Out for a Walk

We are driving down the street, slowing for the speed bump, when I see them at the side of the road in front of a neighbor's house: Goats!! "Stop the car, " I shout, and my friend immediately pulls over, because that's what friends are for. Here is a goat, and here is a garbage can. Although this is the third day of the municipal employees strike (no trash pickup, no libraries, no parks, no building permits, and more) the goats have not been brought in to clean up the mess. The juxtaposition of animal and receptacle is mere serendipity. The goats are simply visiting, just a few blocks away from my house, with their humans on leashes, and are happily eating pineapple guavas that have rolled into the street. I know firsthand how many guavas can fall overnight, so they won't run out of food. How many goats do you see?

They were definitely not part of the herds for hire that groom unruly fields around here from time to time. They are pets.

I was full of questions, but the people didn't seem to want to talk much. I think if you parade around with goats on leashes you should be prepared for very long conversations with strangers, but then I don't have a goat.