What Did I Learn the Day a Cow Pooed On Me?
Posted: Tuesday, May 25, 2010
by Craig B
Our family has always had pets. There has been dogs and cats, birds, chickens, guinea pigs and even a pet turtle. My dad had a pet rabbit that he took away on a hunting trip with him and it came back pregnant. This rabbit actually loved Dad and acted like it was a dog following him every where and would come to him whenever he called it. Sadly it went missing the day our neighbor's moved house.
I was working as a dairy hand where I had negotiated a bonus with the boss where I would take the bull calves home to raise. We only lived on a 1/4 acre block of land and had the use of a vacant block next door. All up I raised 12 calves. My two boys called them names such as Sausage, Tee Bone, Mince, Steak and Meat Pie etc.
No matter what pet we had, they all had a couple of things in common. And those two things were that they needed to eat, and they needed to poo. I had a lot of experience working with animals, and had the experience of being pooed on time to time. The first dairy I worked on, while doing the milking the bosses son had seen a cow lifting up its tail and he backed me under it, where it finished its business all over me.
It was like a chocolate liquid, warm, sticky and very smelly. In shock I just stood there as it pooed all over me. It went in my ears, down the inside of my shirt, into my eyes and up my nose. It covered my hair and I even tasted some in my mouth and it continued to pour over me to the extent it started to fill my gumboots. Luckily enough, it was a hot summer day and I took my cloths of to my underpants and hosed off.
As a kid it was always our job to pick up the dog poo. There is nothing worse then stepping on a doggy done it. Especially if your wearing shoes with a deep tread. It sticks right into it, filling the cracks. Sometimes its worse then clay, and as much as you try it won't wash off. So you need to dig it out using a stick, or knife. And man, the smell... its a smell that seems to linger...though not so much as what pig poo does. Though poo has many unpleasant side effects, its messy, its smelly we can learn a lot from it that we can apply to our journey of life.
The first thing that we learn is that no matter what we do, poo happens. Sometimes we will walk into it. Sometimes it will fall on us...maybe you have been walking along minding your own business and had a bird such as a pigeon, sea gull or other poop on you? The same happens in life. Sometimes it will just seem like life is just pooing on us.
The second thing we learn about poo is its not a pleasant experience. It creates a mess that someone needs to clean up. Whether it be the dog in the back yard, or the experience I once had of a cat that our dog kept chasing up onto the roof and you can guess where it did its business. Yes that is right, on the roof top where all could see.
The same happens when we get pooed on, theres a mess to clean up. Maybe your life is a little messy at the moment? Maybe your in the midst of a big mess that has been dropped onto you or you have walked into? Its not nice. Its not pleasant. People may avoid you because of the smell. And you wonder how your going to clean the mess up? But somehow clean it up you must, though for a while you may wallow in it.
My uncle used to tell me stories how when he was a young boy his family couldn't afford shoes, so in winter he would walk about barefooted. He and his friends would compete with each other as to who would be the first to step into a fresh warm cow patty on a frosty winter morning. Sometimes poo is like that, its warm and seems to be a nice place to be for the time being. But like my uncle and his friends, its not a place you can stay and its time to move on.
This brings me to the third point about poo. It makes great fertilizer. Added to soil or potting mix it makes a great base for growing plants and trees and even grass. The best tomatoes I grew always grew in soil with a good measure of poo added to it. And just like the garden, we also can grow from the times we are pooed on. We can look back at the times with some embarrassment, maybe a little or a lot of laughter. But one thing for sure is that the times life poos on us, it causes us an opportunity to grow. Have you lost your job... perhaps you can find a better one or do some training so you can.
So not matter what life throws at you, remember that its not pleasant, it can be messy...but you can also grow from it if you allow yourself to do so.
Getting back to the question that I asked in the title of this story. What did I learn the day that a cow pooped on me is this ; "Poop happens, but it washes off"
The idea of this story comes out of a book I'm writing called "Animals, poop and body parts"
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)This article is absolutely hilarious, Craig! It's also wonderfully - or is it horribly?!! - graphic! Thanks for writing it.Hi Jennifer. I'm glad you found it funny. I'm hoping to develop a style of writing that is both humorous and entertaining while carrying a deeper message for the young at heart.
Love this and you and Leah should do a joint venture here! I am trying to join your fan club and when I click the button it doesn't take but have written Bruce to see what I should try next! Enjoyed this as much as you can enjoy "poo" GRINThanks Marijo. I'm glad you enjoyed this story. Most likely younger people, early teens and younger might enjoy that story better... lol!A joint venture with another author sounds like an interesting project.Have you read her's on POO (from the maggot and fly point of view? Complete with wonderful illustrations too. Check it out! I am definitely not a teenager - but did think this one was fun!Yes I did read it. It was one of Leah's first articles that I read on this site...I will get my boys to read it also...
Craig, I like your story. It's funny and cute with some thoughts and you put them aptly suitable as a life lesson we may balance when we meet a setback.Great article and mixed with giggles in between (for me) ............HildaHi Hilda. I'm glad you liked my story and found it funny. Thanks for stopping and telling me you enjoyed it.
very interesting and a new way of looking at Life too - a poo-sitive approach indeed.Hi. Yes thats a good way to think of it...Poo sitive. lol! :)
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