Chicken Butt

(This is a photo of the Beach House that my parents owned. I found the photo on the Kansas Parks and Recreation website.)

North of the little town of Scott City, Kansas, there's a little lake hidden in the very flat Kansas landscape. Don't try looking for it from the highway - you can't see it, or any hint of it. You have to watch for the signs telling you where to turn for Lake Scott State Park. On the beach area of this lake is what used to be a quaint little building (it now looks more like a generic convenience store, from what I hear), called "The Beach House." It was a bait shop & convenience shop that my parents bought right before we moved to Scott City in June 1993. About 13-14 years ago, on July 4th, this is where my parents were when they thought I had lost my mind. Here's the phone call (or as best as I can remember it, anyway):

Mom: Beach House
Me (in a slightly hysterical voice): Mom?
Mom: What's wrong?!
Me: My eyes hurt and everything I see has a red tint to it. I think I need to go to the hospital.
Mom: What? Why?
Me: Because Shawn told me to look up the chicken's butt, and I did!
Mom: (trying to stifle a laugh) Um...okay. We're just about to walk out the door. We'll be home in 15 minutes. Just wait for us.
Me: (still crying) Okay, bye.
Mom: Bye (I swear I heard her laughing when she hung up.)

Every year since then, we always have to buy a couple of those chicken firecrackers. I guess it's a good thing a wasn't traumatized by what happened!