Chrissy Lynn and the Chicken Pops

 When Ron and Rhoda Hatfield moved into Commonwealth Subdivision with their little daughter, Chrissy Lynn, they were by far the youngest people there. Most of their neighbors were elderly. Krissy Lynn was the only child in the neighborhood. They were glad when the Riggins family moved next door. There were Luke and Hannah Riggins and their three sons: Matthew, Mark, and John. Ron and Rhoda agreed that it was good for Chrissy Lynn to have other kids around.

The three Riggins boys were all older than little Chrissy Lynn, but Chrissy loved them like big brothers and they seemed to enjoy having her around. By the time the Riggins had been there for three months, Chrissy Lynn was spending more time at the Riggins house than she was at home.

Chrissy Lynn was five years old. Matthew, the oldest brother, was thirteen. He was tall, skinny and already and aspiring writer. Matthew had a binder full of short stories and poetry that he had written. He was well spoken and had a vocabulary of a much older person. He liked to say that he was actually the only son that his parents had. Mark and John, he liked to say, were “failed attempts at having a girl”. Mark was 10 years old. He was quite the artist. Chrissy Lynn’s bedroom walls were covered with drawings that Mark had done for her. John, 6 years old, was the closest to Chrissy Lynn’s age. John was a very active boy and small for his age. Chrissy Lynn was a bit of a tomboy and was a great playmate for little John.

It was true that Luke and Hannah Riggins had always wanted a daughter, so they always enjoyed Chrissy Lynn’s frequent visits to their home.

On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Rhoda Hatfield heard a knock on the kitchen door. Her kitchen door opened onto a carport. Rhoda opened the door and saw Hannah Riggins standing halfway across the carport. Ron had already gone to his job at the local hardware store and the car wasn’t in its usual spot.

“Hi there, Hannah!” Rhoda said. “Come on in!”

“I can’t right now,” Hannah replied. “I need to tell you something and I need to ask you something, too.”

“OK, “ Rhoda replied. “What’s going on?”

“You ever had chicken pox?” Hannah asked.

“Sure and they liked to kilt me!” Rhoda told her friend and neighbor.

“Then, we should be safe,” Hannah said. She moved closer. “Look the boys have all got the chicken pox. Luke and me kept ’em home from school today. You better keep Chrissy Lynn home until the boys get over it. Don’t want her having the chicken pox!”

“It’s gonna be hard keeping her away from your house, but I sure don’t want her getting sick. I really do appreciate you telling me.”

“Well, that child is like a little sister to the boys. I try to watch out for her.”

Rhoda gave Hannah a hug.

“Well, I’ll hope and pray that the boys don’t have too hard of a time with it. Try not to worry, hon. I was about Mark’s age when I had it. I thought it was bad at the time, but it probably wasn’t as bad as all that.”

“Thanks, Rhoda, you’re a good neighbor and a good friend. And your little girl is like a light in the darkness. I best get back to my boys.”

Hannah turned and walked back to her house.

“Poor younguns,” Rhoda murmured as she returned to the house.

Chrissy Lynn got up about an hour later. She had a bowl of corn flakes. She took a shower and got dressed. She played with her dolls for a long time. Then, she came into the living room, sat on the floor, and watched TV until about 3:00.

It was the time that the boys normally got back home from school. As usual, Chrissy Lynn put on her coat and headed for the door, She was going to see her buddies.

“Hold on, Chrissy Lynn,” Rhoda said. “You ain’t going to see the boys today!”

Chrissy Lynn’s face clouded over. Her lower lip protruded out and she stomped her foot. There was fire in her eyes and tears in her voice when she responded.

“It ain’t right!” she yelled. They’re my best friends in the whole, wide world and I wanna see ‘em!”

“Look, baby, Miss Hannah was over here this morning and she said you couldn’t come for awhile…”

“ Yeah, I heard what she said, Mommy and you shoulda whipped her butt for that! She’s no durn good!”

Rhoda almost laughed at her daughter. The idea of anybody wanting to beat up sweet Hannah Riggins! But she didn’t laugh. No child of hers was going to be disrespectful, no matter how cute she was!

“Now, Chrissy Lynn, you are not going to talk like that about a good Christian woman like Miss Hannah!”

“Ain’t no Christian! She ain’t!” Chrissy Lynn wailed.

“Chrissy Lynn Hatfield, You cannot talk like that in this house! Your daddy and me ain’t havin’ it!”

“It’s true!” Chrissy yelled, “It is true!” She threw back her head full of brown curls and stomped her little foot!

Rhoda took a deep breath. She silently counted to ten. This child!

Then, she heard the sound of her husband’s beat up Chevy Nova pulling into the carport. Daddy was home and he could handle this hellion!

“We’ll see what Daddy has to say about this young lady!” Rhoda said. And she managed to keep her cool somehow.

The door opened and Ron Hatfield walked in. He wore his work uniform and looked tired from a long day of dealing with customers.

“Daddy, help!” Chrissy Lynn yelled as she ran to him and hugged his ankles.

Ron reached down and lifted his daughter. She buried her face in his neck.

“OK, my girl,” Ron drawled. What’s the matter with my baby?”

“It’s that mean old Hannah Riggins! Her boys has some chicken pops over there! I ain’t never et no chicken pops before and that selfish old thing don’t want me to have none!”

Ron gave Rhoda a weary smile.

“Exactly what is your daughter…”

“Our daughter!” Rhoda corrected her husband.

“What in the world is this youngun talkin’ about?”