Jayme Slater - Short Story - Roane County
Item
Title
Jayme Slater - Short Story - Roane County
Description
Not Just Made for Walking
Abstract
I was made in a factory, an unusual size few girls' wear. A size ten is not common for girls in this West Virginian town known as Roane County. My owner finally found me and fell
in love with the look of me late one evening after her old worn-down boots with holes all in them just would not fit on her foot anymore. My new owner just had no choice but to buy a new pair. She has owned me for less than a year, but we have been through so much together. lt has been a
rough journey so far, but I wouldn't want to have a different one or even the same journey with a
different person. I've been thrown at walls, been stepped on by many varied species and many
different ones fom the same species. I've stomped and pounded my way through the mud and muck many times to fix the fence and to find the missing cow or to get the cows into the field
that my owner rescued from the neighboring field. Those cows were abandoned, and I cannot imagine what that feels like, and I pray I 'll never find out. l 've kicked many things including
fence, people, cows, pigs, gates, steps, my owner's porch, and doors. I've stomped the ground
and been wiped on the ground. I've been used to push many different poops onto shovels. I have watched my owner get beat up in the ring by her show calf, due to his broken dewclaw. I have
seen her get head butted and slammed by him, before that show, when he was being halter broke
by her to prepare for this show known as the Black Walnut Festival Show and Sale. One of my
favorite times of all would have to be the week of 4-H camp though. We participated in the amazing race doing the caboose challenge of the race known as dress up where she had to put a shirt on a little kid and run to the finish line with him. They also had the annual dance where they did line dances such as Amos Moses, Church Clap, Fishin' in the Dark, and Cotton Eyed Joe. During the dance anyone can go to the DJ and request songs. We also serenade that night. The boys sing three songs to the girls then the girls three songs. We sing different 4-H songs but this year the boys sang a country song called Beautiful Crazy which made the girls cry because no
one has ever sung anything other than 4-H songs. l found that super sweet and outgoing. She has always been there for others even putting their needs before her own, for example at the Black Walnut Festival Show, and Sale she would always help this one girl every year, even though she was three or four years older. This girl could never get her calf calm and behaved, so in the
evenings they would go to the show barn, take both their calves out and walk their own first.
She would watch this girl to see what she was doing to bother the cow or what was bothering it even if it wasn't the girls' fault then they would switch cows. Her cow was always trained so well that anyone could walk it and set it up perfectly. It gave the girl practice on how to do things but also gave her time to work
with the girl's calf to get it to be calm with its surroundings. It also teaches that girl the proper ways to calm the cow, stay calm, and even how to react to the cow if something were to happen in the show ring. They would switch back and her calf would walk calmly beside her while she coached the girl through walking and setting up her calf for show the following day. They would then go their separate ways. If anyone needed anything at show at school anywhere anytime for any reason, she was always right there to help no matter who it was or anything. People also
know not to mess with her though because she also knows how to handle people when they
disrespect her. Me and this girl have been through a lot together and trust me it has not been easy, but I make it a little easier on her sometimes. Even though I have walked through a lot of nasty stuff she keeps me clean. She sprays me off with the chilly water from the water hose by the barn in her backyard where she keeps her show calf and ham & bacon pig. When I am clean. I can be used so that my owner still looks nice but is comfortable, she loves her boots and jeans. She has had some heartfelt conversations that I was there for with her best friend. They talked about some serious things but also had a lot of fun and it felt amazing to see her that happy. They talked about relationships, drama, and sometimes even school and family. Everything depended on their moods, but they were the best of friends and sometimes they were sisters even though I know they are not. She has been through a lot, and it breaks my heart to see her hurt but I am always there when she wants to go out with the cows to let her emotions out. She has been through a lot in her lifetime, but she always makes it through the tough times. My journey is far from over, but I already have so many memories with this girl and, I feel like I have served her well. I wouldn't trade this thrilling journey for anything. This girl has my sole.
in love with the look of me late one evening after her old worn-down boots with holes all in them just would not fit on her foot anymore. My new owner just had no choice but to buy a new pair. She has owned me for less than a year, but we have been through so much together. lt has been a
rough journey so far, but I wouldn't want to have a different one or even the same journey with a
different person. I've been thrown at walls, been stepped on by many varied species and many
different ones fom the same species. I've stomped and pounded my way through the mud and muck many times to fix the fence and to find the missing cow or to get the cows into the field
that my owner rescued from the neighboring field. Those cows were abandoned, and I cannot imagine what that feels like, and I pray I 'll never find out. l 've kicked many things including
fence, people, cows, pigs, gates, steps, my owner's porch, and doors. I've stomped the ground
and been wiped on the ground. I've been used to push many different poops onto shovels. I have watched my owner get beat up in the ring by her show calf, due to his broken dewclaw. I have
seen her get head butted and slammed by him, before that show, when he was being halter broke
by her to prepare for this show known as the Black Walnut Festival Show and Sale. One of my
favorite times of all would have to be the week of 4-H camp though. We participated in the amazing race doing the caboose challenge of the race known as dress up where she had to put a shirt on a little kid and run to the finish line with him. They also had the annual dance where they did line dances such as Amos Moses, Church Clap, Fishin' in the Dark, and Cotton Eyed Joe. During the dance anyone can go to the DJ and request songs. We also serenade that night. The boys sing three songs to the girls then the girls three songs. We sing different 4-H songs but this year the boys sang a country song called Beautiful Crazy which made the girls cry because no
one has ever sung anything other than 4-H songs. l found that super sweet and outgoing. She has always been there for others even putting their needs before her own, for example at the Black Walnut Festival Show, and Sale she would always help this one girl every year, even though she was three or four years older. This girl could never get her calf calm and behaved, so in the
evenings they would go to the show barn, take both their calves out and walk their own first.
She would watch this girl to see what she was doing to bother the cow or what was bothering it even if it wasn't the girls' fault then they would switch cows. Her cow was always trained so well that anyone could walk it and set it up perfectly. It gave the girl practice on how to do things but also gave her time to work
with the girl's calf to get it to be calm with its surroundings. It also teaches that girl the proper ways to calm the cow, stay calm, and even how to react to the cow if something were to happen in the show ring. They would switch back and her calf would walk calmly beside her while she coached the girl through walking and setting up her calf for show the following day. They would then go their separate ways. If anyone needed anything at show at school anywhere anytime for any reason, she was always right there to help no matter who it was or anything. People also
know not to mess with her though because she also knows how to handle people when they
disrespect her. Me and this girl have been through a lot together and trust me it has not been easy, but I make it a little easier on her sometimes. Even though I have walked through a lot of nasty stuff she keeps me clean. She sprays me off with the chilly water from the water hose by the barn in her backyard where she keeps her show calf and ham & bacon pig. When I am clean. I can be used so that my owner still looks nice but is comfortable, she loves her boots and jeans. She has had some heartfelt conversations that I was there for with her best friend. They talked about some serious things but also had a lot of fun and it felt amazing to see her that happy. They talked about relationships, drama, and sometimes even school and family. Everything depended on their moods, but they were the best of friends and sometimes they were sisters even though I know they are not. She has been through a lot, and it breaks my heart to see her hurt but I am always there when she wants to go out with the cows to let her emotions out. She has been through a lot in her lifetime, but she always makes it through the tough times. My journey is far from over, but I already have so many memories with this girl and, I feel like I have served her well. I wouldn't trade this thrilling journey for anything. This girl has my sole.
Youth(s) First Name and Initial of Last Name
Jayme Slater
Age Division
14
Category
Short Story
County
Roane
