Bobbytail

“Bobbytail”

For many years Grandad Don and Grandma Ruby Wyatt raised calves, buying them in the winter and selling them the following summer or fall. Grandad would call the calves with a loud, “Swooo cows!” Justin loved to visit “Ssouri” and help them with the “Boo-Cows”. During cold weather, Grandad and Grandma would pour buckets of feed into troughs while Justin and Ryan sprinkled coffee cans of cottonseed meal on the grain calling it “frosting”. Then, Justin and Ryan would stand on the corral fence and watch while Grandad let the calves into the feed lot to eat. They would lay claim to their favorite calves.

During a Christmas visit, Justin favored a white calf, probably Charolais, that had a docked tail. He named this calf “Bobbytail” because it had a bobbed tail. Justin was very literal in his naming conventions. For example, he named a soft, stuffed, white polar bear won at the Texas State Fair, “Soft White.” Cottage cheese was named “Cheese Pot” because it was cheese and came in a little pot. The Wagon Wheel Drive-In at Kissee Mills Junction was called, “Little Rock” because of the limestone chat on the parking lot.

When we returned that summer, Justin asked Grandma over a hamburger lunch, “Where is Bobbytail?” Based on Grandma’s reaction, this question had caught her off guard and was not a question she wanted to answer. For those who didn’t grow up on a farm, calves were destined to either go to market, or if they had a minor defect like Bobbytail, into the farmer’s freezer. All eyes were on Grandma as she searched to answer her innocent, blue-eyed, cotton-topped grandson. Finally in desperation Grandma blurted out, “Bobbytail ran away!”

Pam smirked at Grandma’s answer and mouthed the words toward me, “Grandma told a fib!” We were shocked! This is the only time I recall my Mom telling a fib, but Granddad and I were not going to let her off lightly. We both began to “moo” softly as we bit into our hamburgers. Wanting to change the topic, Grandma asked, “What would you like for supper?” Not missing a beat, I responded, “Maybe some shish-ka-BOBS or possibly some BOBBY-cue”, which caused Grandad and Pam to burst into laughter while Justin sat bewildered at why his beloved Bobbytail would run away!