"The Story of Dandee"
The weather had begun its annual change from chilly to freezing in this North County were we have lived for the past forty-nine years. The homestead started out a large rural farm with milking cows and a pony named April for us kids along with some goats, pigs, chickens and many a stray cat. A booming farm in a small community. Fields of corn and beans and tobacco land spread over almost two hundred yielding acres with tractors and planters and field hands all about. Canning and big dinners and remodeling rooms.
After several years the farmer decided to breed April even though her age was almost beyond breedable.
He took his family to a nearby community to observe the male horse, stud, they would choose to be the husband to April and Father to the new colt. Nine months later Dandee was born. And what a beauty he was as he pranced around like a king always playing and annoying his much too old Mother. Although she tolerated him fairly well. They lived together on that old farm for many more years until one day she died.
She died along with the times of life for that old farm. The herd of milk cows was gone due to fading milk prices and changing times. There was one goat left and a few cats. The machinery was sold off at auction and the buildings were rented out for boat storage. Tobacco land was a thing of the past along with the tall corn and green fields of beans. Now the government was paying them not to work that fertile land. Not necessarily a ghost farm, yet many unspoken ghosts lived there with the older farm couple.
Dandee wondered that old farm all-alone year after year. The old farmer never seemed to find the time to train him to do anything. No one ever road him or even walked him anymore or sat with him to talk. Now and then they gave him some apples and corn and carrots. On occasion when I visited I would hear his lonely whinny from afar. I could always feel his presence but never knew what to do about it. No one would want an old untrained pony. What good would he be for a family and to train him would be near impossible at his age. He would be frightened and could be whipped or worse. So I always left it alone. Yet deep within the recesses of my mind I ached for Dandee. His was one of the unspoken ghosts of the old farm. The young Grandson that used to tend him had moved out of State seven years past.
The ghost stories grew as years passed. Kids grew up and left home to have their own families. Some moved far away while others stayed closer. All the time Dandee wandered the coral and barn alone. His animal friends were all gone, his Mother had died, and now his human companions were rarely around. What did he think? Was he sad? I think so. But little did I know how much so until one day the Granddaughter was visiting the old farm. She had brought her boyfriend along for a good home cooked farm meal. Those homegrown mashed potatoes covered in real butter and carrots and slow cooked oven roast with home made dinner rolls and baked apple pie. While dinner was being prepared she walked down to visit Dandee. The Granddaughter was shocked at the site of his living quarters. He didn’t have any. His coral was deep in manure that had hardened over time. There was not one place to lie down unless straw was spread over the top of the manure.. His drinking water was near green as was the Granddaughters temper when she viewed this mess. She made a vow to return and clean that barn for Dandee. She spent an hour that day in the coral with Dandee, who at that time was afraid of her. She gave him many treats to help him see she was truly his friend.. Finally when she turned away from him and started to leave he followed her. That was the beginning of a dear friendship and trust between the two of them that will last forever.
She scheduled a Sunday to come back and clean out the barn for Dandee. I knew I had to tell the old farmer carefully or he may not allow the kids to come back and do this wonderful deed. I told him they were doing it for him because they knew it was hard for him these days. Of course we all knew he just didn’t seem to care anymore and Dandee also was suffering from his depression also. He reluctantly agreed and I mean reluctantly.. The old farmers woman said she would handle him and we all hoped so. The day came and the daughter, granddaughter and her boyfriend headed for the old farm. The old man had set his mind against having this happen before anyone ever arrived. He called me to tell me it was raining so it wasn’t a good day. I said, “It was and we were coming soon. And did he have the raincoats and boots ready?” I was rather curt with him regarding the situation, which proved later to make him angry. The old woman was helping make it work, although she had to do almost everything because of his hard headedness, or stubbornness. These kids were taking a day off work, driving thirty miles one way, wading in wet stenchy manure, doing his job and he was being a crotchety old man. I was embarrassed of him… because he was someone‘s father. He gave the one boy a snow shovel to work with, and one a pitchfork and the other a real shovel. Imagine trying to scoop hardened manure with a snow shovel? And come to find out he drove his tractor loader right into that barn and scooped that poop right out of there. The old woman came down with decent shovels after she noticed the ridiculous issuance of the snow shovel. After about three full tractor scoops he told the kids that was enough and to come back in the Spring and they could finish then. There was still nine loads to go when he said that…..I happened to be in the barn at that point and spoke readily saying, “Oh no, we are finishing today!” And again the old man was angry. And again I was also, but more important I had lost respect, as also the children.
And so the clean up continued. Dandee was jumping and bucking and kicking from sheer delight to have company of any kind. I truly believe he knew what those kids were doing for him. When the old angry farmer would take each load to the garden owiht his tractor, he could have let the city Granddaughter and her city boyfriend ride along on the tractor, but rather he let them walk in the rain. I wonder why? I wonder what sort of thing or ghost on that farm made him so mean and angry. Or maybe he made the farm angry these days.
In the meantime another family arrived at the old farm with their children. These were little ones who grabbed shovels and brooms and started helping Dandee find his new home in the old barn.. The little ones were feeding Dandee and talking to him all the while in between scoops. The old farmer told the kids he would surely get pneumonia now from all this. Never a thank you…just about him and how all this inconvenienced him. The kids swept it out clean and laid a fresh bale of straw which Dandee immediately came over and laid down on. with all of them standing around. That precious pony was showing his gratefulness in the only way he knew how. The Granddaughter got him a pail of fresh clean water that he drank right away. The old Farmer went over and took the fresh pail of water and dumped it into the old green water as to say, “There, that is how I feel about all this.” That old man has no idea what legacy he left that day. How a few hours of negative emotions might just take away the memories of any good days of deeds he gave for a long time.. How can one excuse that old man and his actions? I guess because there will be a far bigger judge than a granddaughter, and a few little kids. Yet those mean ghosts remain.
On the other hand, the old woman was right by those kids side. Even with her asthma she cleaned and said she would get Dandee clean water. She said the old farm was a sad place anymore. All we can do is make sure we get out there to tend to Dandee more often. He is actually happy right now. And the little ones had a wonderful day at the farm blind to any old or new ghosts that abide there, and the teens gave of themselves to an animal. They tried to give to the old man even though unreceived. They will be better people for the day at the farm. And Dandee has a better life for that few hours in one day of giving. He can lie down and be warm and feel loved. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
I suspect when the old farmer passes the Granddaughter will have her own place and Dandee will surely have the life of a Pony King. In fact it has already started for him and she will make sure it continues.
