West Texas Mama

" Mama, it just isn't fair ," she said quietly. "I know, baby," I replied while hugging her tighter. Since October, she'd put in so many hours.  Xeno was a stubborn pig.  He wanted to run everywhere, he pushed and shoved at you trying to get food, and he was just plain difficult.  But she put the work in to train him and love him and calm him down.  She succeeded, and she was so looking forward to showing him at the San Antonio Livestock Expo.  Just last week, I was very sick and drove her out to the barn where her pig was kept.   She took him out and walked him around the field.  "Look, mama!" she yelled.  I watched from the car as she guided him here and there, around and around the building.  I thought to myself how far she had come this year. Show day came yesterday, and she was excited on the way to the grounds.  Things were fine in the morning.  We went to get Xeno out of his pen to walk a bit about midday, and he was limping.  We al