Friday, April 24, 2009

the goat story

There are plenty of stories that I've heard told a million times. I know them by heart. Then there are other lesser known stories. Sometimes I'll remember just a smidgen of it and then I'll have to figure...is this a real story? Did I make it up? Did I dream it? So I call home and ask...

This is one such story.

The Goat Story...

My father is quite a bit younger than his only sister. This difference meant that when he was still fairly young, she was being courted by handsome young men. One such young man brought my father a baby goat. He'd been hunting on Bell Isle in Richmond. When they'd landed the boat, a bunch of goats ran off leaving a 1-day old kid.

My father took it to his grandmother's house (right next door) and they raised it. He had a dog named Spot and pretty soon that goat adopted the same name. When they called "Spot!" the dog would come running and the goat would too.

His father got a new car. It was the first one that had a curved back instead of going straight down. My father liked to climb up the front, go over the roof and slide down the back. Weeeeee! After awhile, the dog and goat joined him. The three of them would parade up the front, over the roof and down the back all day long.

Well, one night an insurance man came to visit my grandfather. He had a similar style car so you can imagine what happened. First the dog, then the goat, up the front, over the roof, and down the back. The poor confused insurance man came running into the house saying that something terrible had happened. My grandfather explained but the insurance man didn't believe him. So my grandfather had my father demonstrate their game.

I love this story...it just makes me smile ear to ear to think of my father teaching that dog and goat to slide down the back of a car. I decided to make a little piece to illustrate this story.

13 comments:

meleen dupré said...

amy,

great story and a super sweet piece to commemorate the event!!
just beautiful!!

meleen

mIzZ (hONeY) bEe aka Marlene said...

An awesome story Amy..and I just love the piece you made to honor it - truly colorful and memorable...Enjoy your spring! Have a honey of a day! Marlene :O)

jan said...

that's a wonderful story, amy. my uncle had a model t ford, and three little boys. they would take the car to the field, one would steer, while the other pressed on the clutch and gas pedal so he could drive it, since he was too short to reach the pedals. don't know how the third one figured in, he was probably riding shotgun....

and my grandma and grandpa had eight kids, and a model t, they would go to from southern illinois kentucky to fish in the river, and somehow they would pile all those kids and a tent in that model t. daddy said that it wouldn't climb a hill, something about the gas not flowing into the carburetor, so everybody would get out and walk up the hill, while grandpa backed the car up the hill. they would have to take tire patch kits with them, because the tires would blow out on the trip, too.

boy, have times changed!

Shelley Noble said...

Charming story, charming notion to illustrate our stories! Just lovely.

Waterfall said...

Amy, you are the most wonderful storyteller ever. I don't remember hearing that one. I love the accompanying "illustration," too!

karen m. said...

Fabulous story! It makes me smile too, and really, that puzzled male figure is terrific. Thank you for sharing the story, and I'm so glad to hear about your smiles and lovely projects again.

Elaina M. Avalos said...

I love the piece you created based on the story. That's so sweet! Great story.

Kelly said...

Too funny! And what an adorable little piece to go with the story.

Sue said...

Love the story! Love the miniature vignette that illustrates is so perfectly!

Sue

Leslie Brier said...

I love it! I'm checking my e-mails before checking in for the night. I haven't had a good bedtime story in a looong time!
Leslie

Journal Swag said...

What a darling piece and a precious story!

AngelMc said...

charming story, precious artwork

Jenny Holiday & Aaron said...

LOOOOVE this story!!! Had Aaron and I laughing out loud!!!! :)

And this piece is just so so so sweet!!!

Love you Amy!!!!!

xoox Jenny