Preparing for the Tennessee State Fair Goat Show
by
CCF Patience SA

A couple days ago I was minding my own business out in the hay field when this young girl appeared and said, “Baa-baa baa-b-baa baaaa waaaa.” (Which means in English, “I want to show her.”)

I didn’t think much about it, but that evening the big guy caught me and put a necklace around my neck – then insisted I go for a walk with him. That was when I learned the necklace would bite if I decided to go where I wanted to go and not go along with the big guy. Sometimes he would just hook my necklace to the fence and make me stand there. Boring. Of course, after he got tired of walking up and down the hill and around in circles, he would always let me go into the big room in the barn where they hide all the food; and I could eat all I wanted. I guess walking on a lead has its rewards.

A couple days later, the big guy came down to the barn in his big blue machine with a rickety trailer and beat-up cage. I ran!! He caught me and put me in the cage, along with one of the big, mean does (Melissa), and took me on a bouncy journey across the river (okay, maybe an exaggeration – the big guy calls it a creek) and through the woods – to a pen already claimed by Glory and Charm. They, of course, insisted on beating me up just so they could prove who was boss. I just wanted to go back home to my mama, sister, and all her friends.

A little later the young girl reappeared, along with a bunch of other people, and kidnapped us. They put Charm, Glory, and me in another cage on the back of a truck. Glory, of course, insisted on beating me up again. Finally, away we went!

Being away from home was bad enough, but when we stopped moving, the first thing the man did was get me wet all over. Brrrrr. Don’t humans realize we goats don’t like getting wet? Then the young girl and the man started rubbing bubbly stuff all over me. Hmmmm. Not bad. A massage! And it smelled good too.

Whoa!! What’s that noise? Loud - like a tornado. Must be a freight train!! And the man was pointing a big snake-like thing at me. Wind. Lots and lots of wind. Wait – it was kinda warm wind. That was when I realized they had been trying to freeze me to death; but since I didn’t die, they must have decided I deserved warming up!

What’s that buzzing noise? Bees? I know they’re going to hurt me!!! Hey! What are they doing? Embarrassment of all embarrassment – the man is taking all my soft, fluffy clothes off. Doesn’t he realize winter is coming and I’m going to need all my hair to keep warm? Ooooh – that tickles. Just when I thought they had done everything to me that could be done, now somebody decides I need a haircut on my tail!

When I finally got put back in the cage, Glory and Charm assured me it would be okay. They said this was just preparation for something the humans call “a show.” They told me if I were older I would appreciate going to the beauty shop. I think they’re crazy. I just want to go home!

Surely someone will feed us? What? Glory and Charm are on diets? What about me? I’m a growing girl!!!

Five more goats I don’t know were added to the truck. Now what? Ah, finally, the truck started to move again. Surely they are tired of torturing me and will take me home. No – we’ve bounced too long and too fast. Must be going somewhere else. Glory keeps butting me and telling me to grow up and quit whining.

Finally we stopped rolling again and were taken off the truck and put in little pens. At least I was no longer with those bullies: Glory and Charm. I was in a pen with someone my own size.

We were walked up to something the big guy called a “scale.” It was rather frightening looking. But, first Charm walked across it and then Glory. It must not be that bad. Huh? They stopped me. I’m not allowed on the scale? Someone forgot to tell them I was coming, so I couldn’t get weighed? I was taken back to the little cage, given feed and hay and water. Great, all the feed I can eat and it is not even feeding time. I went to sleep, woke up, and the feed was still here - so I ate again. They took the other little goat out of our small cage and returned her. She didn’t seem to be hurt. Glory kept talking about how hungry she was. Every time she returned, she looked for feed. Glad a fence was between us for I’m sure she would have taken my dinner.

Finally at almost feed time and already dark, the big guy put a lead on me and led me out of my small pen to a truck. Shavings, not a bad taste. Glory and Charm soon were added to my new cage. Then it got dark; the cover on the back was tied down. We started to move, and I went to sleep. Then all of a sudden, bad noise, then more loud noise. Flap, flap, flap. We stopped. The big guy looked in. Glory, Charm, and I huddled away from the gate. Soon we were moving again; time to snuggle up next to Glory and go back to sleep. (Glory really does like me – she just thinks I should be beat up on a regular basis.)

Finally the cage was opened. Charm left, then Glory. I wanted to see what was happening to them, so I walked toward the big guy and he carried me to the big pen. I cried and could hear Mom and Queenie, but had to spend the night way from them. Not sure of this 'SHOW' stuff, but I made it through it. Oh, they finally fed Glory and she is a lot happier.

Preparing for the Tennessee State Fair Goat Show by CCF Patience SA

Preparing for the Tennessee State Fair Goat Show
by
CCF Patience SA