I am not a Chicken

Written by Reza Dalvand

Translated by Shaghayegh Ghandehari

This morning, when I woke up, I discovered that I have grown a heap of feathers! Does that mean that I am turning into a hen’s chick?! It’s been a while since the people of this city have been turning into hens, gradually.

This includes mom, dad, aunt Soosan

and grandma, the neighbors, teachers,

the polices, the gardeners, mothers and children.

And today is my turn, so what should I do now?!

I had planned to do the best thing I could do before I became a hen’s chick. I mean the thing I loved the most.

- That’s drawing!

I sat down and drew the most beautiful drawing of my whole life. When I finished my drawing, I discovered that all of my feathers have fallen off on the ground!

Hurrah!!... I will no longer become a hen.

Probably if everybody pursued their own dreams, then they wouldn’t turn into a hen.

I went to mom, she had always dreamed of becoming a dancer.

“Mom, will you dance for me?” I asked mom.

Mom glanced at me with her kind eyes, stood still happily and danced more beautifully than she had ever done before.

Now the room was full of the feathers that had fallen off mom as she had danced. So she wasn’t a hen anymore!

We hugged each other in thrill and went to see the others.

Dad had always wished to become a gardener. Grandma had wished to become a driver and the lady, who was our neighbor, dreamed of becoming a police!

All of the people in the city had their own forgotten dreams, which they failed to keep in mind in the middle of their busy lives.

Though I was very tired that night, I was happy that all of the people in the city are happy, doing what they like with true love.

Just as I love to draw and become a great painter.

Then I hang the painting I had drawn today on the wall so I would never forget my dream.