Barnaby Buttonsworth, a man whose enthusiasm outweighed his culinary skills, decided to host a “Potluck of Wonders.” He proudly announced he was bringing his signature dish: Chicken Surprise! He even put a little chef’s hat on his pet chicken, Henrietta, for inspiration.
The day arrived, and the potluck was in full swing. Mildred McMillan brought her infamous green bean casserole (which everyone politely avoided), and young Timmy Thompson contributed a suspicious-looking bowl of something vaguely resembling pudding. Finally, Barnaby arrived, beaming, carrying a large, covered dish.
“Behold!” he exclaimed, flourishing the lid. “Chicken Surprise!”
A chorus of “Oohs” and “Aahs” rippled through the crowd. Mildred, ever the optimist, leaned in. “Well, Barnaby, it certainly looks…different.”
Inside the dish, nestled amongst what appeared to be puréed bananas and suspiciously bright pink marshmallows, was a single, very soggy chicken leg.
“So,” Timmy Thompson piped up, wrinkling his nose. “What’s the surprise?”
Barnaby puffed out his chest. “The surprise,” he declared with a flourish, “is that it’s chicken! You were all expecting something…else, weren’t you?”
Silence. Then, a voice from the back, belonging to Mrs. Gablethorpe, who was known for her brutal honesty, boomed, “Honestly, Barnaby, I was expecting it to taste good!”
Henrietta, who had escaped her chef’s hat during the commotion and was now pecking at the tablecloth, looked up, clucked loudly, and then promptly laid an egg…right into Barnaby’s Chicken Surprise!
“Well,” Barnaby stammered, looking defeated. “I guess that’s…another chicken surprise! (Bad surprise!)”
