Part 3:
“Where do goats go?" I said again.
No answers arose.
“Maybe we should ask the orange plants?" Colin wondered.
“Sam, Gardner, Bit: what do you think?”
I was hoping to get something, you know, useful.
But instead they sang:
“Blink this beast/Right now if you want to/Please blink it away double pronto!”
And I’m standing there, like, geez, even they don’t get it.
Now I’m thinking I will blink it, just to make everyone happy.
“OK, fine, whatever."
Colin was smiling again and that made me glad.
His smile had returned.
And a return ... could be just what we needed!
“I’ve got it,” I told him. “We'll return the goat."
“Huh?"
“That guy, Boris? Get Boris on the phone, stat!”
“What does stat mean?” he asked.
“It means get him on the phone ASAP.”
“Sure thing. What is ASAP?”
“Hurry up! Call right now! Before the goat freaks out again.”
No answers arose.
“Maybe we should ask the orange plants?" Colin wondered.
“Sam, Gardner, Bit: what do you think?”
I was hoping to get something, you know, useful.
But instead they sang:
“Blink this beast/Right now if you want to/Please blink it away double pronto!”
And I’m standing there, like, geez, even they don’t get it.
Now I’m thinking I will blink it, just to make everyone happy.
“OK, fine, whatever."
Colin was smiling again and that made me glad.
His smile had returned.
And a return ... could be just what we needed!
“I’ve got it,” I told him. “We'll return the goat."
“Huh?"
“That guy, Boris? Get Boris on the phone, stat!”
“What does stat mean?” he asked.
“It means get him on the phone ASAP.”
“Sure thing. What is ASAP?”
“Hurry up! Call right now! Before the goat freaks out again.”
Colin got the idea, he dialed pretty ASAP, pretty stat.
But Boris was in no mood for returns.
After a brief conversation, Colin said, “Maybe next Saturday” was the best he could do.
I had Colin redial.
Lowering my voice to sound official, I said, “Boris, hello, this is John Hyung, owner of Hyung's Carpets. You know? Your boss?"
“Yes sir, hello sir."
“We’ve got a problem. There’s goat-selling at the store and that’s no good."
“Sir?"
“Zoning issue: No sales of flora or livestock without, uh … permission. A permit, yeah, that’s what I mean, a permit."
“I didn't know."
“I’ll need you to drop everything and get the goat at Colin Smith’s house. ASAP!”
“I’m really sorry, Mr. Hyung. I had no idea, I swear.”
“Get that goat,” I told him, “and we’ll say no more about it.”
“Yes, Mr. Hyung, yes sir. I’ll take care of it right away.”
Boris was at our place within half an hour.
He didn’t seem mad at Colin or anything; he just gave the money back and took Jessie away.
I watched as he lifted her up, put her in the truck and went home.
But Boris was in no mood for returns.
After a brief conversation, Colin said, “Maybe next Saturday” was the best he could do.
I had Colin redial.
Lowering my voice to sound official, I said, “Boris, hello, this is John Hyung, owner of Hyung's Carpets. You know? Your boss?"
“Yes sir, hello sir."
“We’ve got a problem. There’s goat-selling at the store and that’s no good."
“Sir?"
“Zoning issue: No sales of flora or livestock without, uh … permission. A permit, yeah, that’s what I mean, a permit."
“I didn't know."
“I’ll need you to drop everything and get the goat at Colin Smith’s house. ASAP!”
“I’m really sorry, Mr. Hyung. I had no idea, I swear.”
“Get that goat,” I told him, “and we’ll say no more about it.”
“Yes, Mr. Hyung, yes sir. I’ll take care of it right away.”
Boris was at our place within half an hour.
He didn’t seem mad at Colin or anything; he just gave the money back and took Jessie away.
I watched as he lifted her up, put her in the truck and went home.
Colin was happy, I was happy, the orange plants swayed in their pot.
We were goat-free.
But not done yet.
Colin doesn’t drive, so we walked to the little mall on Whalen Ave.
Took over an hour.
I sent him in for a new throw pillow and a picture frame.
We also got scented candles to clear away Jessie’s ... earthiness.
By the time Colin finished shopping, it was getting late.
Rick was due soon.
Our return walk would take too long.
And so, yeah.
I blinked us back home.
“You wouldn’t blink, you wanted to solve this," Colin said. “Why is it OK now?”
“There’s a thing Rick always says: A narrow consistency has the ability to gobble little minds."
“Gobble little minds?"
“Something like that. It's a quote from this guy, Emerson Waldo."
“I'm confused."
“It means … if you never change, if you’re not flexible? Your mind might get gobbled.”
“Gobbled by who?” he wondered.
“Dumb thoughts,” I said. “Not really gobbled, you know? It’s just an expression.”
“OK, yeah,” he nodded with a smile. “I think I get it.”
We were goat-free.
But not done yet.
Colin doesn’t drive, so we walked to the little mall on Whalen Ave.
Took over an hour.
I sent him in for a new throw pillow and a picture frame.
We also got scented candles to clear away Jessie’s ... earthiness.
By the time Colin finished shopping, it was getting late.
Rick was due soon.
Our return walk would take too long.
And so, yeah.
I blinked us back home.
“You wouldn’t blink, you wanted to solve this," Colin said. “Why is it OK now?”
“There’s a thing Rick always says: A narrow consistency has the ability to gobble little minds."
“Gobble little minds?"
“Something like that. It's a quote from this guy, Emerson Waldo."
“I'm confused."
“It means … if you never change, if you’re not flexible? Your mind might get gobbled.”
“Gobbled by who?” he wondered.
“Dumb thoughts,” I said. “Not really gobbled, you know? It’s just an expression.”
“OK, yeah,” he nodded with a smile. “I think I get it.”
“Well, thanks for the goat.”
“You're welcome. Sorry about everything.”
“It was a nice idea and all.”
And sincerely? I meant it. How sweet! He buys us a goat.
I wish we could have kept it.
Well, not really.
But you know what I mean.
So yeah, we got back just in time, got everything cleaned up.
The new pillow and picture frame? I explained them away with a little white lie.
I said there was an earthquake.
That didn’t work, of course.
There were no reports of any earthquakes in Town Worth.
Rick reasoned that maybe a big truck rumbled by the house and the vibration made the frame fall.
And the new throw pillow?
A gift from Colin. To say thanks for everything.
I felt bad lying. It was really just a fib. But yeah, I felt bad fibbing.
Sorry Rick!
Well, hmmm ... I guess that’s it.
I don’t know how much time I have left on this thing.
And so maybe I’d better wrap it up.
This has been the saga of the day Colin Smith bought a goat, and how Dale the lion handled it.
I hoped you liked my story.
I did my best!
The end.
“You're welcome. Sorry about everything.”
“It was a nice idea and all.”
And sincerely? I meant it. How sweet! He buys us a goat.
I wish we could have kept it.
Well, not really.
But you know what I mean.
So yeah, we got back just in time, got everything cleaned up.
The new pillow and picture frame? I explained them away with a little white lie.
I said there was an earthquake.
That didn’t work, of course.
There were no reports of any earthquakes in Town Worth.
Rick reasoned that maybe a big truck rumbled by the house and the vibration made the frame fall.
And the new throw pillow?
A gift from Colin. To say thanks for everything.
I felt bad lying. It was really just a fib. But yeah, I felt bad fibbing.
Sorry Rick!
Well, hmmm ... I guess that’s it.
I don’t know how much time I have left on this thing.
And so maybe I’d better wrap it up.
This has been the saga of the day Colin Smith bought a goat, and how Dale the lion handled it.
I hoped you liked my story.
I did my best!
The end.