A Can of Peas by Traci DePree

Author:Traci DePree [DePre, Traci]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-55320-1
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2002-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

The vet s red truck pulled up to the barn, and a short, stocky man got out. He looked to be in his early fifties, with thinning black hair and a sparkle in his brown eyes. He offered a hand. “Mark Klein.”

“Peter Morgan,” Peter said.

“You're Roy's grandson,” the vet observed.

“Afraid so.”

“You like being new in town?”

“I guess so. There's a lot to learn,” Peter admitted.

“I won't hold it against you,” the man said good-naturedly. “Been there myself.”

“The cow's in here.” Peter motioned to the barn door and led the man inside. “I noticed her leg seemed swollen this morning.”

The cow was tied to the rail above the feed trough.

“H'm,” the doctor mumbled as he moved next to the cow. She pushed her wet nose into his back as the vet ran his hand along the right front leg and then the other, finally returning to the original leg. The animal lifted it as if she was in pain when he touched the spot. “She's ouchy, all right. Any idea where she got that cut?”

Peter leaned closer and peered at where the doctor was pointing. “No. I noticed it this morning. I don't have any idea where she got it though.”

Mark glanced around the barn, his brow knit. “You might want to look around, you know, babyproof the barn.”

“Babyproof?”

“You dont have kids, do you?” Peter shook his head. “Keep your eye out for anything sharp,” the vet continued. “She's going to need an antibiotic. I'll give her a shot today, but then you'll have to give her a shot for nine more days.”

“You want me to give her a shot?”

“That a problem?” the doctor said questioningly.

“Uh…no…that's fine,” Peter said.

The vet returned to his truck and dug in the drawers, withdrawing a vial of medicine and the biggest syringe Peter had ever seen. He could've put a whole mug of coffee in that sucker. “So where did you farm before coming to Lake Emily?” the vet asked as he pushed the needle into the pink bottle and began filling the syringe.

“I haven't farmed before,” Peter confessed. “I'm kind of picking it up as I go.”

“I see…” No doubt the man could read Peter's worried brow. “I'll show you how to give the shots. Its not hard.”

They returned to the cow, who switched her tail at Peter, flicking him on the back. Mark moved next to the heifer's thick neck and grabbed some of the skin between his forefinger and thumb. “I pinch ‘em before I stick ‘em. It deadens the pain a little.” After a moment, he jammed the three-inch needle into the cow's neck. Immediately the animal began bucking and swung her one-ton body toward the vet, who hopped nimbly out of her reach. When she stopped thrashing, Peter could see that the vet had still managed to get the needle tip into the animal's neck despite its coming off of the syringe. The tip stuck out just a little on the surface of her skin. “Grab her tail,” Dr. Klein directed.

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