I was shocked, SHOCKED to hear that Farmer H gave away Barry the mini-pony, and Billy the goat! Especially since he didn't mention it until after it happened. He really needs to stop making decisions without my input!
Farmer H was lolling around in the La-Z-Boy while waiting for chicken to bake in the oven. I had sat down on the short couch to communicate with him. AS IF that would put me in the loop of his shenanigans.
"Juno was missing when I got home from town. Have you seen her? Jack has been missing the last couple days, too. He was here today, but Copper Jack just laid at the fence line. I think maybe he's hurt."
"Copper Jack's mom said she saw him and our Jack down by the bridge yesterday. I don't know what they've been up to. They're here when I get home. But you're right, Copper Jack has a hurt front leg. He was limping on it over at the BARn a while ago. I had a guy here who followed me from the auction out on the highway. We were loading the goat and pony."
"WHAT? What do you mean, 'loading the goat and pony'?"
"I gave them to him. I met him at the auction, and he was talking about working with the circus. He travels around. He's from here. He has camels, and does pony rides. I told him I had a little pony that I'd give him if he wanted to come pick him up. I said I had a goat, too, and I'd throw it in. He said he'd take the goat."
"Wait a minute. You GAVE AWAY your animals? Something doesn't sound right."
"This guy said he was on his way to an animal auction tomorrow. He said goats are selling for about $25, and the pony might go for $20. He wondered if the pony could give rides to little kids."
"Good luck with that! He still has...all his parts! He's hard-headed and rambunctious!"
"This guy said he'll get him fixed. That it costs $150 for a vet to come do it!"
"Well, they charge $100 if you take a dog or cat there for a shot! So I think that's cheap enough."
"I said that pony was broke to lead, because The Pony used to walk him around on a halter."
"I really can't believe you'd GIVE them away, when you could make money on them. What did you REALLY do with them? I'd better not find a skull in the front yard tomorrow, with the dogs chewing on it!"
"No! The guy and his boy came out here. He looked about 10. The goat came up, and the guy dropped a rope over his head, and we took him into the little pen where I had the chicken house. But we chased that pony all around!"
"I told you, he's hard-headed!"
"Finally, the pony ran into the little pen with the goat, and that guy's kid grabbed him around the neck and bulldogged him to the ground. Then we got a rope on him. Them dogs was no help! Copper Jack kept nipping at them when we took them to the trailer."
"I thought you just bought feed for them yesterday!"
"I did. Six dollars worth."
Something is fishy here. I wish I'd known about this plan. I don't have a particularly strong affection for the goat and pony. I'm happy that they'll be somewhere with more animals around, and more human interaction. Farmer H said he was just tired of taking care of them.
That does not bode well for my old age...
"Something is fishy here"
ReplyDeleteMost definitely. First Farmer H says the guy works with a circus, then he says he'll take them to an animal auction.....
Why wouldn't he mention that he's getting tired of caring for them and may give them away? Why not just sell them himself?
I can't believe he's afraid you'd make a fuss and not let them go.
River,
ReplyDeleteAs much as he's worrying that he can't sell at his Storage Unit Store, due to the weather, and saying that he's spending his cash on renovations to his $5000 house... you'd think he would try to make $20 or $40 bucks off his animals. AND he just bought feed for them the day before.
I don't get it. We DID have two trees blow down in their pen the night before. He made a comment that, "That's the last thing I need, to go over there and see them squashed by a tree." The soil is thin there, only about an inch on top of bedrock, and the cedars can't get their roots deep. I wouldn't have minded at all to give them away. Don't know why the secrecy. He could have called me on the way home, and said, "I'm bringing a guy out to get the goat and pony." Don't tell me after they're gone! I might have wanted to say goodbye!
I think you need to investigate this latest transaction!
ReplyDeleteHe must have already been thinking about it, then the trees were the straw that broke Farmer H's camel back. He still should have mentioned it to you though.
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteThere's more to it than meets my suspicious eye!
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River,
Surely it wasn't spur-of-the-moment. No excuse for keeping me in the dark.