Georgia

Alvin lifted the last bail of hay and threw it into the old rusted pick-up truck wearily. Sweat poured down his forehead as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. His clean cut hair was parted to the side and had begun to gray in several clustered patches.

"Geoaga!" The wiry farmer said to one of his workers.

"Yea' boss?" Georgia replied.

"I is done hea'. Vernon says he take da hay to the stables. How old ah Brauny's calves now?" He said as he reattached the strap of his blue overalls to his shoulder.

"Ough two days ah so."

"Reckon it time fo' da castration. Dun wanna wait ta long like we done last yea'. Lost two dollah a pound on dat meat." Alvin reached into his pocket and removed several thick elastrators. "Make sure you get both dem balls nice and tight"

Georgia grabbed the elastrators and smiled at the old farmer. He headed off into the green grass pastures towards the cow pen. He wasn't too happy about the job he had to do that day. Sticking elastic bands around a baby cow's balls and leaving them there until they fall off wasn't exactly his idea of a good time; however his job kept him well fed. Manual labor was the only thing Georgia had ever been any good at.

He had never finished high school. He had tried his best, but there was something different about Georgia. He was around six foot five and he could throw bails of hay all day long. He could move them faster than anyone on the farm. But when it came to understanding the ways of the world, and why people do what they do, Georgia just came up short.

He made his way up the old hill, or "Da mountain" as he liked to call it, because when you looked out you could see most of the farm for miles around. Sometimes, when Gerogia had time to take a break, he would go up there and just look out on all the animals and plants, and pretend for a moment that he was God looking down at earth in its entire immaculate splendor.

When he reached the top of the hill he felt temptation well up inside of him.

"Naw, Alvin says I gotsta go castrate the calves. Right now." He said to himself, and began to walk onward. Once again, he felt the urge to sit down and look at the beautiful surroundings.

"Oh allrighty, but just a second do'" He said to himself and took a seat on a worn down piece of earth. His eyes danced over the surroundings. He saw the large cow pen that was littered with black and white, and then the horse pasture. His favorite horse, Dunkin, was standing just against the fence looking out solemnly. But when he looked out at the sheep pen, he saw something that made him go running to tell Alvin.

"There's nothing!" He cried to himself.

He ran all the way to the old columned house and slammed on the door with his massive fist. Mrs. Theodore answered the door, carrying a glass of iced tea in her left hand. She furrowed her brow at the site of the distressed giant.

"Miss Teado' Where's Alvin."

"He's taking his lunch now Georgia."

"I gotsta tok' wit' him, its impotant," He said desperately.

"Come on in then, he's in the kitchen."

"Okay, ma'm." He said as he crashed into the house, nearly toppling over the kind hearted woman. He ran into the fancy dining room and frantically searched with his eyes until he saw Alvin sitting at the table eating an ear of corn.

"What in de hell?" Alvin said as Georgia ran towards him and then jumped onto the table, smashing plates and glasses onto the floor.

"Ah didn't mean it boss. Ah sorry I didn't go straight to de calves, Ah sorry." Tears began to stream down his wide face, and he crinkled his nose up.

"What's da matta wid you?"

"Ah seen it with my own two eyes. All of dem sheep. Da sheep is gone. Dey all is gone and I didn't do it."

Alvin got up immediately and walked out the door. Georgia sat in a huddled mess in the corner and waited for him to return.

After a long while Georgia heard the door open, and then Alvin walked into the dining room, looking a bit mad.

"I sawy boss" he cried desperately.

"I know geoga" Alvin said.

"Thanks fir tellin' me. You is a good guy Geoga. Good job. Dem sheep is gone. I reckon they escaped somehow or anotha'. Dun' worry ah sure dey will turn up. A herd of fifty odd sheep don't just disappear."

"Thank ya boss." Alvin said with a smile on his face. His world had just been fixed. All was well in his universe once again.

"Why don't you go finsh dat job I told ya to do?"