Читать книгу The Farm of Wisdom - Warren Cassell Jr. - Страница 5

In a seemingly desolate and dystopian setting, the drought stricken farm of Farmer Oliver is seen replete with massive cracks in the dried up soil, scarce crops, and very upset livestock. Despite the irrigation system’s shifted focus on keeping the animals hydrated, instead of using a little too much water on the crops, the searing heat was giving them a hard time.

“I could really use a long swim in an ice-cold lake in Alaska,” one pig told his neighbor while incessantly defecating the fattening commercial feed inside his pen despite restricted movement. “If only it were possible to steal that Oliver guy’s truck and drive straight to Alaska. Or maybe Las Vegas. Maybe.”

His neighbor meanwhile responded, “I’d like to see Farmer Oliver’s face if he found out we’re having this kind of conversation, in English.” And both laughed incessantly, seeming to forget they were stressed out by the heat.

Brothers Pini and Manlulu Pig, who were part of a group of animals purchased from a bankrupted organic farm, helped brought a new culture to Farmer Oliver’s farm, to the delight of the other animals. The two were the life of the party despite their constraints, and kept everyone entertained. However, their jovial nature shielded their inner desire to leave for greener pastures.

The previous owner sold the still month-old piglets to Farmer Oliver after he sold everything due to losing millions in a lawsuit against an agricultural conglomerate. The two young pigs grew up with the old farm’s culture instilled with them, influencing practically every aspect of animal nature there. But there was something missing, apparently.

As the drought came, the region’s first in decades, the two pigs had enough and devised a plan to escape. Old enough to be sent to the butcher, they planned to escape right before they got loaded on the truck that would have transported them to the slaughterhouse.

“Where should we go, if ever we escape? Were you serious about Las Vegas?” asked Manlulu to his brother.

“Of course not! I just want to get to an organic farm just like what we lived in before.” Pini said.

“But that’s impossible. Where can you possibly find one in this capitalist country?” Manlulu asked.

“We’ll find one.”

Manlulu of course had simpler ambition, to live anywhere outside the farm to spend the rest of his short life before he dies. He would even consider staying behind, if only they weren’t due for slaughtering.

“I just hope we can find one before we die of thirst. Good night, Pini. We’ll discuss this again tomorrow.”

“Good night.”

The following morning, the brothers were awakened by Farmer Oliver, who had tied them up and released from their restraints. The farmer then loaded the two pigs onto the back of his rust-laden truck.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Pini,” Manlulu said.

“Trust me,” Pini assured.

As Farmer Oliver’s driver stepped on the gas, Pini began cutting off the ropes with a small sharp piece of metal he found hanging loosely from the truck.

“It’s a good thing these humans think all animals are stupid,” Pini said. He then cut off Manlulu’s ropes. “See, I told you I have a plan,” Pini continued.

Finding themselves free, the two pigs then slowly moved towards the edge of the truck.

“We’re not getting off just yet, we have to make sure Farmer Oliver doesn’t see us,” said Pini.

“It’s a good thing the truck isn’t moving that fast.” Manlulu shrugged. “Okay man, whatever you say.”

Pini was surprised. How could he be so unenthused about escaping, he thought.

“What’s wrong? I thought you wanted to leave the farm,” he asked.

“Nothing, nothing. It’s just that how are we going to survive? Plus, how are we going to get off safely in a moving vehicle?” Manlulu said.

“We’ll just jump at the right moment,” Pini said. “Don’t worry, I got your back.”

Meanwhile, Farmer Oliver’s truck stopped. At that point the two pigs layed down and acted as if they were still tied.

“You two don’t move, nature’s calling,” Farmer Oliver said as he went to a nearby tree to relieve himself.

“Okay, now’s our chance. We’ll jump together on three. One, two, three!”

Their jump was unexpectedly louder than it should have been, and the farmer heard them.

“Hey! What the heck?”

The two pigs ran for their lives in the dirt road, running as if they were humans having an adrenaline rush despite their size. So fast, that the slightly overweight Farmer Oliver couldn’t catch up to them.

“I had no idea we could run this fast,” said Manlulu.

“Yeah, me too,” agreed Pini. They kept running as if there was no tomorrow, until Farmer Oliver caught up.

“I’m not going to let those pigs outsmart me,” the farmer said furiously.

The brothers ran faster despite the obvious fatigue, at the cost of their stamina.

Pini suddenly tripped, and hit face first. Manlulu, catching his breath, came to him and said, “I can’t do it anymore, I’m going back.”

“No, we’ve gone this far, we can’t just stop just because I fell down.”

“But if this happens every time, I’d rather stay at the farm than die of fatigue,” responded Manlulu. “I’m staying here until Farmer Oliver gets me, it doesn’t matter if I get chopped up. We all die eventually, right?”

Pini couldn’t believe what he just heard. “Are you serious? We’ve come this far and you’re giving up?” he said while standing up. “I can’t believe it; okay then, your call.”

“Thanks for understanding, good luck in all of your endeavors,” Manlulu replied. Pini then ran with tears in his eyes.

Farmer Oliver eventually caught Manlulu, and he was sent to the slaughterhouse. His meat now sits in the local farmers market, ready to be devoured by humans. Meanwhile, Pini was found by a small family while he was running, and was adopted as their pet.

The greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time one does.