| Rocu and his charges a few months ago. Photo by Art and Clarity. |
Another Crossing to the Beyond
Each passing is a moment for pause, for gratitude. Animals visit us for such a short time and then they pass on. I always thought our llama Racu would live forever, but I was wrong. Our vet told us some make it to 20, few further. Racu was 17. He lived a spunky, healthy life and his demise was quick. Maybe not a bad way to go!
But we will all miss him, especially his goats, whom he guarded with devotion and fierceness. Any new visitor to the ranch was vetted until Racu got a good ID sniff. Once even our vineyard worker Ramon arrived in an unfamiliar truck and Racu herded the goats into the barn until he checked out the “intruder.”
He was cantankerous, spitting at anyone who dared look into his eyes, but he had a special penchant for pretty young women. He put up with a lot from kid goats, not much from older ones.
| Boris and Racu some years ago. |
We suspect that he was met by Boris, our faithful old lead goat, his good buddy who made the transition several years ago.
Thank you, dear Racu, for years of service. May you find lots of toyon in the Beyond!