Boots: the rest of the story

Sorry, I forgot to post this earlier, but I have been busy.

As you may know, the Roman Catholic Church doesn't teach the concept of reincarnation. However, I think there are major religions of the world and even some protestants who do consider the possibility. General George Patton was a famous believer in it. The validity is beyond knowing in this mortal life with certainty, but it is fun to play around with in a "what if" sort of way. As a practical matter, I do defer to the wisdom of the ages handed down within the church founded by and protected by God (the Roman Catholic Church). So, even though I might wonder about reincarnation, I do not believe in it.

Thirty years ago I took a college course on the religions of the world. One of them (Hindu, perhaps) taught that souls are "recycled" through this world, life after life, until they do a really good job and and end up close to God. You might come back as an animal, you might come back as woman, or you might come back as a perennial soldier, like Patton thought he had. Patton would have a Deja Vu experience on various ancient battlefields that would remind him. The major religion that teaches you could come back as animals went on to say that all life is, therefor, sacred, since it could be grandpa. They especially thought bovines (cows) were sacred. Here on the ranch I spend this life with the herd, feeding them and caring for them. They have a good life, with plenty of different kinds of good food. A beautiful place to live with all their needs met. They also have community with the rest of the herd. They are, most days, peaceful, content, and thriving.

So I have wondered aloud about this concept of reincarnation, and have said before that if it were true I would want to come back as a herd bull on this ranch. Here on this ground the herd bull has vast beautiful pastures of tall palatable grasses with clear running water and all the females he can breed. He is surrounded by his "wives" and his children in the land of milk and honey.

THE REST OF THE STORY
Last September I went to a bull sale in eastern Oklahoma and bought 3 bulls. On the way home I stopped at a friend's house in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. While there, one of the bulls made an astonishing flat footed five foot leap to escape from the stock trailer (no other animal I have hauled has been able to accomplish this). He was very excited, and could not be eased back toward confinement. He went running through town, across the highway, and jumped the fence into the graveyard. 911 calls abounded. For some unknown reason he was content to stay in one part of the graveyard where he was eventually roped by some good cowboys sent to the rescue. After the ordeal was over my lady friend whom I was visiting pointed out that he was standing on the grave of one "Boots" Adams when he was captured. Boots Adams was a successful executive at Phillips Petroleum Company in Bartlesville during his life. He was rich, and bought several big Osage County ranches, right here in "cow heaven". Perhaps reincarnation and the related Deja Vu experience could explain this unusual turn of events. Maybe Boots did come back as a herd bull, and the proximity to his former body motivated his "super-bovine" feat of leaping out of the trailer and then drew him to his former grave? Most times an animal under stress either will fight or flee. This herd bull, curiously, did neither when confronted with the cowboys on horses. He neither ran away, nor charged the horses. He stood there, and didn't fight until we tried to load him in the trailer. Then he fought with vigor. So, is this herd bull Boots Adams reincarnated? I don't know, but it makes a good story, and gives me a good reason to name this animal "Boots".