The cow was finally off the roof.
The fence was repaired.
Mostly.
And somehow they'd still managed to break two feed buckets.
I hadn't even asked how.
I wasn't sure I wanted to know.
Hank looked at the boys.
The boys looked at their boots.
Smart.
Very smart.
The silence stretched.
Nobody moved.
Finally, Hank pointed his cane.
Right at them.
"If you've got enough energy to put cows on roofs..."
The boys immediately started talking.
"We didn't put her on the roof."
"She walked."
"It wasn't intentional."
Hank raised an eyebrow.
The boys wisely stopped speaking.
Then the old rancher finished.
"...you've got enough energy to shovel manure."
Silence.
Complete silence.
The youngest looked horrified.
Actually horrified.
Like Hank had announced the end of civilization.
"All of it?"
Hank stared.
