Free Moo by Sharon Creech Page A

showmanship went to
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  oh yes
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  it did
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  it went
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  to
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  that redheaded boy
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  with the long legs:
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Zep.
    He nodded at the judge.
    He nodded at me.

SHOWTIME!
    Oh, that Zora!
    She let me halter her
    and lead her to the ring
    so perfectly obedient
    and calm.
    She stood there with me
    as we waited in line
    with eleven other novices
    and their heifers or steers.
    She let me stroke her neck
    with the show stick
    and she let me comb
    the hair along her back.
    When our group was announced
    the entrants in front of us
    moved forward.
    Okay, okay, I can do this.
    Just walk , I told myself.
    Stand straight.
    Smile.
    I was excited.
    I loved everything about it:
    the ring, the sawdust,
    the cows, the handlers,
    the men and women and kids
    on the bleachers and along the fence.
    I was looking for Zep.
    I wanted him to see how well I was doing.
    I wanted him to see how I held the show stick
    and how straight my back was
    and how calm I was and
    how loosely I could hold the halter.
    We were near the entry gate.
    Zora looked into the ring
    and snorted
    and then she
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  BOLTED.

CATCH THAT HEIFER
    Zora had yanked the halter from my
    carelessly loose grip
    and took off
    kicking and bucking
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Moooooo
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Moooooo
    I chased her as she ran past the stalls
    knocking over buckets
    and brooms and rakes
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Moooooo
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Moooooo
    People dodged out of her way
    calling
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Cow on the loose!
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Cow on the loose!
    Beat and Zep and Mr. Birch
    joined in the chase
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Cow on the loose!
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Cow on the loose!
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Moooooo
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  Moooooo
    Who knew a cow could run so fast?
    I turned back once to look at the ring:
    the novices and the judge
    and my parents and Luke
    all stood there
    staring
    at
    the
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  cow on the loose
    and the chaos erupting
    around and behind
    that
    wild-eyed
    heifer:
    Zora.

SHOWMANSHIP
    Zora raced down the chicken aisle
    and careened past the rabbit cages,
    nearly landing amid a pen of squealing piglets.
    People leaped out of the way.
    Zep and I finally caught her
    and led her back to the stalls
    where she snatched a clomp of hay
    and chewed defiantly
    and slurped water from the hose
    as if nothing whatever was wrong.
    The novice showmanship competition
    was
    over.
    We had missed it.

BREED
    Next up was the breed round.
    What do you think? Zep asked me.
    Willing to try Zora again for the breed event?
    My parents and Luke joined us.
    Luke moved up close to Zora
    and placed his small hand on her wide neck.
    Zora, you be good. You know how.
    Mom and Dad looked surprised.
    We had no idea you could do all this, Reena.
    I had a quick glimpse of me in my room
    in our old apartment back in the city
    an inside girl
    and now here I was
    an outside girl
    a
    cow
    girl.
    When the Belted Galloway breed was called
    I