In the Barnyard

In the Barnyard

Patience stepped forward timidly. She was new to the barnyard and didn’t know any of the chickens, or ducks, or lambs, or any of the bigger animals. She was an urban piglet born in a petting zoo with turtles and goats and bunny rabbits.

Patience had no idea that the day she was born she had already been sold. She really didn’t even know about such things. Every day she would snuggle up to her mom, beside her brothers and sisters, to suckle and grow. She didn’t grow very fast though. She liked the humans that came into the little yard and took care of them. Giving them fresh hay to sleep on, bringing the little family food and toys, and playing with them. Patience loved the smell of her mom and the fresh hay. She liked to root around in the soft dirt. Patience didn’t know why but it just seemed the thing to do.

One morning, a new human came into the yard. Patience wasn’t really surprised. There was often someone new that came into their little yard. This human was little though. He came right over to Patience and picked her up! Then he called out. - ‘Is this the one, dad? I hope so ‘cause she’s cute and I bet when she grows up she’ll have lots of babies.’ Before long, the human ‘dad’ came into the yard with the humans Patience already knew. Patience liked this little human. 

‘OK son, it’s time to go. Get your pig - what’s her name? Get Patience and her blanket and get in the truck. We’ll get home in time for lunch. She’ll be fine in the barnyard while we eat.’ Patience didn’t know what all the sounds meant, but she knew that she was being taken away from her family. She had never felt fear before and didn’t know what it was, but she was glad she had her blanket with her. 

In the barnyard, with all the other animals, there were little baby chicks and great big cows. The only ones she recognized were chickens. The scariest was Bessie, a ginormous horse. She was the very biggest of them all. But Bessie came over to Patience, nickered her welcome and touched Patience gently with her big soft nose. After that, Patience always felt at peace, as long as Bessie was around.

“Kindness is always fashionable, and always welcome.”
~ Amelia Barr