October 8, 1996
Submitted to Miniature Donkey Talk Magazine

 HERO - A TRUE STORY! 

 It was the last week of July and we were frantically working to get ready for my annual week at the Braxton County Fair doing the petting zoo.

 We were also waiting for Faith to foal, hoping she would "do it" before the fair started.  Faith had been moved to the old petting zoo barn so we could have a bird's eye view of her from the picture window.  Along with Faith came Hollyberry and Holly's two-month-old foal, Gizmo, for company.  The evening of July 27th Faith went into labor and at 11 p.m. blessed us with her third jennet foal in a row.  With myself, Beverly, Holly, Gizmo and a few goats in attendance we imprinted the little jennet and went to bed.  The next day was the Fair so we opened the gate to give Faith and her foal the option of going out which they did.

 Now, usually the jennets will be pretty protective of their newborns, politely but firmly keeping the other herd members away for a week or two.  Not this time.  Holly and Gizmo came up to investigate the new arrival and instead of being told "sorry", not today", Holly and Faith commenced to grazing together while Gizmo just loved all over that little jennet baby!  A more devoted big brother couldn't be found.  He just danced in attendance on her all day.  I remarked to Beverly how unusual this was.

 The next day the four of them were returned to the herd and their regular barn.  We commenced to load the trailer for the Fair.  Into it went everything one could possibly need for a week away from home with 35 goats, 3 donkeys, 2 pigs, 1 pony and a lamb.

 Tuesday went off without a hitch.  All the critters loaded and unloaded easily.   By 5 p.m.  I had everyone settled in and was ready for business when it started to rain.  Not to worry.  It always rains the first night of the Fair.  By midnight I was heading back home knowing the security guards would check my canopy during the night and make sure it wasn't holding water.

 I must have slept like the dead not to hear the torrential rain that fell for the next six hours.  Not being a morning person, I reluctantly turn out around 7 a.m. but don't start to function well 'till about 8:30.  I let the dogs out, then survey my domain from the picture window with my cup of tea.  This morning I was instantly jolted into the functioning mode by what greeted me out the window.  I saw 18 inches of water flowing over the road and I can see the big creek, Laurel Fork, roiling under the main bridge.  Not good.  Water that high means major detours getting to the fairgrounds where my animals are penned on low ground.  I roust Beverly out of bed and send her out for a look about the farm.

 We never flood here so at this point I'm more worried about what's happening at the Fair.  Did they flood? Did my canopy collapse?  I get on the phone; the only people I can reach are dealing with being flooded out themselves.  Grabbing what I thought I might need for the day I hop into some clothes and take off for the fairgrounds.  I get to the bottom of the lane and see Beverly driving the herd over the bridge to the old petting zoo area.  A quick head count and I know all are there.  Beverly remarks that there is 18 inches of water in the barn and she had to carry the little jennet foal out!  Not having time for details I leave again for the fairgrounds.

 My trip starts with a mere 22 mile detour around back roads little better than cow paths to get out onto the main road a mile from the farm!!  Well, I knew I'd have to do that as soon as I saw Laurel Fork in full spate.  Ten miles or so into the trip I come flying around a bend and almost run over a little compact car stalled out in a huge wash of water cascading off the mountain across the road and into the river.  I step out of the truck into a choking cloud of gas, am glad I don't have a lit cigarette in hand.  In the river a natural gas pipeline had ruptured spewing clouds of gas into the air. No wonder that guy was just standing in the road.  He was afraid to even try and start his car.  Not to worry again, my spare tire is mounted on the front of the truck.  It was a piece of cake to push this little car up over the mountain and out of the gas cloud.  I stop at the next store to report the leak.

 Back on the road again, I'm now halfway there.  But what's that up ahead?  Oh no!  A @#ZZ@@xx train derailment!  In the bottom along the road is a twisted mass of coal cars and mountains of spilled coal.  There are a zillion CSX vehicles and railroad people everywhere. Yep, this was a bad one.  I hope no body is hurt and despair of ever reaching the fairgrounds.  I come around the bend and luck is with me.  The last few intact cars are just being pulled across the road.  A five minute delay and I'm off again.  Twenty minutes later I pull into a very soggy fairground.  In the distance I see my canopy is still standing;  coming closer I see all the critters are fine too.  I spend an uneventful four hours mucking out at least 25 bales of soaked straw and rebed the zoo.  All the critters go down for a nap.  I crawl into the nose of the trailer and take one too.  The Fair was an anticlimax that night.  I did manage to find the wonderful people who were kind enough to make my animals a veritable island of straw to keep them at least high if not dry! and thank them.

 I return home again around midnight and Beverly and I discuss the events of the day.  I find out the pond dam had given way and think this might be some of the reason why that barn flooded.  Anyway Beverly is not given to be excitable, dramatic, real talkative or opinionated (like me).  So after I dragged the details out of her I was amazed at the story.  The barn that flooded is 32 feet x 24 feet; the back has a 12 foot x 12 foot stall, two 6 feet x 12 feet stalls and an 8 foot x 12 foot tack and feed room.  The front is a 12 foot x 32 foot run and closed in on each end and partially closed along the front with a door at one end by the big stall which we leave hooked open.  Laurel Fork runs right behind this barn.

 When Beverly got there the water was running 18 inches deep through the barn.  We measured the high-water mark later at 22 inches.  It stretched halfway out the corral.  All the jennets were soaked.  Holly was at the edge of the water woofing and tweeting for Gizmo to come out.  Faith was still in the water in front of the run in but wouldn't go through the water break where the water was 24 inches deep.  They were frantic!  The open stall door made a funnel where the water was rushing out the side door.   That's where the foals were.  The little jennet was pressed up against the stall door cold and exhausted being held up and in by Gizmo!  Beverly said that if Gizmo had stepped away from her she would have been washed out the door downstream to be beaten to death against the rocks or drowned tangled in a rhododendron thicket.

 Beverly picked up the little jennet and carried her out.  Gizmo calmly walked through the water and out of the barn with her.  I have no idea how long Gizmo held that little jennet up but there is no doubt in my mind he saved her life.  We named her Confluence and declared Gizmo a hero!

 

                    From the other side of the mountain,                                                                                                                Leslie

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