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Death of a Chicken

Tony's picture

Tony — Fri, 04/20/2012 - 9:49am

A cool thing about becoming fairly aged is the span of time one's experiences cover, reaching back into environments and cultures that no longer exist. Another cool thing are the memory clips that bubble up seemingly out of nowhere like little treasures

When I was about six Grandma Elizabeth and Grandpa Sebastian were still in Chicago. In the late 1940's they had been able to save enough to purchase a three-story residential building where they rented out the top three floors. I still remember the unique smell of the foyer - old wood, carpets, furniture polish - that spoke of a comfortable old city dwelling. Grandpa worked as a building custodian, travelling from site to site on his bicycle to tend furnaces and whatever else he did to keep buildings functioning in 1940's Chicago.

The memory that visited me occurred during one of our visits, when I was old enough to ride with Grandpa sitting on the crossbar of his bike between his arms. The memory probably got recorded because I was pretty nervous about my precarious perch and the dodging through Chicago traffic. On this particular outing grandpa spied a chicken running loose, parked me and the bike, and took off on foot after it. Back at the house I remember the chicken being provided a dish of water in the kitchen. But soon the chicken was no more, except that we soon had a chicken dinner.

1943-xx-xx leo m and tallitsch family group.jpg
The family in 1943 - 3 years before the chicken incident

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Dana's picture

Doesn't get much fresher than that.

Dana — Fri, 04/20/2012 - 2:40pm

Not to mention local. Great story. Silly, unwary urban chickens.

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Tony's picture

Indeed - and no match at all

Tony — Fri, 04/20/2012 - 2:59pm

Indeed - and no match at all for savvy, urban grandparents ...

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Barbara's picture

Long ago and far away...

Barbara — Mon, 04/23/2012 - 7:05am

I've never lived in a city. What a great memory. And what snappy dressers the Tallitsch / Mindlings clan are! Great to see them. Thank you, Tony.

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Families

uncle stephen — Mon, 04/23/2012 - 1:11pm

It has to be my marketing self...BUT a picture of a cow, with a Tyke on a Bike, chasing a chicken would make an interesting advertisement.

Uncle SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

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Tony's picture

I know it is difficult for

Tony — Tue, 04/24/2012 - 11:43am

I know it is difficult for some to believe, but at six I was not quite yet in the habit of carrying a camera everywhere with me. So these little memory burbles must be captured at once.

Hey, Barbara - weren't we all snappy dressers once. I recall when one didn't go sightseeing or on a plane without a coat and tie. Once when Grandma Tessie and Grandpa Leo were travelling - in Texas, I believe - they offered to fly Ian out for a visit. He was in high school then. Hilda and I dressed him all up in a suit and tie for the trip. But he got savvy to current style and returned cool and casual.

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Meaghan's picture

What a great memory.

Meaghan — Tue, 05/22/2012 - 12:06pm

I loved this little vignette, Tony. What a great memory. And what a fun Grandpa!!

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