When the Homily is about Immunology

The Death Sentence

My coworker and fellow Kitsapper had a real nasty rooster on her hands. It had gotten so bad that the rest of her chickens were not able to be free range anymore and the dog and kids had to be exceptionally careful. Not being the type to slaughter, she asked if I wanted the task. Needing the practice I said sure.

Advised that catching the bird would be difficult and perhaps painful, I opted to shoot it. I will admit to being a little tense about it, I'd killed plenty of fish but a big rooster was another thing altogether. So, nervously I lined up my shot and fired. Once shot, it went unconscious (or died) and I hauled it into the woods where I had prepared a spot to behead it and bleed it out.

Unfortunately the spot I chose I had not investigated well enough and as I took my first swing with the axe I realized the wood stump underneath was rotten and it ended up taking three swings. Decidedly unpleasant work.

After bleeding it for 10 minutes or so I tossed it into a bucket and then headed home to where my wife picks up the rest of the story.

Despite the ugliness of it all and despite the very beginning of the fast, the bird looked delicious when all was said and done. Sad to see it vacuum packed and frozen.