The Orange Training Log Tales: Rooster

On Saturday, Race Day, my coach told us this story while we nervously stretched and milled about:

---------------------------------------------------------
OWL VISITS ROOSTER'S HOME

On Saturday, Owl visited Rooster at his home, where he guarded a dozen Mother Hens. Rooster demanded that Owl arrive after dark so as not to spook the Mother Hens, so Owl arrived as the moon rose high and the stars sparkled. The air still carried a little bite such that when one spoke little puffs of air punctuated every breath. 

Rooster insisted on giving Owl the Grand Tour, which Owl thought was pretty silly given he could see Rooster’s entire home from where he stood. Rooster’s home was not that big— just a patch of grass, a patch of mud, and a coop where the Mother Hen’s snoozed peacefully. But Owl played along.

Rooster strutted about his grass patch proud as can be. He scraped at it lovingly with gnarled, yellow talons. “Look at this grass,” he crowed with pride, “have you ever seen grass so green? Of course you haven’t. My ancestors once roamed plains as far as the eye can see, but now,” he sighed with the utmost humility, “this simple patch suits me just fine. Not that I couldn’t rule over a domain far larger, you understand, it’s just” he clarified, “why seek more than what sustains me?” Owl nodded and did his best not to roll his eyes.

Rooster strutted over to the mud patch proud as can be. His head disappeared then reappeared a moment later with a fat, wriggling grub in his beak. “Look at this mud,” he crowed with pride, “have you ever seen mud so bountiful? Of course you haven’t. My ancestors once hunted towering and ferocious game, but now,” he sighed with the utmost humility, “these modest grubs suit me just fine. Not that I couldn’t hunt game both towering and ferocious, it’s just,” he clarified, “why seek more than what sustains me?” Owl nodded and did his best not to roll his eyes.

Rooster strutted over to the coop where all the Mother Hens snoozed peacefully. He opened the door quiet as can be and let himself and Owl in. “Look at them,” he cooed softly, “have you ever seen anyone so regal? Of course you haven’t. Our ancestors once stood ten times our height, with teeth as long as my wing and talons longer than that, but now…” 

A commotion stirred him from his thoughts. His head cocked to the side, listening intently, then darted through the door. Surprised, Owl followed and found Rooster face to face with a massive, bristling Bobcat. Rooster raised a wing in warning, “Stay back,” he said sternly, “this fella looks like he’s ready for a fight.”

“Rooster, let’s get out of here!” Owl called, “You can’t possibly hope to fight that!”
“He’s not so tough,” Rooster insisted, with genuine bravado, “Just wait up in a tree, he’s not here for you.” The bobcat crept closer, padding forward on paws as as big as Rooster’s body.

“He’s not here for you either!” Owl cried, “He’s just here for the Hens!”
“If he wants to get to the Hens,” Rooster cooed, with a soft menace, “He is going to have to get through me.” The bobcat hissed and spat, baring teeth bigger longer than Rooster’s legs.

“Rooster!” Owl shrieked, “You’re being stupid!”
“My ancestors never backed down,” Rooster eyed his enemy, “And neither will I!” He leapt in a flurry of feathers as the bobcat pounced with paws and teeth. Rooster’s terrible talons carved at the bobcat’s face and the bobcat swiped at Rooster with a furious yowl. Rooster dodged beneath the blow then struck lightening quick, piercing the bobcat’s eye with his beak. The big cat wailed in pain and frustration, then turned his tail and bounded back into the woods. 

Rooster watched him go with beady eyes, panting, ruffled and bloody, then drew himself up tall as he could, with tail feathers erect and wings outstretched. He threw his head back and crowed to the sky, a crow full of pride, a crow that echoed across the heavens and through the ages. The sun, seemingly in response, peeked out over the horizon, flooding the field with slow, red light.

“Come on,” Rooster called to Owl, “Let’s go wake those lazy Hens.” He turned on his talons and strutted, proud as can be, towards the coop. Owl flew after him, wondering about the thin line between bravery and stupidity, and the mystical strength of unshakeable, even unwarranted confidence. 

---------------------------------------------------------

“You are here today,” our coach told us, “not because Mommy and Daddy met in college, or because your great grandparents immigrated here to build a better life, you are here,” he barked, “because your ancestors survived by running their game to the ground. You were not just born to do this, you were bred to do this. Go out there and show those imposters who think themselves predators that they’re really your prey.”

Some of us went out there and ran good races, some ran bad races, and though they were all very stupid races they were very, very brave.