Subject: Boooooooooooooooooock!
Date: Tue, Aug 22 2000 00:00:02 EDT

Nan Quick claims this is her favorite joke. I believe her...

It was almost closing time at the town library, when the librarian heard the door swing open and then saw a chicken walk towards her. She was going to shoo it out, but the chicken looked up at her and said, "Boooooooooooooooooock!"

"What? Are you trying to say something to me?"

It's head bobbed up and down as it again said, "Boooooooooooooooooock!"

"A book? You're saying you want a book?"

Up and down bobbed the chicken's head.

"Well... no one has ever said not to give books to chickens who come in and ask, so... How about 'Tom Sawyer'?"

Up and down bobbed the chicken's head, and the librarian wonderingly handed the fowl the book and watched as it tucked the book under one wing and left. She thought for a couple of minutes and decided against telling anyone, because who would believe her?

The next day, just before closing, she again heard the door, saw the chicken approaching, saw it place 'Tom Sawyer' in the book return bin, and then listened as it said, "Boooooooooooooooooock! Boooooooooooooooooock!"

"Hello, Chicken. Nice to see you. What was that you said?"

"Boooooooooooooooooock! Boooooooooooooooooock!"

"You want two books today? Is that it?"

Up and down went the chicken's head.

"How about 'Tiny Tales' and 'Native Son'?"

Up and down went the chicken's head, and, as before, she handed the chicken the books, it juggled them around until one was under each wing, and then left. This time she stared at the door for a moment, then put her head on her hnds and closed her eyes. "I'm definitely cracking up," she thought.

The next day she was prepared, and, sure enough, towards closing time, the scene was repeated except that the chicken said "Boooooooooooooooooock! Boooooooooooooooooock! Boooooooooooooooooock!"

"Three books?"

Head bobbed.

The librarian sighed and offered 'The Complete works of Emily Dickinson', "Little Women', and 'The Prophetess'.

Head bobbed.

The chicken had to struggle this time, but finally got the books tucked under it's wings and left.

Hurriedly the librarian ran after it, determined to find out where it went with the books. Up and down through the streets of the smallish town, down an alley, across a vacant lot, across a field, through some trees, and to the edge of a lake. Leaning against a tree, the librarian watched as the chicken approached the water and a frog lept off its lily pad and hopped over to the bird. One by one the chicken put the books down for the frog to see, and after each one the frog said, "Readit! Readit!"