Pigs Are People Too… (Part 1)
October 5, 2016
In honor of National 4-H Week I’m posting a story about a brother’s and sister’s experiences with their 4-H fair projects –show pigs. Today’s post is Part 1 and each day of the rest of this week I’ll repeat the previous parts and post the next segment. There will be four parts in all. By Saturday you will have the entire story. I hope you enjoy it.
Sarah and Ryan baled out of the truck and ran for Mr. Kirkpatrick’s show pig barn. Kirkpartick Hog Farm had supplied pigs for their 4-H club for several years.
“Hurry, Dad. I get first pick for the fair.” Sarah, her brown pony tail bouncing behind her, burst into the barn and ran to a pen full of squealing piglets. She squatted on her knees and stretched her hand through the wire squares toward the little pigs running helter-skelter around the pen.
“I like the one with blue spots.” Ryan climbed onto the railing beside his younger sister. Though his twelve years was two more than his sister, they looked enough alike to be twins, brown hair, brown eyes, sun-browned faces with deep dimples.
“You can’t pick first.” Sarah jumped up and stomped her foot. “You got the best pig last year. I get first pick.”
Dad walked up. “Sarah, let’s pick your pig.”
She crinkled her nose at Ryan.
“Dad, see the black one with the white band around her middle.” The pig walked up and sniffed Sarah’s outstretched hand. “She likes me. I want her.” Sarah scratched behind the pert black ears. The pig leaned into her hand as if to say, ‘That feels good.’
“That’s a great way to pick a pig.” Mocking Sarah, Ryan stuck his arm through the wire and waggled his fingers, “She likes me.”
“That’s enough, Ryan,” said Dad. “Sarah, are you sure you want that pig? She’s pretty small. Don’t you want to look at the others?”
“No, I want this one. She turned to her brother, “My pig will beat any pig you choose.”
To Be Continued…