them
stood there
and
stood there
and
stood there
and
stood there.
            Urggggg!
It was so frustrating
so nerve-wracking
the watching
and waiting.
A mud ball emerged
from around the back of the barn:
Paulie the pig
snorting and snuffling
covered with mud.
He squeezed under
the bottom rail of the fence
and into the pen
and straight over to Yolanda
snorting and snuffling
and sniffing
while
Yolanda stood perfectly still
and then China the cat
her back arched
her fur on end
zoomed into view
and under the rail
circling Yolanda
while
Yolanda stood perfectly still
and then
Crockett the parrot
flapped and squawked
up and over the fence
and onto Yolandaâs back
while
Yolanda stood perfectly still.
And at last Zora moved.
She approached Yolanda.
She nudged Paulie and China away
and she batted her head at Crockett
sending the parrot flying off.
Zora sidled up to Yolanda
and the two stood there
side by side
making no sound.
They just
stood there
and
stood there
and
stood there.
TRAINING
For an hour each day, Zep joined us at Mrs. Falalaâs to work with Yolanda and to show me how to train Zora for two events at the upcoming fair. One event would judge the cows and one would judge the people showing the cows. I asked Zep if the judging was done in front of an audience.
Zep leaned his forehead close to mine. He said, Well, youâre not going to show Zora in a closet. You afraid of an audience?
No, I am not. I just have no idea what to expect.
You donât think you can handle it?
I can handle it, Zep . And even if I couldnât, I wasnât going to admit it to him.
Youâll have to work really hard to get Zora ready and to learn what to doâ
âI can work hardâ
âand Iâll help you.
My mouth flopped open like a thirsty dog.
Zep smiled his slow, full smile and turned his head to one side.
I was embarrassed down to the tips of my boots. I wanted to be able to train Zora rightand show her well, and I needed his help.
We practiced out in the pasture, the heifers tethered to us by their halters.
Heads up , Zep said, you and Zora. Back straight. Follow me. Watch.
Zora was not cooperative. I tugged. I pulled. Three steps forward. Stop. Tug. Pull. Five steps. She was being stubborn and ornery. Meanwhile, Zep and Yolanda moved on smoothly, walking a wide circle with no stopping and no tugging.
Luke and Mrs. Falala were sitting on the hay bales drawing. From time to time they glanced up at us and then back to their paper.
Zora moved forward and, mid-stride, dropped a plop of manure.
What if she does that in the show?
They all do it , Zep said. Itâs natural.
But everybodyâs walking round and round and stepping in it?
Nah, thereâll be pickers there. They scoop it up.
Well, then: manure plops and pickers and scooping. It was natural, right?
The training was harder than I expected. Most days it was hot and dusty, and after coaxing Zora to let me halter her and lead her around, my arms and legs were weak with fatigue. Then I still had to tend to her food and water and clean out her pen. But the surprising thing to me was that I liked doing it. I liked the hard work. I liked seeing Zora respond a little more each day, and I liked feeling stronger.
Luke helped me with cleaning out the pen and brushing Zora, and I could tell that he liked it, too. He wanted to be in charge of cleaning out the buckets and hanging up the brushes and halters. He talked to Zora and Yolanda all the time, letting them know that they were good cows. Not lumpy at all , he told them.
Luke was less afraid of Mrs. Falala now, too. He wasnât flinching when she sat beside him on the hay bales, and she wasnât barking so many orders at us. Often, I saw her and Luke talking while they drew, side by side.
Little changes, day by day.
RAIN DAY
One day as Luke and I were halfway to Mrs. Falalaâs
the
stood there
and
stood there
and
stood there
and
stood there.
            Urggggg!
It was so frustrating
so nerve-wracking
the watching
and waiting.
A mud ball emerged
from around the back of the barn:
Paulie the pig
snorting and snuffling
covered with mud.
He squeezed under
the bottom rail of the fence
and into the pen
and straight over to Yolanda
snorting and snuffling
and sniffing
while
Yolanda stood perfectly still
and then China the cat
her back arched
her fur on end
zoomed into view
and under the rail
circling Yolanda
while
Yolanda stood perfectly still
and then
Crockett the parrot
flapped and squawked
up and over the fence
and onto Yolandaâs back
while
Yolanda stood perfectly still.
And at last Zora moved.
She approached Yolanda.
She nudged Paulie and China away
and she batted her head at Crockett
sending the parrot flying off.
Zora sidled up to Yolanda
and the two stood there
side by side
making no sound.
They just
stood there
and
stood there
and
stood there.
TRAINING
For an hour each day, Zep joined us at Mrs. Falalaâs to work with Yolanda and to show me how to train Zora for two events at the upcoming fair. One event would judge the cows and one would judge the people showing the cows. I asked Zep if the judging was done in front of an audience.
Zep leaned his forehead close to mine. He said, Well, youâre not going to show Zora in a closet. You afraid of an audience?
No, I am not. I just have no idea what to expect.
You donât think you can handle it?
I can handle it, Zep . And even if I couldnât, I wasnât going to admit it to him.
Youâll have to work really hard to get Zora ready and to learn what to doâ
âI can work hardâ
âand Iâll help you.
My mouth flopped open like a thirsty dog.
Zep smiled his slow, full smile and turned his head to one side.
I was embarrassed down to the tips of my boots. I wanted to be able to train Zora rightand show her well, and I needed his help.
We practiced out in the pasture, the heifers tethered to us by their halters.
Heads up , Zep said, you and Zora. Back straight. Follow me. Watch.
Zora was not cooperative. I tugged. I pulled. Three steps forward. Stop. Tug. Pull. Five steps. She was being stubborn and ornery. Meanwhile, Zep and Yolanda moved on smoothly, walking a wide circle with no stopping and no tugging.
Luke and Mrs. Falala were sitting on the hay bales drawing. From time to time they glanced up at us and then back to their paper.
Zora moved forward and, mid-stride, dropped a plop of manure.
What if she does that in the show?
They all do it , Zep said. Itâs natural.
But everybodyâs walking round and round and stepping in it?
Nah, thereâll be pickers there. They scoop it up.
Well, then: manure plops and pickers and scooping. It was natural, right?
The training was harder than I expected. Most days it was hot and dusty, and after coaxing Zora to let me halter her and lead her around, my arms and legs were weak with fatigue. Then I still had to tend to her food and water and clean out her pen. But the surprising thing to me was that I liked doing it. I liked the hard work. I liked seeing Zora respond a little more each day, and I liked feeling stronger.
Luke helped me with cleaning out the pen and brushing Zora, and I could tell that he liked it, too. He wanted to be in charge of cleaning out the buckets and hanging up the brushes and halters. He talked to Zora and Yolanda all the time, letting them know that they were good cows. Not lumpy at all , he told them.
Luke was less afraid of Mrs. Falala now, too. He wasnât flinching when she sat beside him on the hay bales, and she wasnât barking so many orders at us. Often, I saw her and Luke talking while they drew, side by side.
Little changes, day by day.
RAIN DAY
One day as Luke and I were halfway to Mrs. Falalaâs
the
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