Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Tom and the Bull

The following is a true story. It is does not have the educational value of some of the other articles in this blog but it is fun.

My first venture into residential development involved a beautiful forty-acre horse farm that dropped off to a picturesque creek at the rear of the property. I negotiated the deal and we wrote the letter of intent on a sheet of notebook paper…which for some reason my attorney insisted we turn into a formal contract.

About a week after we signed the contract I decided it would be good to take a walk around the property in the pouring rain to see if it drained. So wearing my brand new red Robinson Development hat and windbreaker, I set out to inspect the farm. 

I first talked to the farm manager who told me to make sure I closed all the gates that I opened because the “livestock” was out. No problem right, a couple of horses, they’re big but harmless.  So I set out in a drizzle, carefully closing all the gates behind me. Fifteen minutes later I was at the back of the property in the pouring rain. I decided the property was draining …… or at least I was as wet as I wanted to be so I turned back toward the barn. It was now up hill all the way. The rain kept falling harder.
           
About a third of the way back through the rain I noticed a separate fenced area that I hadn’t noticed on the way out. In the corner of this paddock was one “livestock” – a rather large bull with enormous horns………… Oh… did I mention my new Robinson Development red windbreaker?

Of course, I was sure that all the other people who were out were carefully closing the gates behind them as I had.

My heart now beating hard in my chest I tried to continue at a normal pace… show no fear, I though. As I got closer, I could clearly see the gate to the bulls paddock…not only was it not locked but it was wide open and there was a clear path between the bull and I. I walked as slow as I dared now my heart jumping out of my new RED Robinson Development jacket.

After what seemed like hours, I got to the gate by the barn and carefully locked the gate behind me. It took a few moments to settle down my heart and to let the adrenalin drain from my system. Once I calmed down, I could now see that appeared to be a low spot in the property over where the bulls stood. Loyal to my mission I made my way through several corals used to exercise the horses; you know the ones with all the torn sod and full of mud.

It took me some time to work my way through the slippery mud and over to the paddock next to the bull. Soaking wet and now covered with mud I came eye to eye with the bull. Not ten feet away were the huge pointed horns and huge brown glazed eyes…of the largest… plastic bull I had ever seen. 

Original Content copyright 2011 Thomas Robinson

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