It is one thing to be betrayed. Then you can put the cause on the other person. It’s quite another to be the one who has betrayed another person or an animal.

I freely admit that I’m guilty of the latter. Today we took Buckwheat back to Chelsea and Mat Dishner’s place. We did not know that they had not yet found a companion for him, so he is now all alone. And this, going into winter.

This is a goat who has now been socialized and has had buddies to hang out with.

Buckwheat

This morning he willingly hopped on the kindling box and then into the back of the truck. Then he unloaded willingly when we arrived at the Dishner’s when we opened the truck tail gate.

Yes, he is a buck, and yes, he does smell, and yes, he was pushy in the way male goats can be. And no, I did not give him the time he deserved. He enjoyed doing agility, and had I spent more time with him, he would have mellowed out. He also enjoyed being with Ranger and Stormy.

My last image of him was reaching through an opening in his pen and touching the hand of the Dishner’s young daughter, Opie.

I should have done a better job of keeping the communicative doors open and let the Dishners know that there was no hurry in parting with him. In this respect, I did Buckwheat a major disservice.

Pete freely admits that he’s not a goat lover and this is okay. What I like about caprines is that they are very enthusiastic, inquisitive, and happy creatures. And like dogs and horses, their love for people is unconditional. And what do we do to them? We kill them and eat them. The worst are those who raise them as pets, give them names, and either sell them at 4-H auctions for meat, take them for someone else to slaughter, or slaughter them themselves.

I did not do well by Buckwheat, and yet in the end, he held no grudges. This is another unique characteristic of goats.

I am going to email Chelsea and tell her that if he’s lonely and they can’t find a companion for him, we’ll take him back temporarily. This is the right thing to do. If we lived in a place that had more land, I would have more goats and a milking facility. This must be in my DNA. I too think that my high degree of compassion for animals (which seems to increase as I get older) is also in my DNA.

I don’t feel as compassionate about the human race. This is because I see how discompassionate so many are when it comes to domestic and wild animals. My outlook must also be in my DNA.

Well, I am taking solace in the fact that Ranger and Stormy will not have to compete with Buckwheat for food and attention. I will in fact now be able to spend more time with them. And perhaps Stormy is pregnant and will give birth to a few of Buckwheat’s offspring.

Next: 295. 10/25/20: Saab-ing