A lot of people don't realize those loveable, floppy eared donkeys are fun to look at but useless to have. They actually roam wild in the west and they have special sales where you can buy mustangs and donkeys, in case you're wondering I've had both. I'm not sure how we wound up with the mustang but he was the fattest horse I've ever seen, most of his life he had to get by on a whole lot less to eat than he got here. So needless to say when he made it to Tennessee you couldn't rip him away from that sweet grass. But he was a wonderful horse and after he had stayed with us a while and got older he foundered so we sent him to the Boy Scouts Club where they could ride him in the summer, he had a very good retirement to say the least.
The donkey's have to be one of the most adorable things I've ever seen and the most useless. My grandaddy adopted a few from out west and they stayed on his farm until he died and left them to me. I was thrilled, I loved going to see them and feed them when I was little. Several of them had tattoos they get on the neck to identify them when they're caught. We started raising sheep soon after I got them home and everyone tells you they hate dogs, so we figured they would help keep stray dogs and coyotes away from the sheep but they didn't. The only thing they pay attention to is a feed bucket, when we go to feed the sheep you can't move for them and the sheep can't eat because they don't want to share. We had bought a jack, or a male, to breed our females because at that time we didn't have that many, but after so long you have to trade them out or they will interbreed and he wasn't getting along to well with one of the baby jacks we had. If you sale a horse or donkey you have to have Coggins papers on them to show that they don't have the Coggins disease, but these papers are only good for a year. It cost $25 to get the test done and a jack will only bring $20, not a good thing. Our papers had run out about a week or two before, but we figured since it was so close they might take him anyway. We get to the sale barn and I told the guy what was going on and he said it doesn't matter just leave him. Let me tell you we have never left a place that quick in our life. Later on that day the owner of the sale barn called and said, "we need you to come get your jack, his papers aren't good." I said, "I know but your employee said it was ok since they were so close." He said, "well he was wrong and I'll deal with that later, but you need to come get him today." I said, "no". He said, "excuse me? I can't keep him here." I said, "sorry he's yours now. I don't want him and I'm definitely not coming back to get him." He was not a very happy person but he hung up and I went on about my business. Later on he calls back and says,"ok I'll bring him halfway if you'll meet me." I said, "no it's ok I'll let you keep him." At this point he was yelling but I didn't care it was pretty funny from my perspective. He said,"damn it I'll bring him all the way to you because I don't want him!" I said, "well you have to find me". He had my address but it seemed like the appropriate response at the time. He hung up again and in about an hour he calls for the third time and says, "just forget it I'll keep him but I have to pay you for him, I can't believe I got conned into this." I said, "I'll take $25 for him, you can mail me the check." He said, "you do realize these things aren't worth more than $20?" My reply was simply, "I sure do." The next day or two we got the check in the mail even though I wasn't expecting it and wouldn't have been mad if I hadn't got it.
A while went by and we happened to talk to the man again and he said he had given the donkey to his granddaughter who had fell in love with him when she saw him. So it worked out well for everyone I guess, he became grandpa of the year, the donkey got a good home, and we got paid for him. So next time your trying to work out a problem don't waste time getting mad, use your head and be one step ahead of the other person. Most deals are won while someone is losing their temper, just like this one.
*. Today we have thirteen donkeys and as much as I want to kill them sometimes I do love them dearly. Now they won't stay only with the sheep, they split up
their days between the cows and sheep, so they've become more diversified as a group you could say. But you can bet no matter
what part of the farm they're on when we go to feed they find us, sometimes before the sheep do. I swear I think they can hear a feed bucket rattle a mile away.*
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