They Were Just Passing Through

Tony and David had been watching their friend sitting in the driveway looking all around her. David said, "She is really surprised at how the farm has changed isn't she? It has been many years since we have seen her, but she will always be our friend regardless how far away she lives. Let's go get a hug and show her where to park her car."

They did just that. They laughed and walked and talked about all of the changes that had been made since she had been there. They were about to go in the house for something cool to drink when their friend happened to think about the donkey. So she asked them where he was. Well, it happened to be that he no longer was at the farm, but there was a story about Donk. The brothers said that he had come from a very famous line of donkeys or at least they would like to think so.
Cheryl, the talent scout, said, "No, I heard a donkey bray when I first drove in the driveway. I know I did."
The brothers gave each other a knowing look and proceeded to tell their friend that when they were remodeling some pens they had found some old papers. Among them was an old old book. They told her the story.

                                DONK: A Good Friend Just Passing Through

Many many years ago there lived a very old man who lived far far away on a little farm. He lived all by himself and was very lonely. His only friends were books. He loved to read and had read so many books that his little house was full of them. He had books on some shelves. He had books on his table and he had books in his bedroom. He even had books out on his porch.

Even though he was an old man he loved to read all kinds of books. He read history books, fun stories that weren't true that were called novels. He read children's books and his Bible. He could make believe that he could travel all over the world and even see people that were very famous.
 Once he even read about Queen Victoria of England. Oh she lived many many years ago, but one thing he always smiled about was that when she was just a little girl she had a favorite uncle. He gave her a little donkey. Oh she loved that donkey his name was Dickey. Even when she got really old she had donkeys pull her about London in her carriage.

The old man was sad because he didn't have any pets at all. He didn't even have a friendly mouse that he could feed and talk to.

One day he was reading his Bible. Since it was close to the holidays he thought that he might read the Christmas Story. He was reading about Mary riding a donkey into Bethlehem the night that her baby was born.

"My goodness, there are so many donkeys in my books. I would love to have a donkey. I have lots of grass that he could eat. I would brush him and give him some apple slices every day for a treat. I have two apple trees in my back yard. I could sing to him and tell him my thoughts every day. I'm sure that we would be very good friends. I really need a friend because I am very old and lonely."
That night when the old man said his prayers before he went to bed he asked the Lord to bless him with a friend that he could love. He thanked him for all of his blessings that he had been given throughout his many years and went to sleep.

The next day when the old man woke up he looked and looked for an animal to be his friend and pet. Every day for many weeks he would look; he found no animal for a friend.

One day when he woke up he heard a loud noise in the yard. It was not a dog, it was not a cat or a mouse. It was a donkey. The noise they make is called braying. Many people laugh and say, 'Hee Haw' to make their sound.
Oh the old man was so very happy. At long last he had a friend. He named him Donk because he couldn't think of a fancy name.  He sang to him and fed him apple slices. He even read books to his new friend.

One day the old man told his donkey that he wasn't feeling well. He said that he needed to go live with his daughter and couldn't take him with him, but he knew that the neighbor man had lots of hay and a lady that would feed him apple slices.
The next morning the old man left to live with his daughter. The donkey missed his friend so much. He was getting old too, but he took his friend's advice and walked slowly over to a broken down fence. He carefully stepped over it and found that there were some buildings that he could stay in and keep warm. It was just like the Christmas story that the old man had read to him. One of them looked like a stable.
The next morning he found that there were very nice people that lived on the farm. They gave him good hay and fresh water to drink. One day there was even a lady that gave him some apple slices.

While he was at the farm he made some new friends. He knew that he was just passing through, but it was nice to have someone to visit with. There were alpacas and goats and a dog or two.  One day a baby alpaca was born. The baby was so little. Donk, watched the humans care for the baby. He saw some worry in their eyes. He walked over to it and softly whispered in it's ear, "It's okay, little one. I am just passing through.  Would you like to go with me to a beautiful new place?"
Abilene, the baby alpaca, gave Donk a small smile and said, "I will go first and find a new home for us. Is that okay with you, my friend?"

Donk and the baby alpaca made plans that soon they would leave. They knew exactly where they were going. An old man that lived on the edge of the city needed a friend or two. The word was that his daughter had married and moved away. But that was alright. He knew that while he was on his travels he would meet two friends; one old and one new. They were just passing through.