I never realized how weird we are!

[zephyrhillsusan]

I just called to order a product from PBS Animal Health. The girl asked the usual questions, address, phone number, etc. Then this is how the rest of the conversation went:

What kind of cattle do you have, beef or dairy?

They're dual purpose--they're Dexters.

Pardon?

Dual purpose, we milk the girls and eat the boys. (She didn't sound like a country girl, so I didn't want to throw in new vocabulary words like steer and heifer!) 

Would you say they're more beef or more dairy?

Well, more people eat theirs, so let's say beef.  (I realized she was trying to fill out some kind of form and only had two choices.) 

Do you have other livestock like horses?

Yes, three horses and a pony.

Western or English?

Okay, I'm sorry, we're really weird here,  but they're Saddleseat because they're Tennessee Walking Horses.

Pardon?

Let's just say Western.  (We were both laughing by now! We got the three dogs and two barn cats out of the way without any trouble, then we came to the birds.)

Are your chickens layers or meat birds?

Well, they're layers, but they don't lay many eggs.

And how about your ducks, are they layers or meat?

 Neither! They just eat flies and live here until they die. I guess some people would eat them, but I don't like the taste.

I just never realized how totally weird we are!  Before we hung up, I jokingly told her that the animals live in the house and we live in the barn, and she said, "Whaat?"  I think she actually believed me for a second!  That poor girl! If they were "recording the conversation for quality and training purposes," I think she won the "Crazy Customer of the Month" prize!  

[hoperefuge]

Too funny, Susan!!

Kim

[cddexter]

I've had those conversations, too. But, oh where did you find the emoticon? That's almost better than the story. Thanks for the laugh, c.

[zephyrhillsusan]

cddexter, I first saw it on Keeping a Family Cow, then looked it up on the internet, put it on Imgur & linked it in the photo icon. It's my favorite!

[cheddar]

How about ~ not wierd, just different. I do sometimes feel like a minority group and I haven't met too many members yet. Thanks Susan!

[cddexter]

I used to get this government survey every year, and every year they wanted to know if I had beef or dairy cattle. And every year I said I had dual purpose cattle, and every year they said there wasn't a box for that, sorry you don't qualify for the survey and hung up. The last time I heard from them was the year I changed my tune: I said, neither, mine are triple purpose: meat, milk AND oxen. I guess the survey person wasn't a farmer, and figured I was really just too weird to count, so they took me off the list. Never heard from them again. hahaha. C.

[zephyrhillsusan]

I'll have to remember that ploy if the government calls me, cddexter !   (There, I put him in just for you!)

[cddexter]

there used to be this great barf emoticon I kept for special occasions when we had those *****!!!!!***** posts, but I lost it along the way somewhere. Glad it doesn't seem necessary anymore. Thanks for keeping this site alive, kiddo. cheers, carol.