Monday, September 12, 2011

chicken tomorrow!

Today Lily reminded me that while her parents may be American, she's got a Haitian worldview.

We headed up to the office around 4:30 because she was asking for her Daddy.  On our way up, Giselaine intercepted us and asked me to please come to the kitchen to see something.  Lily, Sofie and I head over and walk in, and I immediately freeze upon entering because there were blood, feathers and very dead, very close-up chickens EVERYWHERE.

I was so overwhelmed by the whole thing, with a whole flock of dead chickens laying in a bucket of blood, the women mechanically chopping their heads off, and then attacking each headless body (all surrounded by hundreds of flies) and ripping all the feathers off.

Giselaine picked up a stiff plucked chicken body by it's sharp feet and shook it at me, showing me how they were too skinny.

I was not only fighting not to throw up (I've been really sick the last few days and this was REALLY overwhelming), but I was also fighting to shield Lily and fighting feeling really sad for the poor chickens.  American, non-farmer Stacey was so shook up that all those poor chickens lost their lives, and they all had mothers, and their lives had ended so unexpectedly...you know.

Trying to play it all off and protect Lily, I chocked out, "Lily, hunnie, it's ok!  They're just cooking chickens."

Looking down, I realized Lily, standing over this HUGE tub of blood with dead chickens laying in it, is beaming.

"Look mom!  Lots of blood and those are feathers!  Hah!  Mona is getting the feathers out.  We're going to eat chicken!  I LOVE chicken!  When can I eat chicken?  Chicken tomorrow?  Let's go tell Poppy we're gonna eat chicken!"

Animals are just animals to Lily, not pets...and everyone else in Haiti :)

5 comments:

elisa said...

well i guess it's ok that she's not like her mama in one way...that must have been awful though. ew.

Lori said...

Oh yuk.... I am with you Stacey I would have been struggling not to throw up! Lily knew good eating was on the way!!!

Love you all and all daily adventures!

Lori

Deb Torell said...

Seems like I remember you were a vegetarian for awhile...

Amber said...

Ha! Oh boy, I would have to say I would be with you on that one too!! Glad Lily knows when good food is on the way! I'll just continue to let myself believe it just comes to me packaged and that's that :)

Anonymous said...

My baby LOVES chicken!
Poppy