Roosters crow at Night

Roosters Crow at Night
By Deborah J Lindsey

(The man on the phone sounded like he had a sock shoved up his nose.) -First line writing prompt-

The man on the phone sounded like he had a sock shoved up his nose.

I knew it waswas Berry.

I sighed and clicked my phone shut knowing that it would only ring again.

I counted 1 2 3 4 5 6.

Chicken Dance music, once, twice.

“Hello, Berry is that you?
Speak up! Your sock connection is very bad.”

The sock continued his muffled tirade.

Berry was my neighbor in back. If I looked out the bathroom window I am sure I would find him there peering through the parted curtains. I did try to get along with him but he was just one of those impossible people that could never be satisfied.

I do believe he counted every leaf that dared fall from my trees unto his yard. I watched him spear them with a long stick that had a nail driven into the end of it. When the nail was full, he made neat little piles and nailed them to my fence. I didn’t mind the nails. In fact, I found them quite convenient places to hang my wind chimes. I had four out there now. They were quite musical on a breezy day.

He was odd about trash too. Once, some flyers I had thrown away advertising information on my lost dog who had mysteriously vanished somehow fell on the ground beside his trash can. I found those nailed on the fence too. Photos of my dear Yapsey were circled several times with a red marker and the nail pierced the paper forehead.

My phone boomed once again. I knew it was Barry because I had assigned him his own ring tone - Beethoven’s Fifth.

“Hello, Berry I know it’s you. You don’t sound one bit like John Wayne.

Berry, I can see you peering through the curtain. NO! I didn’t give your name to the FBI. And NOI I didn’t sign you up for a year’s subscription to “Piggy Wiggy Digest”.

I closed my phone and started the count again.

“Hello, Berry, I can’t hear you. The sock isn’t helping your connection.
What? Chickens? Yes, I have a few hens that’s all. The front yard? Oh, don’t worry about the grass. I have some goats coming next week. Totally organic you know. It’s the latest thing. You’re welcome to some of the goat’s leavings for your roses.

Berry? Hello…?”

I snapped my phone shut. I shook my head and laughed to myself. Some people just couldn’t get along with others. How was I to know roosters crowed when they took a notion too- even at night. I’m sure the girl scout cookies I signed him up for would more than compensate.

C copyright October, 2106 by Deborah J Lindsey