 "What did you
get?" asked Doc."D-24."
"Just one?"
"Yeah. The boys caught me when I was kinda short, so I only got
the one this year."
"They hit me for 10," Doc said. "In E section."
Dud looked at us. "I think E section's a pretty good bet.
Especially later in the afternoon. The sun will be over there then.
Nice and warm. She's liable to go there."
It's Cow-a-Dunga time again. It was Bill Shaver's idea. He's the
music teacher for all three of our schools here, and he needed a way
the kids could raise some money for band trips.
"I hear they're using one of Simmons' cows this year," said Dud.
"Doc, is there any kind of laxative you can give a cow?"
"How should I know? I'm not a veterinarian. Besides, you know
they'll keep her identity a secret until Saturday. They know there
are people out there just like you who'd like to doctor that
cow."
We all laughed. No one would think of bothering the cow, of
course, but we'll all spend at least part of Saturday down in the
bleachers at the high school football field keeping an eye on that
cow. That's the whole fun of Cow-a-Dunga, of course.
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column]
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By now, the kids have that acre of grass all crisscrossed with
chalk lines, dividing the field up into 1-yard squares. Each square
sells for a buck. If all the squares sell, that's five grand for the
kids. The winner is determined by a cow. On Saturday, a cow will be
released onto the field and watched carefully by a whole bunch of
us. When the cow's digestive system causes her to plop a decoration
on the field, the lucky holder of that square gets five hundred
bucks.
There are, of course, strict rules against arm waving, chowsing
noises, horn honking and the application of anything that might sway
her toward or away from any particular square.
"I wonder," said Steve, "if there's any rule against using the
evil eye. You know, like if she's heading for Doc's block of
squares, I could send her a signal to hold it for a while."
"Cheaters never prosper," said Doc.
[Text from file received from Slim Randles]
Brought to you by Slim's new book "A
Cowboy's Guide to Growing Up Right." Learn more at
http://www.nmsantos.com/Slim/Slim.html.
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