Short Story Collection

Dear Parents

The children always smiled here. They would beg and beg their parents to take them to those golden arches. The parents would say they have food at home but brought their child here anyway. They're served chicken, compressed into different shapes that looked the same; all except for the one or two that they can make out to be a boot shape. The children devour their nuggets from the golden arches while their parents watched in tired content. The children were only happy to receive their meal. The parents were happy to not cook for a day as they unwound from their cushy office jobs. They did not think of the chicken they consumed; ignorant of the cruelty that went into their meal. They did not think of how the chickens were bred to grow too large too quickly and who could not walk without being in pain. Those that did know the truth chose to forget. They would read of the cruelty in the morning paper and say to their spouse, "how awful," and forget about it by the time they finish their coffee. Some would even see the cruelty with their own eyes and choose to ignore it just so they or their children could happily go about eating those golden and crisp nuggets for a quick and easy supper. Sometimes though, there are few that see beyond the one company's cruelty and choose not to forget what they have seen. They go vegan, boycott the company, lobby congress, or whatever else they can think of. Despite their efforts, the children still smile; the parents still spoil their children and go on ignorant of the outside world. They're content to know that they're children are happy and that is all that matters to every parent.