Cluck, cluck.

Every morning on the way to take Grace to school I see the chicken lady. Actually, she is more like the poultry lady since she also sells ducks. Live poultry- sold off the back of her bike. The ducks have their feet bound so they can't wander away and are displayed on the sidewalk. The chickens are crammed into cages one on top of the other. This scene in itself is enough to disturb me. I eat chicken and of course I know they are all alive at one point and then slaughtered. It's just that I don't really want to see my dinner walking around before I eat it.

But the real kicker came just the other day when we got stuck in traffic (big shock, I know) right in front of the chicken lady. A customer walked up and chose a chicken. I then watched in horror as the chicken was slaughtered with a dirty knife over a styrofoam box (to catch the blood) and then plucked. All this right on the street corner. I am just guessing that it probably isn't too sanitary. And you too can get your very own freshly slaughtered chicken for about $3.50- what a bargain.

Chickens & pigeons for sale off the back of the bike; ducks waiting to be served for dinner