She gritted her teeth. “I sent you to the ranch for one month, hoping you'd reflect on your actions—and this is what I get in return? You're mocking me by pretending to be insane?!”
Just then, the calf stumbled into a muddy pit and began crying out with helpless moos. My heart ached. Without hesitation, I slit my wrist and let it drink my blood.
“There, there, baby. Don’t cry. A little milk and everything will be just fine.”
——
When my wife came to the ranch with her family to fetch me, I was walking through the pasture with the newborn calf beside me.
“Steve has already forgiven you for what happened with the child,” she said, folding her arms. “She urged me to come and bring you back. Tom, tell me—have you truly turned over a new leaf after this month at the ranch?”
Under the curious gaze of our friends and relatives, I looked down tenderly at the calf, which was wobbling on its legs.
“Slow down, baby… don’t hurt yourself.”
Steve Hanks smiled gently and urged, “Tom, Ginny has already let bygones be bygones. Don’t stay angry at her any longer. If you keep this up, she’s going to say you’re impossible to reason with again.”