You Can Do It Real Slow So Your Heart Won't Palpitate

The theme song of the Western Washington State Fair in Puyallup goes something like this...
You can do it at a trot.
You can do it at a gallop.
You can do it real slow so your heart won't palpitate.
Just don't be late.
Do the Puyallup.

So with that out of the way, I will tell you why it pertains.
When unloading at the fair on the first day, it is morning, the fair is closed, and everyone is refreshed and cheerful. But on the day of departure the whole barn electrifies when the time approaches when the powers that be release you from the barn. It is quite an orchestration getting all the many trucks and trailers through the fairgrounds when it's open to the public to load tired and cross goats pulled along by tired and cross people. They only let a few rigs in at a time making for a long stop and go.

Earlier in the day, the goatfarmer had told me that after a few years of getting in line and waiting forever while nobody moved she was going to sit back and wait until most people left and then go get her truck. I agreed. This method is called the "Seahawk" method. When my son was little we went to a lot of Seahawk's games and we discovered that if we just sat back until everyone left we could just walk right out and then drive right out. As opposed to the "plane departure" method where the minute the plane stops everyone jumps up and hovers in the aisle with their hand on your seat for the next half hour.

I thought this was a good plan. That's what I was going to do. Just sit back and wait. But as the time approached the goatfarmer started pacing, second guessing her decision. I tried to reason with her but she was clearly being sucked into the "plane departure" mode. As the others were scrambling to get out to their trucks and get in line a fierce competitiveness came over her and she could stand it no more and off she went to get her truck and get in line. I went over to my lawn chair and prepared to wait it out.

It was kind of a party the last hour or two at the fair. People helping people load. Lots of well wishes and see you next years and goatgirl and the Poppy Patch people sitting on folding chairs chatting away.

My cell phone would ring. It was the goatfarmer.

"I haven't moved a bit" "One hour and we haven't moved a bit"

I would tell her how sorry I was but there wasn't much I could do except go get another ice cream cone from the dairy barn.

My cell phone would ring again. It was the goatfarmer.

"I am second back so I will go in the next load" "WHAT! They are letting the Pygmies in!" You can bet the goatfarmer's heart was palpitating then.

I said I was sorry and then bent over my cooler and got out another mini Babybel cheese along with a few crackers.

Another hour passes and my cell phone rings. It was the goatfarmer.

"I'm in, I made it in! Be there in a minute"

Two hours in a line going nowhere.

But it all worked out in the end. I loaded my stuff and Cora Belle into the goatfarmer's truck and she dropped me off at my jeep. You see the "Seahawk" works every time.


Thanks for taking me under your wing and showing me the ropes goatfarmer. And thanks for the ride to my car.
Happy Birthday