The Right Choice

“I can't believe you are thinking like this Bess,” said a small, winged, white and red Holstein cow, “these children have always loved you.”

“Don't listen to that 'Do-Gooder', look what it has brought you in the past... neglect, rotted grass, small handfuls of grain and the occasional apple. Look what you have to put up with on a daily basis. The flies that bite your eyes, your nose and your sides. You stand in your stanchion in dirty hay, drink out of a rusty drink cup and suffer the injustice of cold hands on your teats. You give their bones calcium, their chocolate drink mixes something to be stirred into, and ice cream and butter. You deserve better, Bessie, you need to let them rub their hands on you and suffer.”

“Bessie, the proud; the beautiful; the one and only Bovine Bessie don't listen to that red and white Holstein demon. You'll lose all of your fans, your friends and respect in yourself. Sure those kids don't spend enough time nurturing you but you are a working animal. You have milk to produce, mysteries to solve and adventures to write about. Are you going to throw all of that away.

“Show the Milkman where the poison ivy is and he'll take care of it. Don't infect these kids and let him find out that you knew about it first.”

“See,” said the red and white demon cow, “even that angel tells you that they don't give you enough attention and you need to do something about it. Go in there Bessie. Let them give you some attention that they won't soon forget...”

“They won't forget it Bessie and either will I” mooed the white and red Holstein as her halo slipped ever so slightly off the top of her head, “do the right thing.”

The real Bovine Bessie walks out of the barn towards the house and barn, finds the Milkman who is entertaining a small group of elementary children and a few parents, and nudges him to the large clump of poison ivy at the base of a tree. She then points to the scratches on her legs and the Milkman realizes that Bessie is telling him that she has brushed up against it and is contagious to anyone who would touch her.

The Milkman goes back to the barn tells the children the reason why they can't pet his prized writing ruminant and this day, along with many others, end with no one itching from the rash of poison ivy.


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