The Donkey and the Violin

While doing my weekly chores around our cattle ranch, I visit our out-buildings for

a visual inspection and of course the sometimes subsequent and necessary repairs;

this is the price one pays to live in the country and to really soak up living with

what natures presents, the good, the scary, the bad and sometimes the very ugly.

On this normally routine day, I was making my rounds and my last building to

inspect out was our guest cottage, which is about fifty feet from our home.

Upon nearing the structure, I heard a very strange sound emanating from inside (I

thought); as caution is something one practices when living among the small

critters, the slithers and medium to larger animals in the hill country of Texas.

I approached the steps and was about to open the door when this very scary noise

from within sounded, and magnified by the rooms inside. I thought is there a

donkey stuck inside, how could this be? I concluded it must be some animal now

residing in or is stuck under the cottage. But this had to be impossible as the door

to the cottage was securely locked and there was no other way a donkey could get

inside. I was hesitant to continue inside, for whatever awaited me; a four-legged

monster that brays, or sounded like one, or worse.

I decided to do a walk-around tosee if somehow something had gotten in through the windows or that of the side

patio door. I continued my cautious inspection, while still hearing the sound every

four or so seconds. Then thinking, perhaps, just perhaps, someone had allowed this

creature inside and I was going to be devoured?

After about five minutes, being the once city slicker and the coward I could be, I

was about eight feet from the cottage and I decided that I must enter and take on

the monster. Just as I came around the side corner of the cottage, I heard the

monster that bays once again. I kept thinking I must confront this intruder, now!

As I gathered my nerve to go in, and just as I was about to make my hopefully

successful charge, I jumped back at the terrible sound, amplified from within, and

for whatever reason,

I looked up, now observing the alleged monster which was about eight feet up and eight feet long and about two or three inches in diameter, and could easily wrap me in its grasp and that would be it; most fortunately it was a limb that had half broke on a cedar tree which had fallen on the metal roof and as the wind swayed the tree back and forth, it played just like a violin, it was rubbing the metal window awning; well therein, was the monster story of the sound of a braying donkey every few seconds.