Jay's Greatest Fear
"Wait! Dad, are you sure this is okay?" Jay asks, his blue eyes widening with utter terror, "This could kill me!"
"Don't be ridiculous," Ed laughs, "Hold it. It won't hurt you."
"But I could get salmonella! It's cute but I could die!" Jay protests.
"You won't die if you wash your hands. Besides, when I was a kid, I played with baby chickens all the time and never got sick."
"But I… Okay." Jay sighs and holds out his hand as his dad gives him a black and yellow chick. "It's so soft!" Jay squeals while the little bird peeps like a squeaky wheel. "Can I keep it?"
"Of course. I got it for you," Ed beams and hands his son a tiny, plastic container, with water in it, "Take good care of it." Ed heads back inside the trailer, while his exhilarated boy sets the container down and gives the chick some water. The bird dips its little beak in it and brings its head all the way back, drinking the water.
"Why don't I give you a name?" Jay thinks for a moment and snaps his fingers, "I got it! I'll name you pepper!" He chuckles, playing with his adorable little pet, forgetting about the germs for the moment to pure glee. Afterwards, he skips into the kitchen, getting a glass of water.
"So, how do you like the chicken son?" Edna asks.
"I love him! He's so cute." Jay gulps down the water and sets it on the counter; then heads to his room to get a ball. I wonder if chickens play? He grabs a blue ball and glances at his bookshelf to see if there's something on chickens. One of titles strikes him tenfold, reminding him of his greatest fear, the book being called 'Salmonella, the Deadly Disease'.
Jay drops the ball and gazes at his hands in horror. No way. I'm going to die if I don't get rid of the germs! His mind races as he darts into the bathroom, avoiding touching anything with his hands, and uses his arms to turn the faucet to wash them. He pumps the soap with his wrist and into his left hand before thoroughly scrubbing them. He dries his hands with a towel before realizing other mistakes he had made. He grabs the entire box of wipes and cleans the door handles; then heads to the kitchen to take care of that glass. When he enters he is taken aback. It's gone!
He enters panic mode and calls Edna, "Mom? Mom!"
"Yes?" Edna taps her son from behind.
"Ah!" Jay screams, and breathes a sigh of relief when he sees her, "You scared me to death! Oh, mom?"
"Yeah?"
"Where's that glass of water I had?"
"Your dad took it to use and not make for dishes for me, hon. Isn't he so considerate?"
"Y-yeah. So...where is he?" Jay pulls out a wipe from the container.
"Outside, working on a new invention."
"Thanks!" Jay shouts and darts out the door of the trailer.
"Wait a minute Jay Walker! What are you doing with those wipes?"
Jay doesn't hear her and just frantically concentrates on looking for Ed. Where is he? Where is he? Oh man, oh man, oh man! "Dad! Dad, where are you? Dad!" Jay calls frantically.
"Yes, son?" Ed Walker comes to the panicky kid from around a corner of junk, wiping a greasy hand on his stained overalls and holding a cup of water. Once Jay sees the water bottle, he drops the plastic box and snatches the glass from his dad's hand; then begins running back to the house. "Hold it right there, son!" Ed calls.
Jay halts in his tracks, turning slowly to meet a skeptical Father. "Yeah?"
"What are you doing?"
Jay chews on his lip before blurting out, "I'm sorry! I-I-I-I just forgot to wash my hands after I played with the bird! We're going to d-die if I don't do something! D-d-don't you worry Dad. I'll take care of it, right n-now!"
Ed laughs hysterically. "Jay, did you see that book I put in your room about Salmonella?"
"Yeah, what about it?
"I put that in the room as a joke. It's a real disease but the mortality rate is low and you're not going to catch it that easily."
"Really?"
"Really, son."
Jay's face turns a shade of beet red from his overreaction.