Being thrifty is important but sitting on the pile of money can be too costly

I have an old cow; she isn't real old, but she has a big lump on her jaw. What am I gonna do with a lump-jawed old cow? She eats, raising a good big calf, and seems like she feels good. If I had a truck load of money, I would have already hauled her in to the vet to see what he would diagnose, but that truck hasn't gotten here yet!

The offspring have offered five or six different reasons for the lump and they are just as good as my reasons. Snake bite, tooth problems, thorn in the hide and scar tissue surrounding it all sound sensible; but we had not penned her up and actually felt the lump. It is so much easier to ride around in the truck and just look. We are modern-day cowboys, rope-on-the-gun-rack and dog-in-the-back sort of fellers!

The fellers at the coffee emporium are sure full of advice and offer it up free of charge. Even Janie, the waitress, had a few things to say, and her advice was just as good as the rest. George, the head of the round table knights, suggested we visit the vet and find out for sure the cause and the repair. He was pretty growly and stern about his suggestion and I wondered about that.

We drank another cup of coffee and George loosened up a little, cleared his throat and offered information as to his attitude. He had found a lump on his bull's jaw but didn't pay any attention for several months and found the old feller dead one morning. The lump was cancer and could have been removed if found early enough, the vet had said. Well, George lost that high-dollar bull and it still pains him that he let the old feller suffer.

I paid out and even paid for the table this morning. I don't often treat, but I was feeling sorta odd and maybe the time and talk was more than worth the cost. I finished checking the steers and dropped by the machine shop to let the offspring know we needed to catch up the cow herd and separate the lumpy-jawed cow so we could haul her to town.

We ate lunch and proceeded to ready the pens and called the cows. They stampeded in, hoping for some cake and maybe some grain. I sure believe in having cattle feed-broke! We loaded the cow and I hauled her to the vet. Not a thing but a thorn in her hide and he took it out, poured some stuff in the hole and gave her some antibiotic.

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, being thrifty is important, but sitting on the pile of money can be too costly. I hate to spend, but sometimes it sure is worth the cost. That old cow will live several years longer, raise some more calves and now has a name. We will always call her Lumpy.

Count your blessings daily, not your cash!

Bill is the pen name used by the Gravette-area author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.