JOSEPH AND THE DENTIST - PART ONE
Written by Leona NielsenPublished on January 2018
The moon didn’t have a chance to say good night when the
sun was on the horizon shining brightly. The birds were out and about hoping
that there would be some food left out for them. What a nice start to the day.
In
the barn, breakfast was almost over. Scout was pretending to be eating but his
real attention was on the owners who were talking amongst themselves. He had an
idea that the topic was about Joseph. Baby was listening as well, trying to
catch a word here and there. I hope they make Joseph better thought Baby.
“Scout
what did you hear” whispered Baby
“They
said they were going to make THE call”
“You
mean THE call”
“That’s
it but don’t say anything to Joseph, just let him sleep. He will need his
energy” Scout told Baby.
Just
then Joseph slowly opened his eyes.
“No,
it hasn’t gone away” Joseph said to
himself as his tongue moved in his mouth. He decided to go back to sleep
instead of getting up. Baby kept looking at Joseph and wondering how much
longer he was going to sleep.
“I
think I should throw some of my hay over to him. Maybe he will wake up.” Baby
thought as he grabbed some in his mouth and gently dropped it in Joseph’s
stall.
Joseph
could feel something tickling his body and started to move.
“His
tail is moving. That’s good” Baby
thought.
“Hey,
what’s all this” Joseph said in a sleepy voice.
“I’m
sharing my hay with you Joseph.”
“What
did you do that for?” Joseph wanted to know.
“I
just wanted you to feel better.”
“Hay
won’t do it Baby. I could eat all the hay in the barn and still not feel any
better.”
“That’s not a nice thing to do Joseph. You
would have belly aches and we won’t have anything to eat?” Annie said
“That’s
just a saying Annie. Joseph didn’t mean it the way it sounded” Baby
answered
“Oh” Annie said as she continued eating
her breakfast.
“You have to eat Joseph”
“I can’t, it hurts too much Baby”
Just
then Baby thought of something – Joseph didn’t get breakfast.
“Scout,
how come Joseph didn’t get anything to eat?” Baby whispered.
“Remember
THE call” Scout replied.
“Oh
yea THE call” Baby answered in a low voice.
“How’s
the sharp Joseph?” Scout asked knowing only too well what the answer would be.
“I think it’s still there Scout”
“There
is only one way to be sure Joseph, you have to try and eat some hay” Scout said
“Go
ahead Joseph, see if you can eat. I have to know if you are going to be okay. I
know if it was me, you would want me to try, wouldn’t you?” Baby said.
“Well
alright I will try”
Joseph
reluctantly grabbed the hay as he thinks back on how it felt yesterday when he
chewed. Suddenly…………………
“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
yelled Joseph jumping up and down and burying his head in the corner.
“I
guess it would be safe to say that it is still there” Scout announced to the
barn
At
that moment the owners came back to let everyone out. Before Joseph could go,
his halter was put on. Baby and Scout looked at each other hoping Joseph didn’t
notice. After the barn chores were done Joseph was led back to a clean stall.
He stood there for a moment and then…………….
“BABY!!!! help me out here, this can’t be
good. I’m HALTERED and everyone is out. Do you hear me BABY?” yelled Joseph as
hard as he could. Everyone came back to the barn to see Joseph.
“Having
my halter on only means one thing, doesn’t it?”
“Yes
Joseph, they made the call.”
“THEY
WHAT!!!!!!…this is going to be a bad day, I just know it!!!!! I can’t take
this. My legs are getting weak.”
“We
are here with you Joseph, you won’t be alone” Baby reassured him.
“Joseph,
it is either the Sharp or the Vet” Scout said in a stern voice.
“NOT!!!!
the dentist, look I’m fine” Joseph said as he forced himself to stand tall with
his chest out and head high. He took a step but forgot to tell his legs not to
be weak. Over against the wall he went.
“Wow
Joseph I see you aren’t alright” replied Scout
“It’s
going to be okay Joseph” said Baby
“How
would you know?”
“I
don’t but Scout does. He had the Vet
come to see him” Baby answered.
“Ya!
but he’s not talking, that’s not good” Joseph said as he looked at Scout.
“Stiff
upper lip Joseph that’s all it takes”
“Something’s
got to help me”
“Oh
it will,” Scout answered smiling to himself. He knew Joseph wouldn’t believe him anyway no matter what he told him.
The sound of the truck coming was heard
in the distance.
“The
Call is coming” shouted Annie as she ran into the barn.
“Oh
Annie it’s not the call, it is the vet who is also a dentist” Baby said.
“Then
why did you say the call earlier?” Annie answered as she ran out to see this
person. Voices could be heard outside. The vet had arrived. Joseph pushed his
head as far in the corner as it would go. He started telling himself to be very
still and not to move a muscle . That
way, maybe they wouldn’t see him. The doors opened and Joseph heard…….
“How
long has he had it?”
“Just
two days.”
“Well
maybe we should have a look in his mouth and see what is going on.”
“Hello,
what a handsome donkey you are Joseph” said the vet.
“It
is going to take more than saying I’m handsome to make me move” Joseph said to
himself.
“We
are going to have to get Joseph out of the corner”
“Oh
no, Lady, not today!!!! You’re in for a big surprise because I’m not moving!!!”
Joseph thought. With that he planted his hooves, shifting his weight so he
couldn’t be moved. The vet tried to move him but with no luck.
“He’s
never like this” one of the owners said
“HELLO!!!!!
Would you be any different in my situation?” Joseph thought.
“Joseph,
you have to come out of the corner. The longer you stay there the harder it’s
going to be” Baby said
“I
hear you”
No,
you don’t. Put your ears up so you can really hear me Joseph. You are so much a
donkey” Baby said impatiently
“What
do you mean Baby?” asked Annie.
“STUBBORN”
“Oh,
is that all” Annie answered as if she knew what it meant.
“Enough
Baby and Annie, we have to get Joseph to cooperate” Scout said
“Maybe
the vet can do the thing she did when we got the needles. Remember?” said Baby
“Not
a chance Baby, we’re talking about Joseph and you know he doesn’t forget a
thing. He has the biggest memory bank I have ever seen” replied Scout.
Baby
had only one word to say…right
As
Scout was looking at Joseph he got an idea.
“Baby,
did you hear the owners the other day talking about making us a treat of apples
and porridge? You know the one I mean?”
“The
stuff that they give us at Christmas that is so good?
“That’s
it”
“Have
I had it?” asked Annie
“Not
yet but you will at Christmas, it is soooo good” answered Baby.
Joseph heard Christmas and porridge. He had turned around to hear more and when he
did he was out of the corner. Bingo it worked!!!! Seeing this, the vet had to
be fast. She didn’t know
why Joseph had moved but she did know that she had to slip into the corner before
it was too late.
Suddenly, Joseph realized that he could not get back in the
corner – he was busted.
“When are we getting the treat Scout?” asked
Annie
“Well
not exactly. I said it to get Joseph
moving”
“That
wasn’t nice Scout. You tricked me”
Joseph said
“You
will thank me when it is over”
“Oh
you think so…..NOT!!! That was rude!”
“Could
you keep Joseph from getting back in the corner and I’ll get my gear” asked the
vet of one of the owners.
“What,
is she doing moving in?” asked Baby
“No,
she has to get her stuff to work with” Scout said as he watched Annie at the
door.
“Hello
Lady. I can help you” said Annie but the
vet kept walking
“She
won’t let me help her Scout”
“The
vet can’t hear us Annie”
“But
they know we talk”
“I
guess you could say we talk a different language than they do” was Scout’s
answer
“Oh”
Annie replied as she went to explore what was in the truck.
Joseph
stood looking at the floor. He didn’t want to see what was happening. The
vet came through the door with all kinds of funny looking stuff.
“This
doesn’t look good” Baby said.
“SHHHHH
Baby, before Joseph hears you” said
Scout.
“Scout,
she has a file in her hand. It looks like the one the owners use when they
are working on the barn.”
“It’s
something like it but not quite”
The
vet stood looking at Joseph and said to the owners
“You
know, it could also be either a canine or a wolf as well”
“WHAT
!!!!! Joseph is a dog or a wolf not a donkey!!!! SCOUT are you listening to me
and don’t tell me to be quiet. This is my buddy Joseph they’re talking about.”
Baby’s
eyes got bigger and bigger as he looked to Scout for an answer. Before Scout
could explain Baby fainted.
Hi
everyone hope you like Part 1
of our story. Be sure to get next month’s Newsletter and see what happens in Part 2 of “Joseph and the
Dentist”. We will also tell you what we learned. See you then.
Baby, Joseph, Scout and
Little Annie