10. Dick meets some chicks

Hi, I'm Richard Everyman but people call me Dick

Patch and I were almost ready set off on our road to discovery but first we had to collect the eggs for the Eggheads.  If any answers to the Big Society were to be found then this was our best hope.

He told me what happened next after being kicked into the stream by Billy Boulton.  After floating for some distance he found himself washed up next to a field full of sheep.

"I couldn't believe it Dick," he said "It was my Eureka moment, I knew straight away that I'd found my true vocation."

I consoled Patch as best as I could...

He made his way to the farm house where a friendly farmer took him in in exchange for a bit of work on the farm, mainly working with the sheep or chasing away trespassers.  The farmer also had a massive dairy herd which needed managing too.  They got along fine, enjoying each other's company and working through the seasons to keep the farm profitable.  But it all changed one day with a letter from something called Tesco.  It was a big organisation that bought milk from all the farmers in the region and sold it to their customers.  They decided to pay less for the farmer's product and the farm eventually fell into ruin.

I consoled Patch as best as I could and assured him that things could only get better with the Big Society.  We would all be better off with nothing to worry about in future.  Tesco would surely start to help farmers now and everything would turn out fine.

"Come on old boy, let's go and get those eggs."  With that we left the shack and made our way to the chicken runs.

So there we were.  The two musketeers on our way to seeking our fortunes.  I breathed the cool morning air deep into my lungs and felt amazingly invigorated.  To have a fellow traveller to share my experiences with was a huge bonus and together we could find the answers to the Big Society.

The oldest hen came forward...

The chickens greeted us with a few clucks and agreed to let us have half a dozen eggs.  We chatted for a while and I was keen to have their thoughts on the Big Society.

The oldest hen came forward.  "I don't think we are typical," she said.  "You see this is a bit of a matriarchal set up.  We dispensed with the rooster some time ago and as a result of that we have a perfectly run society."

I scratched my head. "You mean you don't need men?"

She turned to her sisters as they laughed out loud.  "No dear.  Men are too controlling, too self obsessed and when they get power they mess everything up completely."  She scratched the ground hard as if to underline her comments.  The other hens nodded in agreement.

Remember that small is beautiful...

"Big societies are usually run by Mr Bigs dear, otherwise known as ego maniacs.  Remember that small is beautiful after all."  She beckoned me to follow her into the coup.  "Now come and get those eggs or they'll soon be hatched!"  She giggled once more.

The only maniac I knew was Billy Boulton and the thought of him sent a shiver down my spine.  Just as I climbed into the pen I saw Patch contentedly rolling in a pile of fox waste.

The journey was going to be a tough one.