Betelgeuse Breaks Out

"Bad Billy", says Management

Betelgeuse, consort of the milk goats and sire of their babies, escaped into the area of the barn from which goats are excluded by Management decree, causing minor damage. The foray into freedom was discovered when the Management walked into the barn and spied Betelgeuse lying comfortably in the hay loft, chewing his cud. Perseverance, one of the few mental qualities possessed by male goats, enabled him to untie a knot in a rope which held the gate shut.

After surveying the scene, Management concluded that he had eaten all of the dog food, most of the cat food, and a large quantity of oats. After this little snack he climbed the ramp to the hayloft, where he had a main course consisting of about a quarter bale of alfalfa hay and about the same amount of brome hay. He then rested to let his meal digest properly.

Having discovered an almost unlimited supply of food in the hayloft, he was not at all interested in coming back down. Like most goats, he assumes that high places are his natural habitat and that descent from a high place is not something to be done unless necessary. His size (200 lbs. or more) gives him the self confidence necessary to totally ignore reasonable suggestions from Management that he return to where he belongs.

Fortunately, while pillaging the dog food supply, he missed one dog biscuit of the Milk-Bone type. Betelgeuse is unable to resist the appeal of dog biscuits and will almost stand on his head to obtain one. By offering him the last biscuit, Management was able to entice him down from the hayloft and back into the goat area. Upon his return to the goat area he drank several gallons of water and went to his stall for a nap. Management spent an hour cleaning up the mess.