Cock-A-Doodle-What

Each morning Henrietta the hen awoke in a tizzy. This was because she had a neighbor three doors down, Rooster the rooster. At the very same time each and every morning Rooster opened his window and woke the entire neighborhood by yelling “Cock-a-doodle,” and then abruptly stopping. Most of Rooster’s neighbor’s did not mind. In fact, they appreciated Rooster’s morning cries because they never had to set their alarm clocks.

Henrietta did mind. She could appreciate being woken up on time each morning. However, she enjoyed completeness and was bothered by the unfinished phrase. Each morning Henrietta would lay in bed asleep until she heard Rooster’s cry, “Cock-a-doodle.” She would start to wake up peacefully, but when the phrase was not finished, her ears would continue to strain, trying to find the missing sound. Poor Henrietta grew to be very uncomfortable.

One morning Henrietta had finally had enough. Rooster yelled out of his window, “Cock-a-doodle.” Henrietta got straight out of bed, marched three houses down, and banged on Rooster’s door. When he opened it, she yelled, “What?!”

Rooster continued to stare at Henrietta blankly, so she explained further. “Each morning you wake me up with a phrase, ‘Cock-a-doodle,’ but you never finish it. I wrack my brain all day day trying to get that phrase out of my head, but I can’t, you see, because it was never finished. So I am here to ask you once and for all, Rooster, cock-a-doodle-WHAT?!”

“Well, golly,” replied Rooster after a short pause to think about what Henrietta had said. “I’m not sure. I guess I never really thought about it.”

Just at that moment Mr. Dog walked by, out for his morning stroll. He was chewing on a shoe that looked suspiciously unlike his own.

“Mr. Dog, maybe you can help us,” Henrietta stopped him. “Surely you wake up each day to Rooster here yelling out of his window?” she asked.

“Yes, I suppose I do. That’s how I know it’s time to go on my morning walk,” Mr. Dog replied before continuing to chew, chew, chew on that shoe.

“Well then surely, Mr. Dog, you have noticed that the phrase is not complete,” suggested Henrietta.

“I suppose that’s true,” replied Mr. Dog, but he still preoccupied with chewing on the shoe.

“Then perhaps you can help us finish the phrase. You start us off, Rooster,” suggested Henrietta.

Rooster started the phrase, “Cock-a-doodle-”, but Mr. Dog was too busy with the shoe to finish. All he could do was CHEW.

“Well that was no help at all!” said a distraught Henrietta when Mr. Dog walked off. “Maybe someone around town will be able to help us.”

Henrietta and Rooster started their journey to find someone who could help them finish the incomplete phrase. It was not long before they ran into Ms. Owl near the park.

“Ms. Owl, you’re so sensible and wise, I just know you will be able to help us!” Henrietta said as they greeted her. “Now see if you can finish this phrase for us.”

“Cock-a-doodle-” started Rooster.

But at that moment someone called out to Ms. Owl. She turned her head around and yelled, “WHO?”

Ms. Owl flew off, and now Henrietta really felt down on her luck. She and Rooster continued to walk. They found themselves near a grassy pasture where Benny the cow was munching on her breakfast.

“Benny, please help us. How would you finish this phrase?” Henrietta asked.

So Rooster started his cry, “Cock-a-doodle-”

But at that moment Benny was feeling hungry and impatient. She replied shortly, “MOO!”

So Henrietta and Rooster walked away, no closer to the answer they were looking for. Henrietta was feeling helpless, about to give up on her quest. She was certain she would have to wake up frantic and bothered each morning for the rest of her life. That is when and and Rooster ran into Perry the pigeon, the hippest, chillest, smooth talker around.

“Whoa, daddios!” Perry stopped them. “Henrietta, you look lower than the worms you eat for breakfast. What’s with the frown, Mamasita?”

“Oh, Perry, I’m at my wit’s end!” she answered. “Each morning Rooster wakes me up by yelling out a phrase, but only the first part. Since the phrase is incomplete, I spend the rest of my day trying to figure out how it ends. But I never can. I’m afraid this phrase is going to haunt me for the rest of my days! It’s more than I can bear.”

“That does not sound very chill at all. You know I am the scat master. Maybe I can help,” Perry offered.

Rooster started his phrase, “Cock-a-doodle-”

For the first time ever, Perry was stumped. “Now that is a dandy of a phrase. ‘Fraid there’s no way to end that one.” Then he flew away, but not before adding, “Don’t worry so much, Henrietta. It’s all COO.”

This is when Henrietta really lost it. “If Perry can’t help us, no one can,” she told Rooster. “I’m going to spend the rest of my life obsessing over this unfinished phrase. I’ll just go mad! The end is not to CHEW, it is not WHO, it is not MOO, and it more certainly is not COO. Oh Rooster, what am I going to-”

But just then Rooster cut her off off involuntarily with a “Cock-a-doodle-”

“DO?” Henrietta finished.

Just then they both looked up at each other and smiled. Something had finally clicked.

“Cock-a-doodle-” Rooster started.

“Doo!” Henrietta finished enthusiastically.

“Cock-a-doodle-”

“Doo!”

They went on for quite a while. And then every morning at exactly the same time Rooster opened up his window and shouted, “Cock-a-doodle-”

And from three houses down, Henrietta would open her window and yell, “Doo!”