Oh, how this rooster was the terror of the neighbourhood! He had an attitude and no one was going to get on his turf on his watch. He was the meanest most ornery creature you could ever have the misfortune to meet up with. He belonged to my Uncle Peter and it was very clear that my Uncle didn’t need to have a guard dog because the rooster thought he was one.

I’ll never forget the day he flew on my back, pecked the heck out of my head and grabbed me by the ear! Here I was, running down the driveway, screaming at the top of my lungs and with my arms flaying in the air trying to get the monster of my back! I laugh about it now, but at the time, it was a nightmare. I don’t know how he would manage to get over the high fence or through it, but he would see me and it was always a flat-out race to see which one of us could run the fastest.

The week before my Uncle and his family moved of the Island was a very sad one for everyone…except me. You see, I went to my Uncle’s house on Sunday to call on one of my cousins. When no one came to the door, I peeked into the kitchen and to my surprise, everyone was seated around the table for supper, crying. I knew that this was the last time they would have Sunday super in this house, but that was not the reason for the tears. In the centre of the table sat my Uncle’s pride and joy. The rooster was stuffed with all the trimmings! He was the last one of his birds and they just couldn’t eat him.

Well, I high tailed it out of there before anyone could see me. Please try to remember that I was only 10 years old and he was my arch enemy, so I did what any kid my age would do…I let out a roar of laughter and skipped all the way home singing, “The old cock is dead, but the dog’s getting fed!”

Now I’ll probably rot in hell for that one, but I felt so justified at the time!

Title:The Cock of the Walk
Size:11 1/2” X 13 3/8”
Medium:Acrylic and Encaustic Wax