The old guy sat at the bar watched me order a pint of cider before wishing me a good afternoon by way of friendly greeting. The pub had looked inviting, and after returning from my trek up to Bincknoll Castle (a medieval site a few miles southwest of Swindon) the prospect of a cold pint was too good to ignore. With framed photographs of Lancaster bombers on the walls I knew this was a proper English country pub.

He was a talkative chap. Pretty much a typical country bar-fly I suppose, but I was too tired to worry about it. At any rate, he got curious about my rucksack, and enquired how heavy it was. In a mischievous mood I handed it to him, and grinned mightily when the unexpected weight nearly hauled him off his seat.

Wartime Naughtiness

I was pretty much oblivious to anything going on around me once I sat down to enjoy my pint, but that didn't stop the old man from describing who he was, how poor he was, and why his father was such a rogue. It transpires that during the Second World War his father stole a number of chickens for personal consumption and ended up having to assure a policeman he had nothing to do with it, hoping the constable wouldn't notice the kitchen filled with feathers.

There was also one incident when he stopped by a farm and asked the owner if he could have some apples. The farmer, in a very generous move, said he could take any apples on the ground. The old man's father promptly reversed his truck into the tree and scooped the jackpot.

Sheep of the Week

A couple of nights ago there was a news report about a country school in southeast England. Apparently, this school operates a very small 'farm' for the benefit of the kids education, and purchased a number of lambs for that purpose. The decision has been made that in order to retain some income and to illustrate to children where food actually comes from, one sheep must go to market.

So it's goodbye to Marcus the Sheep. Not without some controversy. Some parents are horrified that their little darlings will get upset at a favourite pet ending up on someones plate. Personally I don't have a problem. Kids should learn to cope with making difficult decisions and emotional loss. A part of me wonders if a lesson in hunger might not teach them about the realities of farm animals too. This is part of a wider misconception we humans have. People see themselves as 'special' and above nature, when the reality is that we're just as much biological entities as any other creature, and not guaranteed survival, whatever the Bible might say. Since I'm part of the food chain too, I shall wander down the supermarket, pick up some lamb chops (sale price naturally) and thank Marcus for his contribution to my continued health. Sorry kids, but animals eat each other sometimes.