Page 114 - my-people-abbie-harris-beck

AUGA AND GEORGE'S BELLY GOAT

Maye had stopped on the way from DeFuniak and bought George a Billy goat.
Maye had told him that she was going to get him one. George had been told that a goat
fed himself on briers and trash. George got the goat, tied him to the fence and the first
thing he did was to empty the garbage can for the goat. We told George that wouldn't
work. One day we were all in the back yard working and playing and Lamar had built a
playground for the children, a tire swing, and an acting bar. We had chickens, ducks,
rabbits, a dog and a goat.. The kitchen sink had stopped up and Lamar had dug a big deep
hole in the yard so the sink would drain into the hole. He had put planks over the hole.
This afternoon, Lamar was working on the drain pipes and had the planks pulled away.
The hole was full of old greasy, slimly green stuff. George let the goat out to play. Annie
Laura was near the greasy hole telling the goat to stay away. The goat fell into the awful
greasy hole and when it came out covered with grease, he ran to Annie Laura with his
head down ready to butt. She saw what was happening, so she ran up the 11 concrete
steps with the mad goat behind her. She flung open the back door, which didn't close, the
goat right behind her. Annie Laura and the goat ran the full length of the house. She
saved the day when she got to the front door, she stood behind the open door, and the
goat ran into the street. There was nothing we could do but bust our sides with laughter.
Can't remember who caught the goat and washed him. I do know that George didn't keep
him very long. His name was "Trouble".

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