Posted on: Sunday, November 25, 2001

Fun House
Chicken crossed the road for the E-ticket ride

By Susan Mathewson, Honolulu

While driving down Nimitz Highway in Kalihi with my then 3-year-old daughter, Indigo, I suddenly heard her say "Mommy, look! Why are all those chickens hanging upside down?"

To my horror, she was pointing to a chicken slaughterhouse, and the chickens were in fact hanging upside down and flapping their wings on their way to a deadly demise.

Not wanting to explain the fate of these chickens, I came up with my best cover: I quickly explained that it was a chicken carnival, and that was one of the rides.

To this day, when we drive by that chicken processing plant, my now 8-year-old will say dryly, "Chicken carnival, huh, Mom?"

Do you have a funny story about your child, spouse or other family members? The best Fun House anecdotes of 2001 will be reprinted in the 'Ohana section after the end of the year, and the selected writers will receive Honolulu Advertiser logo items. If you have a true, humorous, unpublished short story about your family or a family-related topic, send it with your name, city and telephone number to: Fun House, 'Ohana Section, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; e-mail ohana@honoluluadvertiser.com or fax 535-8170. Enter as often as you like. Preference is given to stories of less than 200 words.