by Joy Redmond
“Why can’t I talk? Oh, I know, it is nature’s way. I don’t really understand it, but I promise I won’t say a word,” he said seriously.
I reached down and twisted Baby Deer’s lips. “Tick a lock,” I said.
“Tick a lock,” Baby Deer repeated.
We reached Dr. Tegethoff’s office and I unbuckled Baby Deer and unbuckled my own belt, as Nana held the car door open. Baby Deer jumped out and turned in circles. “Wow!” he exclaimed. “So, this is what the other part of people world looks like. I’ve never see anything but woods and pasture!”
“Come on,” I said, pulling playfully on his ears. “You can look around later. Let’s go see the doctor.”
“Hold you horses, Missy,” he said, trying to escape my grasp.
“You’ve been around Nana too much. She’s always telling me the same thing.”
“Well, I’m glad somebody pays attention to me,” Nana said.
“No, really,” I said insistently. “We don’t want to be late. After we see the doctor, we can look around all you want. I know this is a different world to you. Deer Village is a different world to me, too.”
“Fine!” Baby Deer said with a pout. “Let’s go see the people doctor.”
When we walked into the waiting room the only person there was an older woman, sitting quietly and holding a small poodle on her lap.
Baby Deer lifted his nose and started toward the poodle, but I grabbed him by the ears and whispered, “You can’t sniff other animals—and remember you can’t talk until we get out of here.”
Nana was filling out papers and Baby Deer shook his ears until I turned loose. He checked out every corner of the room. I gave him a stern look. Then he sat on his haunches in a chair next to me. I thought the poodle lady was going to faint.
“Julia, do you want you bring your pet and follow me?” said a smiling woman as she opened the door to the examining room.
“Yes, ma’am,” I answered, motioning for Baby Deer to follow.
Nana walked behind us, shaking her head. I didn’t know if the headshake was because she thought we were cute or if it was because she was afraid we were in for a big disappointment.
Dr. Tegethoff was standing in the examining room when we walked in. “Hi, Julia,” he said. “I see you have a pet deer. That’s rather unusual, but I see everything in my line of work.”
Dr. Tegethoff lifted Baby Deer, placed him on a long, high bench, and examined his clubbed hooves. Then he looked at Nana and said, “When you called you said you wanted me to straighten the hooves, right?”
“Can you fix him?” I blurted.
“Well, I have to admit I’ve never treated a deer before, and I’ve never seen any animal with clubbed hooves, paws, or claws, but this just might be the kind of challenge I’d enjoy. Who knows? If I succeed, I might make the Six O’clock News.”
I wanted to laugh and say, “Oh, you have no idea what he can do to get you on the news.”
“I want you to know that I can’t make promises, but this is what I purpose. I’ll have to break the bones in the ankle, twist them into position, insert a few screws and short rods, then put cast on his front legs.” He held his finger below the knee. “They’ll go to about here. They’ll look like boots.”
I gasped so hard I feared I had swallowed my tonsils. “No! I don’t think he can stand you breaking his bones—and all that other stuff you said!”
“Honey, Baby Deer won’t feel any pain. Dr. Tegethoff will give him an anesthetic, and he’ll be in a deep sleep. He won’t feel anything.” Nana glanced at Dr. Tegethoff. “Am I right?”
Dr. Tegethoff stroked my long red hair and said, “Your nana is right, honey. I’d never hurt an animal. What’s your pet deer’s name?”
“Baby Deer,” I said, wiping my tears.
“Baby Deer,” he repeated. “That’s fitting for now, but what are you going to call him when he is grows up?”
“I don’t know. I guess he’ll tell me,” I said without thinking. Then I slapped my hand over my mouth.
Dr. Tegethoff laughed. “She’ll ask him? That’s cute,” he said, and looked in Nana’s direction. Children talk to their pets and they think the pets can talk back. But, there’s no harm in an active imagination. That’s why Dr. Doolittle is still so popular.”
“Uh-hum,” Nana answered.
“If you’re sure you want this done, I’ll give it my best shot,” said Dr. Tegethoff, gently lifting Baby Deer and standing him on the floor. “Let me look at my schedule and see when I can get him on the books. Follow me.”
I hugged Baby Deer’s neck and whispered, “You’re doing great. I know you didn’t understand everything the doctor said, but he’s going to do everything he can to fix your hooves.”
Baby Deer opened his mouth, but I grabbed his lips and pushed them shut. “Not yet,” I whispered.
At the appointment desk, Dr. Tegethoff said, “Looks like I have an opening October 31st, Friday after next. Have him here at seven o’clock that morning, and make sure he doesn’t eat or drink anything after midnight Thursday. It’ll be a long procedure, probably three hours or so.” He petted Baby Deer’s head and said, “I’ll see you Friday after next, little fellow.”
“We’ll be here on time,” Nana said, and we headed for the car.
As we buckled up in Nana’s car, Baby Deer asked, “Can I talk now?”
“Yes, you can,” Nana answered. “The reason I told you not to talk in the doctor’s office was for safety. If word got out that we had talking deer on our property, people would trample your woods. Some people are mean. They might kidnap—make that deernap you and your parents and we’d never see you again.”
“Why would people want to deernap us?” Baby Deer asked.
“Some people have no regards for the feelings of animals. They’d probably put you and your mama and papa in a cage, and then charge money for people to gawk at you, poke you, and tease you.”
“Cage?” Baby Deer cried. “I don’t belong in a cage. I have to run free in the woods or I’ll die. My mama and papa would die, too, if they were cooped up in a cage. That’s terrible!” he said, and tucked his head under my coat.
I shuddered at the thought of people capturing the Deer family and putting them in a cage. I shuddered harder at the thought of never seeing them again.
“Don’t worry, Baby Deer. I won’t let anybody take you or your mama and papa. Your secret is safe with me and Nana and Pawpaw.” Then a terrifying through ran through my head. “Oh, spit on a monkey!” I cried. “Nana, what about Caitlin? What if she tells?”
Nana laughed. “Do you think anybody will believe her? People will only believe the Deer can talk if they hear them. And we’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“Yeah, you’re safe—as long as you don’t talk around other people,” I said.
“I won’t talk. I promise,” Baby Deer said, and grinned. I loved it when he grinned.
When we got back home, Nana and I walked Baby Deer to the woods, where Nana explained the operation to Mama and Papa Deer. Mama Deer insisted that she and Papa Deer be by Baby Deer’s side when the doctor fixed him, but Nana explained that it wouldn’t be possible. It would be too risky for the three of them.
“I understand,” Mama Deer said, lowering her head. “It’s nature’s way.”
I hugged Baby Deer, and said, “Can you come to Nana’s in the morning? She’ll fix us pancakes!” I almost added bacon to the menu, but remembered deer didn’t eat meat. At that moment, I decided I might not eat meat again, either.
“Can I, Mama?” Baby Deer asked.
“Oh, I wouldn’t deny you a good meal with Julia,” Mama Deer said.
“See you in the morning,” I said, giving Baby and Mama Deer a hug. Papa Deer didn’t like hugs that much.
The next morning, I heard a tiny voice say, “Hi little girl.” I sat up and looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was six o’clock. I walked to the window and pulled back the drapes.
Bab
y Deer had his nose pressed against the window. “Time for pancakes!” he said, and jumped up and down.
I grabbed my housecoat, slipped on my house shoes, and ran down the hallway, where I almost collided with Nana. “Baby Deer is outside,” I said.
“I thought I heard his voice,” said Nana. “He’s an early riser like Pawpaw. Go let him in while I start the pancakes—and make sure he doesn’t have mud on his hooves.”
I let him in and we watched cartoons while Nana prepared breakfast. I told him that I couldn’t spend the night at Nana’s house because I had to be home by nine o’clock, so I could go to church with Mama and Daddy the next morning.”
“You mean I won’t see you again until next Saturday?” he asked in a sad voice.
“I’m going to beg my parents to let me miss school next Friday so I can go with you when you get your hooves fixed. Friday is Halloween and we don’t study much. We have a party, but I don’t care about Halloween or trick or treating this year. I want to be with you.”
“I hope you can skip school,” Baby Deer said. “I’d sure like to have you with me.”
“I’ll beg them. And I’ll get Nana to beg them, too. I think they’ll go along with it. They know about you—although they don’t know you can talk. I don’t think they’d tell anybody, but I’m not ready to take a chance,” I said.
Nana walked into the living room and said, “I’m one step ahead of you. I’ve already talked to your mama, and she said you could spend the night here on Thursday and be with Baby Deer when he has his operation.”
“Oh, thank you, Nana!” I said, jumping up and hugging her.
“Thank you, Nana!” Baby Deer repeated, and he rubbed his head up and down Nana’s arm.
“You’re welcome,” she said. “Now, come to the table. I’ve got pancakes ready, and I’ll pour you some milk.”
Baby Deer sat in a chair, but he didn’t try to use a fork. He lowered his head and ate off the plate. I held the glass of milk to his lips, and he drank as if he had been using a glass all of his life.
As we ate, Nana gave us more good news. “Pawpaw is going to fix three piles of fresh straw in the barn so Mama and Papa Deer can be close to Baby Deer while his hooves heal.”
“Is Pawpaw going to use Daisy’s old stall? That would be a perfect place,” I asked, beaming with excitement.
“Yes, he is,” Nana answered. She looked at Baby Deer. “Daisy was Pawpaw’s horse. He had her for many years, but she foundered a few years ago and we don’t have her anymore.”
“What is founder?” Baby Deer asked.”
“Founder is when an animal overeats—and a foundered animal never gets well,” said Nana. “But let’s not talk about sad things anymore.”
“Yeah, talking about Daisy makes me sad,” I answered.
Nana looked toward me. “Pawpaw is going to bring Mama and Papa Deer to the barn on Thursday afternoon, and they’ll be here by the time I pick you up form school on Friday, Julia. And you have to make sure he doesn’t eat or drink after midnight.”
“Cool,” said Baby Deer. “I’ll get to tell Mama and Papa bye before we leave to go see Doctor Teg—I can’t say his silly name,” he said as if he were embarrassed, then he continued, “Mama and Papa are sad because they can’t go to the doctor’s office. They promised they wouldn’t talk.”
“Nana if they don’t talk, why can’t they go?” I asked.
“Because we can’t take three deer to a doctor’s office,” Nana said. “Think about it. How would we explain it? No, it’s best they stay here and wait.”
“Okay,” I said sadly. “It’s nature’s way.” Then I added, “I think nature’s way stinks!”
“Me, too,” said Baby Deer, twisting his lips as if he were pouting. “Nature’s way stinks!”
THE FIXING
Nana was waiting in the parking lot of Holy Name School when the last bell rang. I knew it was against the rules to run, so I walked as fast as my legs would go. When my feet hit pavement outside, I raced to the car as if I were in a marathon.
“Hi, sweetie. How was school?” Nana asked as I hopped into the car.
“It was the longest day of my life,” I said. “I hope you don’t have to shop anywhere before we go to your house.”
“I got my shopping done before I picked you up,” she said with a smile. “I know you’re anxious to see Baby Deer. We’ll be home in about twenty minutes.”
“Did Pawpaw bring Mama and Papa Deer to the barn?”
“He said he would have them there by the time we arrive. He worked hard to make their straw beds and he pulled the old trough close by so they’ll have water to drink. He also filled several five-gallon buckets with shelled corn and soybeans.”
“Can we cook them some people food? They like our food,” I said.
“We can’t feed them sweets, honey. Too much sugar could make them sick. However, I bought a lot of fresh vegetables. They’ll think they’re people before long,” Nana said, and she gave one of her “Nana laughs” as only she could do.
Nana pulled under the carport. I almost jumped from the car before Nana had it in park. I raced toward the barn, where I found Pawpaw holding the hose and filling the trough with water.
“Hi Pawpaw,” I said as I hugged him.
“Hi, Sweet Pea,” he said. “I’m doing my best to make a home for the Deer. I hope they like it.”
“We sure do,” came a familiar voice.
I whirled around to see Mama, Papa and Baby Deer sticking their heads around the wall of the stall. I ran and hugged them. Then I walked back to Pawpaw’s side.
“Let me hold the hose,” I said, taking the hose from Pawpaw’s hand before he could protest. He watched me closely, and I was waiting for him to tell me not to get water on the floor and make a mud puddle. His smile told me I was doing okay.
“They’ll be safe in the barn,” Pawpaw said, bending down to whisper in my ear. “In a few days it’ll be hunting season and the woods will be full of hunters.”
I sucked in my breath. “Oh, thank goodness you got them in time. I know they live in Deer Village and they think they’re safe, but hunters could find them,” I said, but my heart hurt knowing I couldn’t collect all the deer in the woods and bring them to the barn so they would be safe, too.
“Baby Deer, do you want to go into the house with me?” I asked. “We can watch SpongeBob.”
Mama Deer edged her way to my side and said, “Julia, I’d like Baby Deer to stay with me until it’s time for you to put him to bed. I can’t go with him tomorrow, so I want all the time I can get before you take him.”
“I understand, Mama Deer. I’ll come get him about nine o’clock. Oh, I forgot, deer don’t do time, but you’ll have a few hours. I’ll hold my horses,” I said.
Mama Deer cocked her head as she often did when I made a statement she didn’t understand.
“It’s just a saying,” I said. “I don’t hold real horses. It means I’ll hold my patience. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon,” Baby Deer said.
Pawpaw brought Baby Deer inside a little before nine. Nana made a pallet for him close to the sofa. “Julia you can sleep on the sofa but I don’t want you two giggling all night. You have to get up early in the morning. Goodnight,” she said, spreading a blanket over me.
I dangled my arm down so my fingers could touch Baby Deer and we fell asleep.
Baby Deer was awake before five o’clock the next morning. He nudged me with his nose. “I want to go tell Mama and Papa bye before we go to the doctor,” he said.
I opened the back door and Baby Deer ran to the barn. Then I went back to the sofa and fell asleep. The sound of Nana rattling pots and pans woke me by six o’clock.
I hurried to the table, ready for my oatmeal and buttered toast, feeling guilty eating because Baby Deer couldn’t have breakfast.
Nana and I were ready, and I headed for the barn by six-thirty. I watched Mama and Papa Deer nuzzle Baby Deer, telling him goodbye.
As Baby Deer climbed into the back seat, he said, “I know I can’t talk when we get there. I won’t forget, Nana. I’ll tick a lock.”
“Good boy,” Nana said. Then she looked at me and asked, “Julia, did you bring something to entertain yourself with while we wait?”
“I brought a book,” I said. “I’m reading Becoming Naomi Leon. It’s about a little girl who is raised by her nana and they live in a trailer, but they live in a trailer park instead of on a farm. I’ll keep my mind busy so I won’t get antsy.”
“Good girl,” Nana answered.
We arrived at the doctor’s office a little early and we had to wait a few minutes before Dr. Tegethoff came into the waiting room and announced they we ready to begin.
I hugged Baby Deer and told him I loved him and I would be praying for him. He licked my arm and then trotted behind Dr. Tegethoff as if he were going to a party.
“He’s not scared at all, Nana. I’d be scared to death.”
“He doesn’t know enough to be scared, and that’s good,” Nana replied. “Now, let’s hold hands and pray the operation is a success.” We held hands, bowed our heads and silently prayed. Then I lay my head in Nana’s lap and closed my eyes.
I jolted when I heard Dr. Tegethoff’s voice. “Everything went without a hitch,” he said happily. “I think I did a good job if I say so myself. He’s awake, but he’s a bit groggy, so I’ll carry him to the car for you.”
“Are you done already?” I asked.
“All done,” he replied. “My assistant will give you instructions on how to care for him once you get him back home. I know he’ll be in good hands.”
The assistant gave Nana a bottle of penicillin, saying, “Give him one tablet ever four hours. Open his mouth and push the pill to the back of his throat and he’ll swallow. Give him two Tylenol every four hours for fever and pain. Keep him on a pile of hay or straw and keep him warm, but don’t get him too hot. A light blanket should do.”