam rooster would remember only the WALL of red that crested over him like a tsunami. He had never seen a rooster so big and powerful. He had never realized how tiny he himself really was. His importance in the barn yard evaporated in the twinkling of an eye, as the Barn Yard gained a new monstrous sized Rooster.

Suddenly the little Bantam Rooster realized that he was not only a tiny physical presence, his irrelevancy also broke over him with a harsh redefining of everything he held dear ...

Bitter tears welled up in his eyes as he sat under the tree watching the new kid on the block strutting so proudly in HIS barn yard ... yet even as he nursed feelings of revenge, the painful twinge of his wounded limbs an pride reminded him that he simply lacked the abilities to do ANYTHING about it beyond nursing his bitterness privately and secretly ... He picked himself off and strolled off towards the duck pond hoping they haven't heard of his downfall, and would perhaps help him plot his revenge ...

J-- finished his reading and looked up to find Jaydee standing expectantly by his table.

"Well??" she asked hopefully.

"Not bad," said J-- with a smile, "it's good. It needs a bit of work, but it's good."

"I know," said Jaydee smiling broadly, "but what do you think?"

"I like it," said J--, "it reminds me of people I know who have the small man syndrome happening."

"Huh?" Jaydee looked confused, "what do you mean?"

"Oh, the guys who are small in stature and have a whole bag of issues because of it," said J-- laughing, "They are like little Bantam Roosters, strutting around thinking they're important until a bigger rooster, or the barn yard dog lays a beating on them. They are just laughable to watch."

"Oh," a realization broke over Jaydee, "I know people like that!"

"So do I," J--, lifted his coffee to his lips and took a drink, "and unfortunately, they are all too able to find ducks willing to work with them against the rest of the barn yard ..."

"Ain't that the truth?" said Jaydee, "But back to the story. What do you really think?"

"I really like it," said J-- smiling, "It's a good start. Keep working at it."

"Thanks," she said as she went back to work, a smile etched on her face.