My father says I punched a goat

South Pacific / Soundtrack










One of my father’s favorite albums is South Pacific. While I think he would agree, ‘there is nothing like a dame,’ especially if she is blonde (or red headed), I think really he identifies with the sailors. Although, he, himself, was in the Air Force.


My dad and I are actually proof of genetics. He did not raise me, was around for very little, if any ‘formative years’ and in fact, for most of my young life after age 2 or 3,  we had nothing to do with each other. Meeting up when I was twenty-something, it is truly frightening to see similar mannerisms, personality issues, etc. I am his daughter, there is absolutely no question.


The time we did spend together when I was two or so, I have no memory of. Though these:

 

are my favorite pictures.  I'm about 15 months old on the left and I've no idea what we were doing. I'm a tad older on the right and that one is my  favorite, aside from one small (no pun intended) issue. My dad is about 5’2” 5”3” maybe? So, in that picture I’m what… 10 inches tall? Scary.


My dad has three favorite stories he likes to tell about us from that time. And he tells them to everyone…every waitress, store clerk, Shriner…


The first story claims I went running after the neighbor’s collie shouting “Doggie, Doggie Doggie.” As the dog was rumored to be unfriendly, he, went running after me. Only to catch up to me as I looked up at the dog and asked, “Horsy?” I find this story suspect. I mean, I think I would know the difference. On the other hand… I look at the size of me in that picture… I dunno.


The second story, unfortunately, I can believe 100%. Again, I have no memory of this, but allegedly we were out fishing. (I do remember fishing with him, so it’s possible.) A snake swam by us in the boat. My dad, reports being a little nervous, I’m the only one in the family who likes snakes. And I was pretty young and, obviously, small. I guess he was concerned that I’d freak and fall overboard and he’d have to deal with me and the snake. According to him, I DID get excited, shouting, “A snake, catch it daddy, kill it, we can eat it.”


Yeah, that’s very plausible.

But the all time favorite moment, told at every opportunity… my father says I punched a goat. This too, I have no memory of, and I don't believe it.  But the story goes...


We were at some amusement area. (A place I do remember, that no longer exists.) Baby billy goats roamed free for the petting and feeding. One could buy bags of popcorn for consumption or goat feeding. I had such a bag and one brave little goat wanted it. So, the goat came and butted me, knocking me to my rump to get the popcorn. I, not willing to give up my food by force, stood and hauled off and deck the goat, landing the goat on his rump.

My father says he bought another bag of popcorn so the goat and I would each have our own.  He says he was fearing a rumble, and he thought the goat would loose.