Asian Bird Flu (teaching)

Today, I drove to work because of the transit strike. It was no big deal for me (I am pretty sure that I am of the few who can say this statement). I was going to walk the 2 miles. But, because it was 20 degrees and I was running unbelievably late, I decided to drive. So, I drove. I ended up walking to the entrance of my school from a different street than normal. It was at that point where I saw one of the men from my building, standing behind a locked gate, holding a chicken. It was early. I had not had much coffee. I said, "Nice chicken" and kept walking. When I was just about to turn to the other block, I realized what I had seen and turned back to reconfirm that I had, in fact, just seen a man with a chicken in the middle of the NYC.

If I had not turned around, I would not be in my current predicament. He was trying to hop the fence with the chicken in his hand. Of course he could not do it. So, without much though, I turned around asked if he needed help and then TOOK THE CHICKEN. He was up and over the fence in practically no time and I was on my way. When I came into the school, I was going to launch into my funny chicken story when I realized everyone was agitated. They told me about the chicken I already knew about as soon as I stepped in the door. Then, they proceeded to tell me that the guy was going to be in trouble [we work in an elementary school so we talk like elementary students], that animal control said don't touch it, and then I kind of freaked out. I felt like I was going to get some nasty chicken disease. My logical self says that there is nothing to fear--the chicken looked fine.

When I told my roommate that the chicken looked fine, she asked if it had any symptoms. I said it had body aches. She asked if it had a stuffy beak.