Free-range Chickens

by Rich, Simon

• ISBN13: 9780812977110
• ISBN10: 0812977114
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-05-12
• Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks

Summary

In his riotous debut collection,Ant Farm, Simon Rich found humor in some of life's most desperate situations. Now this former editor ofThe Harvard Lampoonand current writer forSaturday Night Live has returned to mine more comedy from our hopelessly terrifying world. In the nostalgic opening chapter, Rich recalls his fear of the Tooth Fairy ("Is there a face fairy?") and his initial reaction to the "Got-your-nose" game ("Please just kill me. Better to die than to live the rest of my life as a monster"). He goes on to present Count Dracula's desperate Match.com profile ("I am normal human looking for human woman to come to castle. I am normal, regular human"). Later, he gets inside the heads of two firehouse Dalmatians who can't understand their masters' compulsion to drive off to horrible fires every day.And in the final chapter, he tackles some of life's biggest questions: Does God really have a plan for us? Yes,it turns out. Now if only He could remember what it was. . . . Praise for Simon Rich'sAnt Farm "Ant Farmhas an imaginative power that can trigger snort-fests. . . . Ferociously creative, this book is for readers craving both smart humor and belly laughs." People(four stars) "Savagely funny." The New York Times "Hilarious. Open this book anywhere, begin reading, and you will laugh." Jon Stewart "Ant Farmis what all humor books should be: full of brief, high-concept musings that you wish you'd thought of yourself." Time Out New York "A satirical salmagundi that bites back . . . Imaginative premises abound. . . . As unpredictable as YouTube, as in your face as MySpace." Publishers Weekly From the Hardcover edition.

Author Biography

Simon Rich is the author of Ant Farm. He is a twenty-three-year-old graduate of Harvard University, where he was president of The Harvard Lampoon. He currently writes for Saturday Night Live and lives in New York City.


From the Hardcover edition.

Excerpts

Terrifying childhood experiences

—Got your nose!
—Please just kill me. Better to die than to live the rest of my life as a monster.

—What’s that in your ear? Hey—it’s a quarter!
—Why is everybody laughing? I have a horrifying brain disease.

—Peek-a-boo!
—Jesus Christ. You came out of nowhere.


When I lost my first tooth

me: You’re never going to believe this. I was hanging out with my friends and all of a sudden, a tooth fell out of my mouth. I think there’s something seriously wrong with me.

mom: Looks like the tooth fairy’s coming to town!

me: Who?

mom: The tooth fairy. She visits children in the middle of the night and takes their teeth.

me: Is she . . . a cannibal?

mom: No, she’s a fairy.

me: What else does she take? Does she take eyes?

mom: No, just teeth. And when she’s done, she leaves a surprise under your pillow.

me: Oh my God.

mom: I wonder what it’ll be this time?

me: Okay . . . let’s not panic here. There’s got to be a way to trap her or kill her. We just need to think.

mom: You don’t want to kill the tooth fairy.

me: Why not? Wait a minute . . . I see what’s going on. You’re in cahoots with her! God, it all makes sense now . . . how else would she know that I had lost a tooth in the first place?

mom: I think someone’s getting a little sleepy.

me: Wait until Dad finds out about this!

mom: He knows about the tooth fairy, sweetie.

me: Jesus Christ. How high up does this thing go?

mom: Let’s get you tucked in.

me: Listen . . . as long as we’re laying it all on the line, you might as well be straight with me. What other fairies are you working with? Is there a face fairy?

mom: There’s just a tooth fairy, sweetie. She comes every time you lose a tooth.

me: What do you mean “every time”? I’m going to lose more teeth?

mom: You’re going to lose all of them.


A conversation between the people who hid in my closet every night when I was seven

freddy krueger: When do you guys want to kill him?

murderer from the six o’clock news: How about right now?

dead uncle whose body i saw at an open casket funeral: I say we do it when he gets up to pee. You know, when he’s walking down the hallway, in the dark.

freddy krueger: What if he doesn’t get up?

murderer: He’ll get up. Look at how he’s squirming. It’s only a matter of time.

dead uncle: Man, I cannot wait to kill this kid.

murderer: Same here.

freddy krueger: I’ve wanted to kill him ever since he saw my movie.

dead uncle: Hey, do you guys remember that night-light Simon used to have?

murderer: Man, that thing scared the heck out of me.

freddy krueger: It’s a good thing his mom got rid of it. Now there’s nothing to stop us from killing him. (Everyone nods in agreement.)

dr. murphy: Hey, guys, sorry I’m late. I was busy scheduling an appointment with Simon, to give him shots. freddy krueger: No problem.

(Freddy Krueger and Dr. Murphy do their secret handshake.)

murderer: It’s getting kind of crowded in here. Chucky, can you move over?

chucky: I’m over as far as I can get.

murderer: I need more space than you’re giving me. I’m a lot bigger than you.

chucky: Are you calling me short?

dr. murphy: Hey, guys, relax, all right? We’re all here for the same reason: to kill and possibly eat Simon.

murderer: (Sighs.) You’re right. I’m sorry.

chucky: Yeah . . . me too. I kind of lost perspective.

dr. murphy: It’s okay. Just remember: we’re all in this

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Excerpted from Free-Range Chickens by Simon Rich
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.