Morning Prayer

"Casey! Your cow is here!" yelled Uncle from down stairs.

"Whaaaaaat?! Louanne is here?" I call back sprinting down the stairs forgetting to turn off the fan in the room I was resting in. I peak out the front door. She is waiting with her massive cow body in front of the gate that protects our property.

I feed Louanne every day. Most days she finds her way to my door step, but I seek her out on the days when the hot sun confines her to her shadowy patch around the corner. I slip on my shoes and go out to her. Squatting down in front of her big bony body, I open my grocery bag where there are five carrots, two beets, and a hunk of green cabbage waiting. She begins sniffing, seeking out my offering. I don't make her wait long. While she munches away I dust the flies away from her face, then stroke her giant snout and scratch between her dark feeling eyes.

When she is done eating she rests her giant head in my lap, and with her chipped yellow horns level with my eyes she completely covers me in her sticky slobber. I rub her cheeks and pet her face lovingly while she burps aways from her feast. This is my morning prayer. A distant moo catches her attention. I leave her be and wander back upstairs to look out over my balcony where I see her licking a younger cow whose horns are but little stubs.