A Rude Awakening

It's early. Sipping my first cup of coffee, I look south-west out my 2nd floor window, and freeze. The short grass of the rolling hills of the pasture, framed by the tall trees hiding the far Pacific, seems normal except …

It's the bovines. They are crouched down in the grass, staring at me. Just the chance flick of a tail, the close-lipped motion of a single cud being chewed, else I would never have noticed. They mass for attack.

Trembling ever so slightly, I look down at Frederick, my dog, mostly Labrador, and give him the bad news. "Okay, here's the plan: you go out the front door, and meet the first wave. That will give me time to run out the back door and get help."

Frederick seems decidedly dubious. Just my luck: the one time I need a man, and all I have is a dog.

Posted by: Longfellow via email