Tonight we took the kiddos to In-N-Out Burger.
It is one of our favorite places to eat with all the kids in tow. Good, inexpensive food with a fun atmosphere--at least usually. Let me preface this story by telling you that when we were at In-N-Out Burger in the middle of April we ate outside and were entertained by a chicken. A real live chicken, roaming around the area, eating left over french fries.
My kids thought it was awesome and Lily and Isaac were quite entertained.
So tonight the chicken was there again. This time we also ate outside so we could be entertained once again. The kids thought it was neat that the chicken was still at In-N-Out Burger and we joked that it was their mascot. One of the employees overheard us talking and mentioned how the chicken has been there for awhile now (which we already knew, hello, we are regulars). By the endearing way she told us, you could tell they thought it was kind of neat.Here comes the disturbing part.....Warning--not for the faint of heart.
So we are beginning to eat our food and we hear the chicken cackling. We look to see where it is and a lady is trying to catch it. She proceeds to catch it and wrings it's neck. Yes, she killed the chicken.
WHAT?
I am serious. What in the world? We watched with our mouths gaping open. Isaac said, "What is that lady doing to the chicken?" We were speachless. Isaac just sat there with a super sad look on his face. I think he could tell that she was not being nice to it and he was disturbed as we all where. The lady then went and put the chicken in her car. Did she think she deserved an extra meal? What was all that about? She even had kids around her and they were laughing.
WHAT?
I am serious. What in the world? We watched with our mouths gaping open. Isaac said, "What is that lady doing to the chicken?" We were speachless. Isaac just sat there with a super sad look on his face. I think he could tell that she was not being nice to it and he was disturbed as we all where. The lady then went and put the chicken in her car. Did she think she deserved an extra meal? What was all that about? She even had kids around her and they were laughing.
When she walked by to go into the restaurant. I got her attention (I was fuming!) and said that what she did was super disturbing and told her to look at my son's face and see how upsetting that was to watch. She laughed as if she thought I was commending her on her kill. I don't think she knew what I was saying because she replied in spanish.
Tonight I was so excited to go to In-N-Out Burger. But my meal was ruined.
Should I assume that the lady was so hard up for food that she felt she was justified in killing a chicken that was roaming around an establishment? Did she think she was doing In-N-Out burger a favor?
Am I being overly sensitive about this? After all it's just a chicken right? I can just hear my kids the next time we go to In-N-Out Burger, "Mom remember last time we where here and that lady killed the chicken?" In-N-Out Burger will never be the same.
7 comments:
Super Creepy!! Too bad you didn't have a spanish speaker with you to chew her out. Maybe she took it home to have for dinner tomorrow. Poor Isaac!
Oh my goodness!! I can't believe this story. Poor kids having to see that. I'm glad you said something (I would have never had the guts) but too bad she didn't understand you. Yes, let's hope that she is using it to feed her hungry family.
Ash called me in from the other room to read this post. I'll throw in my Idaho view just for a bit of diversity. This will be lengthy for a blog response. ;o)
To be honest, I'm just surprised the chicken lasted as long as it did.
If a chicken was (were?) hanging around the Jerome Cafe (we don't have In-N-Outs in Idaho) with no owner in sight, that chicken would die. Ringing a chicken's neck (along with lots of other things you'd probably prefer me not to write on your blog)was second-nature to a lot of my friends, and often their mothers as well. I'm sure it was the same wherever this woman is from.
I think the most likely explanation is that she, like you, had seen the chicken there before. Since nobody else was going to eat it, why not her? She probably considered not ringing its neck in public, but figured it was the lesser of two evils; the other evil being throwing a live chicken in her car and having it peck and scratch up her interior.
One thing is for sure, if I were your kids, that is DEFINITELY what I would remember the next time I went to In-N-Out.
What a story!
I am going to use Katie's login so I can comment.
First, I would like to say that I was unaware that In-N-Out was adding nuggets to the menu. Clearly that is the easiest way to get the nuggets, you shake them out of the chicken.
Second, I do think a chicken is probably a little easier on the interior of a car than a sheep. However, we can't all carry livestock Camarillo style. Sometimes it is better to carry dead stock.
Third, I am somewhat pleased at this point in time that I do not pass through Jerome, ID on any sort of regular basis.
Last, this will be the only thing your children are going to remember about this establishment when they are older. I guess Chick-Fil-A will remain a favorite hang out for you.
Later, J.R.
Why is it that I have to blog about dead chickens to get my brother-in-laws to comment? :)
I totally agree...the kids will be talking about it EVERY time we eat there!
I'm sorry that psycho lady ruined In-n-out for you guys ... hopefully Isaac will recover soon! That is a crazy story. So is that a picture of the real chicken or did you just find a random one online?
Wow is all I can say! Weird and wow!
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