I wondered if driving three hours to Kumbo and back
was worth staying there for only one night. My perspective changed completely
after a thrilling and adventurous experience there, one to definitely blog
about.
The first half of the drive was sickening, but
luckily my mom got off at Ndop to have a retreat. I got the front seat and felt
a lot better. When we arrived, we greeted them (like true Cameroonians) and
unpacked our belongings. We got a tour of the garden, where they had more than
a dozen different plants growing. We saw that a pumpkin was ripe, so we
harvested it and brought it in. I then helped them make bagels and pumpkin pie,
using the pumpkin.
During the time that the oven pre-heated, I
remembered that we had wanted to buy a goat for a long time. So I asked my dad
and then Logan, what they thought of getting one there in Kumbo. The Horne
family had bought goats before, so they had some experience with them. I wanted
to milk the goat, so it would have to be a female. Logan lectured me about
milking a she-goat and how to keep one.
Finally I felt I was ready and prepared to get a
goat. Only one thing was left—my mom’s approval. I called her on my dad’s phone
and started out, “Hey mom, how’s it going?” After the call I happily announced
that I had gained her approval. Dad was surprised, but smiled and agreed to go
to the goat farm the next day.
After a great bagel pizza dinner with excellent pumpkin
pie, we slept peacefully for the big day ahead. The following morning, we ate
breakfast, packed up, then headed for the car to go to the goat market.
The selection process wasn’t half as good as eating
pizza. The goats were too thin, unhealthy, or the wrong gender. We went on a
walk to see the cow farm to let me think a little bit. I agreed with my dad
that I would pay for it, but I started thinking again. Do I really want to
spend my money on these goats?
We
walked back to the goat market and I saw a single, female goat with an unusual
one-horned head. She had a white “sock” on her back leg. I smiled to myself and
moved closer to the goat. She pricked her ears up, alerted, and moved away. I
asked, “How much for this goat?”
On the drive back to Bamenda, we had a bleating
goat, Ruth, in the back of our car. I bargained her from 30,000 francs ($60) to
27,000 francs ($54). We decided not to tell my mom, so she had a great surprise
when she heard “B-AA!” when we went over a bump.
Now Ruth is in our backyard, happily eating away at
grass. I wonder how it’s going to be having my very own pet.
She looks very happy at your place!
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