Oh Brother!

~ by JoAnn

There was NO WAY I was going to let those boys get away with ignoring me again! I was tired of my brother ditching me when his friends came over.  As they set out on their adventure, I was right on their trail. They didn’t notice me at first, but I kept trudging along following their every move. When they went into the granary filled with cow corn still on its cob, I went in right behind them. If they saw me they acted like I was invisible. They climbed the mound of corn, checked out the antique equipment in the rafters above, and then headed back toward the door.

As I trailed them into the barn, I saw their feet entering the hay-filled loft. I wasn’t going to let a little thing like my fear of heights allow those boys win this one! Up the ladder I went; across the stacks of freshly baled hay into the old side of the barn.  By this time I knew they were aware that I was their shadow. Their pace increased, as they slipped through the recesses of the rafters into the oldest, most rickety part of the loft. On the south side of the barn was a cow feeder. It was built so hay could be taken from the loft & dropped directly into the feeder. The bulls in the pasture could eat at their leisure w/out us ever having to go into their territory. I never minded feeding the bulls this way.

What had started as a determination to be included had turned into a fear-factor type competition. My brother knew my fears all too well. He knew the surest way to get me to head back with the girls up at the house was to go where the bulls dwelt.

That is exactly what he did.  He and his friend slipped from the second story loft down the side of the feeder; directly into the pasture. By this time I was more angry than frightened. I verbally made my presence known; challenging his attempt to leave me in the dust.

“You can’t get away from me!” I stated indignantly!
“Oh yes I can!” was his firm reply.

His friend laughed as they headed toward the shed in the middle of the barn yard. I stared at the bulls as I hung from the feeder’s edge deciding what to do.

“They shouldn’t be allowed to treat me this way!” I thought as I swallowed my fear and chased after them again.

I had never been to the bulls shed. Any work needing to be done in this barnyard was assigned to the boys, and THAT was just fine with me! This is the shed where the cows hung out in a rain storm, or on a hot summer day; covered under its shade and protected from the elements.  My brother and his friend entered the shed with ease. They stepped onto the ledge between the building’s footer and the wooden structure. They began to walk around the edge in an obvious attempt to send me back to the house.  I was determined to follow. As I got closer to the shed I realized the cow manure was getting deeper and deeper. I had to jump to avoid getting stuck in the cow-mud. I was able to make a leap toward the shed.  My foot reached the ledge as I grabbed with my hand for something to steady myself. Nothing. I began to loose my balance. I had no choice but to come off the ledge, into the knee deep cow manure. Both feet sank deep. As I tried to pull them up the vacuum-like swish sound could be heard as I made several attempts to remove my feet from the thick smelly stuff.

Finally I gave a strong heave upward with my one leg; only to loose my balance. Now, not only were my feet in the manure, but my bottom and hands as well. Sinking deep into the manure, I cringed at the sound of the two boys laughter. Covered in manure I had no choice but to end my pursuit.