Mars Needs Chickens!
Page 5
Kaz kicked at the dirt. “Why so glum?”
“I wanted to be first,” he said. “The big chicken made me be last.”
Katy bristled, but Smita held her back.
“Why did you want to be first,” asked Yoshi.
“I wanna be like you! The CEO, the leader! Always first!”
“Is that what you think a CEO does?” Yoshi laughed. “Son, we are not kings! Good CEOs are servants. They make sure their people have what they need to produce. Deal with boards and investors. Organize and facilitate. They need leaders, like Smita. Like Katy.”
“It’s the Herbie,” said Smita.
“Yep, like you said!” Katy replied.
“The what?” Kaz looked puzzled.
“An Operations Management principle,” Yoshi replied. “Son, you were last because you were strong enough to keep the line in order. It was a place of honor. And a better use of your energy than challenging for the lead.”
“Oh. Really?” Kaz’s frown lessened. “Hey, wait! How come she knows about it and I don’t!”
“A wild guess, Smita has been teaching college-level lessons to her young friend.” Smita smiled. “I will teach you when you get older,” Yoshi promised.
“I wanna know now!” said Kaz.
“Well, perhaps. If you are good.”
At that point the chickens trickled into the tourist dome. Hestia went up to Katy and nuzzled her with her beak. She scratched at the dome’s sandy floor.
“I think she wants a run,” said Katy. “Hey Kaz! Find your chicken and get over to the Chocobo run. Betcha can’t beat me!”
“I bet I can!” He raced over.
“My son has discovered a valuable lesson today,” said Yoshi. “Perhaps he will learn to be a leader after all.”
Kim smiled. “Did you just turn homework into fun time for him?”
“It’s a skill,” said Smita. “But not too much. They are still kids.”
They looked as Katy and Kaz ran off laughing with the irrepressible joy of children.
About the Author
John Taloni lives in Southern California with his wife and daughter. Their back yard resembles a hybrid chicken / cat farm. There is no truth to the rumor that cats resemble the mini Tyrannosaurus Rexes in destructiveness. Honest. None at all.
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Dedication:
This book is dedicated to my wife and daughter, whose love for chickens encompasses even interplanetary space. Also dedicated to the chickens Hestia and Emma, whose personalities pervade this work.
Other Works by John Taloni
The Compleat Martian Invasion: Earth’s Defense Awakens
Crisis on Stardust Station (Cats of Space Book One)
Shadow on the Moon (Cats of Space Book Two)
Trolls Invade My Middle School!
Anthologies:
Corporate Cthulhu
Still Waters Volume 1
Time Travel Gone Terribly Wrong!
Compelling Science Fiction Issue 9
Deadman's Tome Ancient Ones II
Jouth Anthology: The Fantastic Flying Saucer Stories
Jouth #2
Mars Needs Chickens! © Copyright 2021 John Taloni
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This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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