Maggie
佚名/Anonymous
IneverknewMaggie』sageorwhatkindoflifeshe』dhadbeforeImether.Certainly,sheborethemarksofalong,hardlifeofilltreatment,andshehadacertainwayofflinchingwheneversomeonemovedsuddenly.Ihadn』tplannedtobringMaggieintoourlives.ItookthechildrentoValeanFarmtolookatdonkeys,notbuyone.Butonelookintomineundidallmyresolve.Iwantedone.
Wechosealivelycoltwhosesoftmuzzlepokedinquisitivelyintomypockets,lookingforatreat.Smallandneatlybuilt,Lexystoodnohigherthanmyshoulder.「She』llwantacompanion,」saidVal,theowner.「Donkeysdon』tliketolivealone,」myfacemusthaveshownthedismayIfelt.Ifonedonkeystretchedourbudget,whatwouldtwodo?「Idon』tthinkwecanaffordtwo,」Isaidwithalumpinmythroat,mentallybiddingLexygoodbye.
「Well,IcanseeLexy』dhaveagoodhomewithyou.TellyouwhatIcando.Ihaveanolddonkeyhere,toooldforhaulinganymore.Itookheronatradeandtotellyouthetruth,she』snotmuchtolookat.Can』tgetanyonetobuyher,andIdon』twanther.Butshehasagentlenature,andifyoulike,I』llthrowherinwithLexy.She』soverthere.」
IfollowedVal』spointingfinger.Agraydonkeystoodalone,alooffromtheotherdonkeysstillcrowdingaroundus.Evenatadistance,Icouldseethathercoatwasroughandpatchy,withdarkskinshowingthroughhereandthere.「Don』tmindthecoat,」continuedVal.「Shehasatouchofthemange,butit』llgrowbackinsoon.」Shedidn』tlookupasweapproached,markingitpatentlyclearthatshehadnointerestinus.
「Hername』sMaggie,」saidVal.「She』sbeenbrokentorideandshedoesn』tmindthesaddle.Here,I』llshowyou.」ValpulledasaddleoffthefenceandstrappeditonMaggie.Maggiestoodquietly,stillnotlookingup.「Hopon.」ValliftedupmysonNathan,ploppedhimonMaggie』sback,andslappedherrump.Maggiewalkedafewpaces,lookingneithertoleftnorright.「See?」saidVal.「Gentleascanbe,andnothingspooksher.」Maggieturnedandcamebacktowardus.Foramoment,oureyesmet.AndinhereyesIsawresignationanddespair.Maggieknewthatshewasn』tlivelyandyoungliketherestofthedonkeysaroundher.Sheknewthatshewasn』twantedordesired,thatshehadnobeautyorgrace.Andsheknewthatshewasgoingtospendtherestofherlifehandedfromoneuncaringownertoanother.
Iwalkedovertoher,putmyhandsunderhergrizzledmuzzle,andliftedupherhead.「Maggie,」Iwhispered,lookingintohereyes.「You』recominghomewithme.I』mgoingtogiveyouawarmbarnwithlotsofhay,freshwater,agreenpasture,andanappletreetogiveyoushadeonhot,sunnydays.AndIwilltakecareofyoufortherestofyourlife.」
MaggieandLexyarrivedthenextday.Lexybouncedoutofthetrailerandgallopedupanddownthefields,exploringeverynookandcrannyofhernewhome.Maggiewalkedovertoacornerofthebarnyardandputherheaddown.Iunderstood.She』dbeendisappointedsomanytimesbeforeinherlife.Sheknewbetterthantotrustthewhisperedwordsofastranger.