2012/01/09

People Smiled at Me and Admired the Goat. "It's Not My Goat," I Explained. "It's the Town's Goat. I'm Just Taking My Turn Caring for It." "I Didn't Know We Had a Goat," One of Them Said. "I Wonder When My Turn Is." "Soon," I said. "Be Patient. Your Time Is Coming.""

Yes I've purposely avoided directly commenting on POTUS 12. Fuck POTUS 12, it's gonna suck unto suck. This past weekend's Bowie at BLCKDGRD versus the second biggest NFL weekend of the year (with predictable results) cleansed one palette, and I was happily searching Bowie songs and missed, keeping my perfect record intact, yesterday morning's Republican candidate debate. Know who wants and is counting on me watching the motherfucking Republican candidates debating?









IT HAPPENS LIKE THIS

Jame Tate

I was outside St. Cecelia's Rectory
smoking a cigarette when a goat appeared beside me.
It was mostly black and white, with a little reddish
brown here and there. When I started to walk away,
it followed. I was amused and delighted, but wondered
what the laws were on this kind of thing. There's
a leash law for dogs, but what about goats? People
smiled at me and admired the goat. "It's not my goat,"
I explained. "It's the town's goat. I'm just taking
my turn caring for it." "I didn't know we had a goat,"
one of them said. "I wonder when my turn is." "Soon,"
I said. "Be patient. Your time is coming." The goat
stayed by my side. It stopped when I stopped. It looked
up at me and I stared into its eyes. I felt he knew
everything essential about me. We walked on. A police-
man on his beat looked us over. "That's a mighty
fine goat you got there," he said, stopping to admire.
"It's the town's goat," I said. "His family goes back
three-hundred years with us," I said, "from the beginning."
The officer leaned forward to touch him, then stopped
and looked up at me. "Mind if I pat him?" he asked.
"Touching this goat will change your life," I said.
"It's your decision." He thought real hard for a minute,
and then stood up and said, "What's his name?" "He's
called the Prince of Peace," I said. "God! This town
is like a fairy tale. Everywhere you turn there's mystery
and wonder. And I'm just a child playing cops and robbers
forever. Please forgive me if I cry." "We forgive you,
Officer," I said. "And we understand why you, more than
anybody, should never touch the Prince." The goat and
I walked on. It was getting dark and we were beginning
to wonder where we would spend the night
.