One of the biggest problems with the animals is their short life spans. It seems like we're saying good-bye to our beloved friends far sooner than we'd expect. I have talked to people who won't have animals because they can't bear to say good-bye. It's tough.
I went out to feed the barnyard critters this afternoon and found one of the original bunnies had died right beside the feed dishes. There wasn't anything shifty about it. He just died. Copper was a very pretty brindle mini rex with a friendly and delightful personality. He and our black bunny Softy did not get along once they hit puberty and we had to separate them last spring after a fight that left Softy a little off balance.
Often in my family humor is used to cope with grief, and right after Brent and I shared hugs and cleaned up the crime scene, he looked at me with serious eyes and asked when we should "interview" the farm animals to see if we had a suspect or any witnesses. I laughed.
He started on a line of interesting questioning.
He theorized that the one who was most capable of orchestrating a crime would be Poco, given his extensive history as an ex-Navy Seal (see Poco's story). Brent hoped that Poco had fully retired, but was he used as a consultant? As we walked into the barn Brent noticed that Oreo, the stray barn cat, looked a little shifty.
Brent was certain that in Softy's haze of post-traumatic stress he had placed the hit on Copper. I thought that sounded a little far fetched given Softy's gentle nature, but when it comes to love we all make bad decisions.
Softy loved Peter, and Copper had won the girl. It was a bitter love triangle. Peter looked sad today as she stretched out on her side in her condo, smoking a cigarette. She said Copper was a good bunny who always treated her right, but when we brought up Softy you could see the shock and then love radiating through her eyes. Perhaps she helped in hopes of being reunited with her true love?
The pigs were stoic, but clearly shocked and saddened by the loss of one of the original farm animals. Willow babbled on about hearing something around two in the morning, because as you know, nothing good ever happens at two am, but she seemed more interested in gossiping than providing facts. Nelly said nothing. Not a word. We wonder?
When we tried to interview Oreo he ran away. It doesn't look good, but we can't find a motive. Inter-species love? Was he a hired thug? Will we ever know for certain?
Softy was very interesting to interview. He was cagey and very calm. Like ice. He didn't say anything to indite himself, but he showed no signs of sadness or grief at Copper's demise.
At the end of the day we have no answers. No reasons why Copper died. We know he's gone and we'll miss his hoppy hop. Find peace Copper and your friends at Beaver Creek Farm will miss you.
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