When I was about 14, my family lived in Little Rock. My cousins lived in Cabot. All of us were about the same age.
That Christmas, my cousin, Jerry Neal ... I know he likes to be called "Jerry" now ... but back then he was always "Jerry Neal" ... anyway, he received two goats. And I'm pretty sure that was what he asked for, too. He couldn't wait to tell us all about them when we gathered for dinner around my Aunt Julia's table.
One goat was a boy ... and one goat was a girl. They had been delivered the day before ... I believe. He was so excited!
It's been a long time ago ... so I don't remember what he named that boy goat. The girl goat ... well, he proudly announced he had named HER ... "MaryJane".
Now ... THAT ... was special.
My younger brother, Beau, couldn't resist ... "Why in the world did you name your goat, MaryJane?", he asked.
"Well, cuz she was so stubborn ... we couldn't get her to come off the truck. We pulled her. We pushed her. We did everything we knew how to do. She just sat down & refused to budge. Stubborn. So I named her MaryJane."
Thus the nickname "Nanny Goat" was born.
Not in the family was I affectionately known as "Nanny Goat", mind you ... but to the world at large. You see, once again, Beau couldn't resist. He shared the story with everyone ...
He found it ... delightul.
I did have scrawny, spindly legs ... very goatish ... so somehow it just stuck.
For over 30 years, I have smiled at the story ... because, truth is, I am very stubborn ... yet I have always viewed it as something, well, less than flattering.
Until today .... that is ...
... when a friend sent me this video.
I was totally unprepared for the impact. Even though she knew me in high school, she was not in the group that would have ever heard the story ... so it was totally random.
Funny how life goes.
Watching the lively little goats ... joyfully frolic ... the tears streamed down my face. Seems like pretty much ... everything ... makes me cry lately. And it dawned on me ... that quite possibly there was more to the naming of that little goat ... than just the "stubborn" story ...
It's a little late, I know ... still ...
Thank you, Jerry Neal, for seeing me ... exactly this way!
Jingle ... jingle ... jingle ... all the way ...
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