Year of the Cock

Copyright©1993 Evans and Savidge

By Warwick Evans

Announcer:

If you were born in the Year of the Cock, you are reminded...

 

Censor:

You can't say that.

 

Announcer:

What?

 

Censor:

You can't say "Year of the Cock."

 

Announcer:

Why not?

 

Censor:

It's rude. You can say "Year of the Pig," "Year of the Porcupine," or even "Year of the Lobster" - but not "Cock."

 

Announcer:

But this announcement refers to people born in that year. What am I supposed to say?

 

Censor:

Um... Yeah!... Okay. You're allowed to say "Rooster." That's acceptable.

 

Announcer:

Very well. If you were born in the Year of the Rooster, you are reminded to have yourself inoculated against Chicken Pox at any of the government poultry farms operated by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. Chicken Pox is a killer disease, and it doesn't exactly impress the local chicks either. So don't put all your eggs in one basket - you could end up fouling the nest. Leaflets on how to apply for a Chicken Pox inoculation are now available at the district offices in Mong...Rooster and Lai Chi...Rooster, and the government publications centre at the Tai Kok Tsui ferry pier. Oh, God, I mean the Tai Rooster Tsui ferry pier. I'm sorry... We'll have to do that again. I'm afraid the last line was a complete co- ... uh, Rooster up.