DOJ And The Shepherd 2021
Andrew left his hut that morning, thinking it was going to be another business as usual day on the hillside. He took his shepherd hook in hand and gathered his two helpers, one of whom had his tunic on backwards.
Andrew: “Sid, have too much to drink last night, eh?”
Sid: “No, why?”
Ben: “Your dress is on backwards, that’s why, haha.”
Sid: Looks down at his feet, “It is?”
Andrew: “Listen up, we have a huge flock to move today, so pick up the pace, they’re waiting.”
Sid: “Who’s waiting?”
Andrew: “See, there they are, all 200 of them.”
Ben: “No, Andy, they’re not all there! Pause. “A LOT of them are gone!”
Sid: “He’s right….Look!! Look at them!”
Andrew saw the flock had widely scattered and many sheep were gone.
Ben: “Jeez, what happened to them?”
Just then, there was a flash of grey, a movement of grey shapes, scattering towards a broken part of the fence and into the trees. And there, in the center of the fenced pen was a large white wolf. It didn’t move.
Sid: “Andy! The wolves!”
Andrew stood stone still, eyes fixed on the Big White, until the frantic bleet of a lamb took his focus to the outer edges of remaining sheep. One grey wolf loped off, dragging the lamb through the fence opening and into the grove of trees.
The other two shepherds turned to their leader. “What are we going to do? Let’s go for our guns while the wolves are still close enough.” Ben took off his tunic so they could run faster for the hut guns.
Andrew: “Wait.”
Ben: “Why?”
Andrew: “Because we have to have a plan. We have to figure out what the wolves are doing, where they come from, what their plan is, who the alpha is, exactly how many sheep have actually been taken, when they might get clear of the grove so we have a straight shot at them, what their intent was, if they were really hungry, or if this was just sport, where their den is, if they fall under the Endangered Species Act, or if they are part of the Lobo Repopulation Program, ……”
Ben: “….what are you, crazy? See that giant in the middle of our flock? That is obviously the alpha. We have to do something! And we have to do it now! What’s the matter with you, man!”
Sid: “Yea, what are you thinking?”
Andrew: “I’m thinking about keeping calm, …you have to assess the damage, you have to gauge the enemy, you have to weigh the risks, you have to . . .you can’t just rush for the guns.”
Sid: “Why not?”
Ben: “Well . . . . I can….. and will….”. Ben’s tunic was stepped on as he swiveled around and sprinted away.
Sid: “I’m with him, sorry…..” Sid’s tunic flaped in the wind, soon looking like the vanishing cloak of a fleeing maiden.
Andrew didn’t budge. He kept locked on the Big White. He could not believe this all happened on his watch. Andrew didn’t imagine that this would ever actually happen. It happened to other herders, not him. He thought he was too skillful for his fence to be breached, and that his knowledge of where the wolves were was accurate, that there would have been a warning from his dogs. Meanwhile, the sheep stamped around in every direction, agitated, still not knowing what to do. They looked helpless and terrified. The three shepherd hooks lay on the ground at Andrews feet. He had no hook in hand. He had no gun. He had no plan. He just stood there. The Big White stared at him another full minute…..then joined his pack for the bountiful feast.
12/14/2021 by djl
