That year the Tacoma News Tribune had sent a photographer to do a photo essay on the Fair. They probably do this every year, but that year for some reason he was drawn to the goat barn. The farmer saw him several times walking up and down the aisles, among the Alpines, Nubians, Saanens, Oberhaslis, Toggenburgs. Inevitably he was drawn back to the LaManchas.
The farmer chatted with him and he explained what he was doing. "I see," said the farmer.
Up and down the aisle he went, always ending up in front of the stall where Betsy crowded the bars, jumping up to try and catch his shirt, snatching for his camera, investigating his pockets, while Wronny huddled against the far wall, shrewdly avoiding all the lookiloos and stuffing herself with free hay.The next day Betsy peered out at the world from the front page of the TNT, looking extremely Betsyesque.
The farmer showed Betsy the picture. She didn't care; it wasn't edible. The next year - a year when Betsy did not even go to the Fair - her picture was turned into the TNT blog icon, and she was on the front page of the paper every day the Fair ran.
So Betsy was pretty much the TNT's official goat of the Puyallup Fair.
They could have picked a bigger or a smarter or a flashier goat. But they could never have found a Betsyer goat. Because there isn't one.
5 comments :
Well, they knew a super model goat when they saw one!! We were all lucky to have known her!!
We'll really miss you Betsy!
What a great story! How lucky the farmer and others were to know this funny girl.
I love this blog because it takes the (shall we say) slightly difficult, often unreasonable, very loud, even sometimes mean (!) and loves them. They are not a problem to be solved. They simply are. GOD bless 'em.
Here's to all the terrors and horrors out there - they make life interesting...as does this blog.
Of course I didn't mean that this blog is a terror or a horror...of course I didn't!
Signed, squirrel in hiding
Betsy was the perfect poster girl to represent a rural fair. She looks fun, curious, a little strange, but inviting--you know, all the things a fair is. I am proud that photographer had the artistic eye to see all this in her. No doubt she was one of a kind.
Flying Squirrel, do not hide behind your Anonymous pen name. Be Squirrel and proud of it.
I am so deeply sorry this has been a summer than needs to just fall into the ocean and be gone. I wouldn't say "east of the mountains" since I don't want your bad luck here! Deepest sympathy from back east.
I am for this summer falling off into the ocean as well. Yep, right off. Betsy was unique...like so many of your goats. Do you think it might have a little to do with the Farmer? Yeah, I think it might, though I wouldn't want to give her a big head or anything.
Post a Comment