Didik

I am on leave this week - an excellent pleasure especially when the children did not have school on Monday and Tuesday.  Yesterday morning, I reminded Little D to feed and check on his pets and he dutifully went downstairs.  Minutes later, I heard Little D shout, "Mama, I can't find the chicken!"

"Have you checked the oven?"

"Maaaa!!"

"Ok, I'll check the freezer then!"

"Maaaa!!  Didik's nowhere to be found!"

I tugged on my bedsheets, hung the towels and joined Little D in our backyard. We called out for Didik and lo and behold, there she was, sitting on her eggs.

Little D later whispered to me his hopes.  He hoped that the eggs would hatch this time, after so many failed attempts.  New chicks would mean continued legacy of the beloved pair of chicken as Jalak had died about a month ago. 

You see, my children bought Jalak (male) and Didik (female) which are of Bantam breed (also known as Ayam Katek/Serama) more than a year ago.  They were named after the children's late father's own Bantam pair of chickens.  However, the children's Didik is not like any normal hen.   Initially, she laid eggs but refused to sit on them.  After a few months, she decided to sit on her eggs but she sat on them longer than the she was supposed to; yet no little chicks came to life!

So when Little D expressed his high hopes for a successful new generation from Didik this time, he justified it with one reason: to keep Didik company since she was all alone now.  I couldn't resist saying, "Like me?"

"Hmm... No. You had the four of us when Abah was still alive.  For Didik, Jalak is already dead."

I smiled and counted my blessings.



N.B.  Tok Bah has explained to Little D that Didik will continue laying unfertilized eggs (which will never hatch) because she no longer has a male partner.  So, Special Scrambled eggs for breakfast tomorrow, anyone? :P