Barky’s Buffalo

                               4th book in the ‘Barky’ series

                                         Interesting News

            “You’ll never guess what your Grandpa is going to do? Gran said to her two grandchildren, Becky and Quentin.

            “I love to guess,” Quentin said. “Can I try?”

            “Oh no,” Becky said, “We might be here awhile. He’s not kidding about loving to guess.”

            “OK,” Gran laughed and answered, “I’ll give you each two guesses, then I will tell you if you don’t get it.”

            “Can I go first?” asked Quentin.

            “Give me your two best guesses,” Gran said.

            “Grandpa is either going to build another barn,” Quentin said for his first guess, “or Grandpa is going to run for mayor.”

            “They are both very good guesses, Quentin,” Gran said, “and I wouldn’t be surprised if he did either one of those things, but they aren’t even close. What do you think, Becky?”

            “Hmmm,” Becky thought out loud then said, “If Quentin’s guesses are not even close, I will guess something extreme. Grandpa is going to apply to ride on the space shuttle or Grandpa has been invited to the White House.”

            “Two more really good guesses,” Gran said. “You both have highly creative imaginations but none of your guesses are correct. Shall I tell you what Grandpa is going to do?

            “Yes,” the two cousins said together, anxious to hear Grandpa’s latest scheme.

            “This isn’t a done deal yet,” Gran said, “But grandpa has been talking about it for a long time and he’s been researching it. I think he’s been making plans.”

            “Tell us, Gran,” Becky said, “We’re dying from curiosity.”

            “Grandpa is going to get a couple of buffaloes for the farm,” Gran said.

            Becky and Quentin just stood there not knowing what to say. “We never would have guessed that,” Quentin finally blurted out. “Grandpa has always been a fan of the Wild West. Is that why?”

            “Maybe partly,” Gran admitted. “I never considered that but you’re probably right. Grandpa has always loved to read westerns and learning about the west in the 1800s. One of Grandpa’s favorite authors was Zane Grey. He was actually born in Zanesville, Ohio, about a half hour from our farm.”

            “Wow,” Becky said, impressed, “I remember seeing the books but I didn’t know the author lived so close by.”
            “Well, Zane Grey was born in 1872 and died in 1939, but there is a museum in Zanesville we could go to sometime.”

            “Yay,” Quentin said, “another field trip. Are there any buffalo farms nearby?”

            “That’s just the thing, Quentin,” Gran said, “If Grandpa ends up buying a buffalo, he will have to go to Colorado and take the cattle truck to bring them back.”