A naive Pig

‘” Pig” was an actual pig, he’d overheard one day the other animals who kept him within certain boundaries talking and pointing their fingers in his direction. “That Pig will fetch a price.” He was bored but it was all he ever knew, he could see land and vistas beyond, but they, to him were the realm of science fiction, not that Pig knew it, but it was the same way humans thought about outer space, unexplored, possibly dangerous! He didn’t understand much of those animals’ language but could glean words here and there.

He jumped up, albeit slowly, hearing the tractor in the distance, food was on its way. Most the other Pigs arose too, knowing when Pig got up food was coming. The mud was warm, but food outweighed modern luxuries. Pig to them was God and took the lions share, that’s why he was twice the size. It was nighttime feed, though still light. Looking in the direction of the approaching Tractor, the animal on the machine was smaller than the usual, and not the usual animal. The animal arrived, unlatched the latch and threw all the things in the bag it was carrying into the trough. Out of nowhere one of the mothers with a newborn piglet charged him, the animal turned and ran throwing the gate closed behind him. As lead Pig I scolded her, “That’s our food source, never, ever, do that again!”

She snorted in disgust, "it’s your food, we get scraps, look at you, your belly hits the ground, you’re fat.”

Not being confrontational outside the trough I walked away but couldn’t get away from the comments. I was twice the size of the other “Pigs”. This wasn’t a bad thing, but I wanted to be like the other Pigs, I’d been formulating a concept that the larger pigs like me always got taken away. I needed to lose weight, but I’m always so hungry. Looking to the distance I saw lights moving toward the lights of the animal’s shelter. Falling asleep, it was a restless night and by early morning I got up to walk and think. Trotting to the gate I thought to myself, ‘Í like it here but being big means, I’ll leave at some point soon.” Banging my head on the gate, saying to myself, “Think, think, think Pig!” to my surprise the gate opened. Quickly realizing the animal last night hadn’t closed the perimeter properly when it ran the night before. Thinking, or knowing all big pigs get taken to the outside place, I made a split-second decision, just walk. Which direction? Well, the animals at the place were the sun shines at night in the distance seemed good, they could give me food, but I was determined to eat less. Though I couldn’t be sure, I knew I ate twice as much as any of the other pigs, I’d eat less from now on.

The sun was rising as Pig walked onto the 360-degree verandah. Hearing the other animals talking around the corner, Pig trotted around. They were laughing and talking wildly. He stopped short of the window, unsure how to ask for food? He heard, “Yes, your cousin from the city maybe doesn’t understand this, certainly her mother, my sister, your aunt doesn’t agree but if Chealsea is staying with us for two weeks, she maybe tired from getting in late last night, but she’ll soon adapt to farm life, and farm life is Bacon and Eggs for breakfast.”

“What is Bacon though Uncle Theo?” the little animal asked.

“Take a bight first, it’s not poison, trust me. She bit in and said, “It tastes nice.”

“Thought so. Doubt your mum as ever given you any though.”

“What is it though?” the small animal asked the big animal while the other small animal laughed.

“Small thin slices of pig, they just keep slicing bits off.”

“Does it hurt the pig?”

“No, not at that stage. the farmer laughed.

Thinking to myself, I could see the thickness of this Bacon slice and understood ‘thin’. I’d heard “Thin, way too thin before.”

 Maybe after a fair few breakfasts meant I wouldn’t have to leave the perimeter, if they take a slice for their flat trough each time the sun rises, it wont take long for me to be like the other pigs and perimeter time it will be. Maybe the gate opening was meant to be? Now was the time to act, it was summer, and the door was ajar and was hoping we could get this started, I’d been up half the night and was happy for the process of shaving me down to be smaller started sooner rather than later.

I snorted and there was a commotion. The small, newly arrived animal screamed, the other two were taken back.

 The big animal said, “How did you get out Sid?”, with that he led me to another perimeter, it was small, but the amount of food was huge. He said, “Eat up, shows in two weeks, we’re driving to the show, one for you, two to drop my niece home”.”

It made little sense to me, but he seemed in a good mood, and the place outside didn’t seem as scary. Being fed the best food I’ve ever eaten in my 2 years; things changed a little after that. After I gigantic lunch, one of those things with lights turned up towing another. Hearing the words, “To the show, we go!” He said it with enthusiasm, sounded good, though I missed my mates.

About two sunrises later, though my eyes aren’t good I was sure a blue colored rope type thing was put around my neck, it had a big round blue circle attached with a stripe down the middle. The other animals I knew had their hands in the air, the hundreds of other animals I didn’t recognize were hitting hooves on hooves, though their hooves looked soft.

Uncle Theo led me off, seeming happy, I was given some very nice food wondering what was next. He said to the man with the trailer, “No, he’s not coming back, you can’t win twice, someone just put in an offer, guessing he’ll be big Pork Chops before too long.”

I’d picked up enough. I knew rather than small slices, they’d take big slices and make the process quicker!”

Life beyond the perimeter was going to be great! I thought.

Theo patted me on they back, “You’ve been good Sid, even better when the check clears!”

Most words where foreign, but he was sending me to lose weight so I could get back to the perimeter. He was a good friend.