SAYING GOOD-BYE
Written by Leona NielsenPublished on February 2013
Saying Good-Bye
The morning started off like all others. Everyone seemed extremely hungry this morning except for Scout. He stood looking out over the field with an unsettled look in his eyes. Only a few bits of grain were gone from his bowl. The hay, he hadn’t touched. Little Ones chatted amongst themselves and Scout didn’t have any comments to add which concerned Baby.
“Do you think Scout is feeling alright Joseph?” Baby whispered
“Why?”
“Well, he is just standing there looking out into space.”
“Scout, are you feeling alright?” yelled Joseph
“Joseph, are you asking for the right reason?”
“Oh Baby, I wasn’t thinking about his food. I can think of other things besides my stomach you know”.
“Ya Baby.” Annie added as she made her way into the conversation and to Scout.
“Want me to help you eat your breakfast Scout?”
“Annie!!!!!!!!!!” shouted Baby as he looked at both of them.
“That has to be a Donkey thing.”
“Yep.”
“Listen, if you are that worried about Scout why don’t you ask him?” Joseph replied.
“Well, I should but it is not nice to get into someone’s space when they may not want you there.”
“HELLO!! When did that stop you before when you were worried about one of us?” Joseph reminded Baby as he took a deep breath and started in Scout’s direction.
“Hey Scout, what’s up. Are you feeling alright?”
Scout, being taller than Baby lowered head his head to make eye contact.
“Just sizing up the day Baby.”
“Well, if that’s all you’re doing, then why haven’t you eaten your breakfast?”
“Not feeling too hungry this morning.”
“Getting the flu or something?”
“Doesn’t feel like that.” Scout replied as he turned his head away from Baby.
“Why don’t you come and hang out with us? We are going to check out the new stuff in the field. Maybe when you come back you will finish your breakfast.”
“Thanks Baby, but I think I’ll just stay here for now.”
Baby wasn’t buying what Scout was saying. Not for one minute.
“Scout! I may be little but I do know when you are not being honest with me.”
Scout was surprised with what Baby was saying
“What makes you say something like that Baby?”
“Well it is…………..oh no Scout! I can’t tell you how I know.”
“Is it because I’m not eating?”
“No. I’m still not telling you Scout.” Baby shouted as he ran into the big barn. He wasn’t getting anywhere with him, maybe TC can help.
TC and Seeker were talking as Baby approached. Then suddenly there was silence. No one was saying a word. Baby looked from TC to Seeker.
“Great!!! Just great! I leave Scout on the other side looking like he has lost his best friend and I come over here and you stop talking as soon as I arrive. What’s up with that?”
By this time Baby was getting a little upset. He stomped his hoof on the floor and stood straight saying….
“I don’t know what it is but I do know something is wrong. You are keeping it from me because you think I am not big enough to handle it. Is that it? Well I am. Just try me!!!!!”
TC looked at Seeker and Baby could see the same look in their eyes as Scout had.
“Baby, I want you to gather up the rest and meet us under the big tree in the field.” TC said
“Okay, I will TC.” As he started back for the others he knew this must be serious. The big guys are the ones that hang out under the big tree.
“This must be some serious stuff.” Baby muttered over and over to himself. As he reached the others his first words were,
“I don’t like this one bit.”
“Don’t like what Baby?” asked Joseph
“We have to meet the others under the big tree.”
“WHAT!!!!!!”
“You heard right Joseph.”
“You really mean THE BIG TREE?”
“What’s the big tree?” Annie asked
“You’ll see soon enough.” Baby told her
“Can I play there?” Annie wanted to know
“Annie, you’re talking too much. Try and say a little less.” replied Baby, but at the same time he realized he was putting his own feelings on Annie and that wasn’t right.
“Sorry Annie for answering you like that. It’s not your fault for what’s happening.”
“I know you didn’t mean it Baby. I don’t understand either.” answered Annie
“That goes for me as well. I just keep thinking about what could be so important that we have to go to the big tree.” Joseph added
“We need to find Scout…..Scout! You need to come with us.” shouted Baby
There was no answer coming back.
“Scout!!!! Where are you?”
“Oh, he left.” said Annie
“Left? What do you mean Annie?”
“He’s gone.”
“Gone where? You have to tell me.” Baby said in an anxious voice.
“To see TC.”
“ANNIE!!!” Baby said as he shook his head
“WHAT Baby!!!!. You said I should use fewer words.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Remember, you told me I talked too much and I should say less.”
For a moment Baby couldn’t say a word.
“Oh Annie, just when I think you aren’t listening, you prove me wrong.” Baby said with a smile.
They approached the big tree to see TC and Seeker with Scout. Baby voted himself as organizer of this event by telling TC that everyone was here and it was time to get things started.
“First, I am going to give the floor to Seeker.” TC stated.
Well, Annie just couldn’t let that one go.
“Seeker gets the floor TC? We came all this way just to hear that?”
TC smiled.
“Annie, it’s just an expression.”
“Seeker, go ahead please.”
“I wish I could say this in another way but I can’t. We have not been ourselves today because I am leaving the barn.”
The Little Ones were so shocked; no one noticed, not even Joseph, when an acorn hit him on the head. A few minutes later……
“YOU WHAT!!!!” yelled Joseph
“YOU CAN’T LEAVE!!!” yelled Baby
“Am I leaving too?” asked Annie.
“Come closer Little Ones and let me explain.” TC said
“You see, when Seeker came we knew it was not going to be forever but we thought it was going to be longer than this.”
“I was as shocked as you were when I found out” added Seeker
“How did you find out?” asked Baby
“Scout told me.”
“Ohhhhhhh, it is all making sense now.” said Baby as he looked at Scout
“That is why you were not eating this morning.”
“Yes Baby. Remember the other day when our owners were talking with some other people outside? Well, I just happened to have been by the corner of the barn and heard them talking.”
“Why didn’t you tell us Scout?” Joseph wanted to know.
“Well, that wouldn’t have been fair to Seeker. I had to tell him first. It was bad enough that I knew before him.”
“When are you going? Next month?” Joseph asked
“Tomorrow.”
“TOMORROW!!!! Oh, my head.” Joseph said as he rubbed his head on the ground.
‘That’s not fair, it’s too soon. Can’t you tell them that you want to stay here?”
“I wish I could Baby but how can I, when they can’t hear us? And besides, it is what it is even though we may not like it.”
“I know Seeker.” Baby said as a tear formed in his eye.
“It’s not going to be the same with you gone Seeker.” Joseph added
“You have a tear too, Joseph.” Baby answered
“Big mouth.”
“It’s alright Joseph, there are times when it is okay to shed tears and one of those times is now.” Baby said.
“Is that why you had your head down on the ground Joseph?” Annie wanted to know.
Joseph looked at Annie and she knew.
“Maybe it is me with the big mouth.” Annie stated as she looked away
“It’s alright Annie, we had a lot to understand today.” said Baby
“Can we have a party for Seeker?” Annie asked TC
“Well, that is not a bad idea Annie.”
“We already have our food.”
“Where Joseph?” asked TC
“Well, Scout didn’t eat his.”
Everyone yelled at the same time.
“JOSEPH!!!!!!!”
“Just kidding.” Joseph said as he gave a big laugh.
“If there isn’t anything else anyone wants to say, I declare this meeting under the big tree closed. Now let’s make the best of the time we have with Seeker and have a party like Annie suggested.” TC said.
“Hooray!!!! I said something right.” Annie yelled
The rest of the day was spent with everyone staying together - eating, running and playing tag. After supper, when everyone’s bellies were full, Scout still had that look in his eye. Baby didn’t like what he was seeing.
“Something else is coming, isn’t it Scout? Don’t tell me no!”
“Oh Baby, I have got to do something with your senses. They are becoming too sharp.”
“See Scout, I told you that I would grow up one day.”
“I know Baby but did it have happen today?”
“Scout!! That’s not nice.”
“Baby, let’s get the others.”
“WHAT!!! Not the big tree again!!!” Joseph cried out
“No, we are going to see TC.”
“My head can’t take too much more of this.” said Joseph as he followed the others.
“I’m glad you came over.” TC said
“TC, I know you have something else to tell us, so can we please hear it now?”
“Come, Little Ones, I do have something else to tell you.”
“You’re moving too.” Annie piped up
“No, it’s not me, but Scout is going to be sleeping in the big barn at night.”
Joseph blinked really fast, opened his eyes and asked, “May I have the floor TC?”
Baby and Annie stood back and waited for whatever was going to happen.
“It hurts knowing Seeker is going tomorrow and now you tell us this about Scout. Where’s the fairness? Besides, there are times at night when we need Scout, especially when we get afraid. Now there will be only Baby, Annie and me. We will become orphans! Where’s the love? Right now I don’t feel any.” Joseph held his head high and walked to the side of the stall.
“Joseph is right TC. Scout is our big brother. When we can’t sleep at night or we are afraid, it is Scout who comes to comfort us. Now Scout won’t be in the little barn. Wait a minute, after saying all that I just realized something. TC is going to be in the big barn alone after Seeker goes. We need to be fair but how can it happen? “ Baby asked
“Well, Scout can be on loan. Every other night he can stay with us and TC with the others. I could handle that. Let’s take a vote.” Joseph said
After a few minutes they came back with an answer, the answer being yes.
“That way we will all be able to share Scout. How does it feel to be so popular Scout?” Baby asked.
“I’m thinking it wouldn’t take much to get used to all this attention.” Scout said with a smile
“Can we all sleep in the same place tonight TC?” Baby asked
“I don’t see why not.”
Morning came too soon for everyone as they knew what was going to take place. Before long came the sound of a truck and trailer. Seeker’s ride had arrived.
Seeker looked at TC. “I don’t believe in good-byes, just see you later.”
“Neither do I, Seeker.” TC said as she looked away.
Everyone had a chance to wish Seeker good luck in his new home. The trailer pulled out of the yard with Seeker in it. He stuck his head out of the window and yelled, “Friends will always be friends. No matter what.”
With that, everyone was wiping tears out of their eyes.
“Is this what good-bye is all about?” asked Annie
Without answering Annie, TC turned and started walking to the barn. She knew she had to say something.
“We are going to have to get ourselves back on schedule again.”
“What’s that?” asked Baby
“Well, now that you asked - Joseph, you will be going to the Exhibition in two days.”
Baby looked at Joseph and knew what was going to happen.
“TC, Joseph is going to do what I did once.”
“What’s that Baby?”
“Faint.”
After what happened with Joseph, TC thought it wise to keep everyone together for one more night.
“TC, am I going with Joseph to the Exhibition?” Baby asked
“No, not this time Baby. You are going to be helping to look after Annie.”
Joseph looked at Baby and said, “There is justice after all.”
From the darkness came, “Who is going to tell Murphy about Seeker?”
“Good night Annie.”
Hi everyone. That is our story for this time. We learned so much. Things don’t always stay the way we would like. Saying good-bye is hard to do but when you have a true friend, no matter where they go, you will always be friends. Patience. We are learning that with Annie and you may have to do the same with someone that you know. When something is bothering you, it is not nice to put your feelings onto someone else. This is the first time you know ahead what our next story will be about. See you then and stay safe
Baby, Joseph, Scout and Little Annie