I’ve always had animals. Big animals. Small ones. I’ve loved them all, no matter how smelly, loud, or stubborn. Then there was Ferdie…

Ferdie was our first ram who started growing horns almost immediately, eventually having huge curled horns like the biblical shofars. But it wasn’t Ferdie’s horns that gave him his infamy, it was his taste in music!

It started on a warm, sunny day. The school year was almost over, and I was ready for the work day to end so I could go home and sit on my porch for a while.

Just then, my assistant popped her head through the door of my office. “Kris, OV is on the line.”

Not again! The youngest two of our children were both attending OV, the local middle/high school. Getting calls about their shenanigans was not unusual, and I was too warm to want to deal with a son-induced headache. I sighed. “Put it through.”

The principal’s oh-too familiar voice flowed through the line, but sounded somewhat strangled. What had my sons done now? “Hey, Kris.”

“Jim.” I nervously responded.

“Kris, do you have a sheep?”

That took me aback. “Yes.”

“Does he like Hendrix?” I was speechless. What kind of a question was that? He continued, now clearly trying to hold back his laughter. “There’s a Honda Civic in the circle, and a large ram is buckled in the back seat, listening to Hendrix. This wouldn’t be your sheep, would it?”

Of course it was. Who else would have a car-riding, Hendrix-listening sheep? It seems it was an early release day for seniors, and our middle son had gone to our home with friends to play basketball. Our ram, Ferdie, was blatting at them, and they let him out to play. When it was time for them to go pick up a friend, they decided Ferdie was bored and let him into the car.

Ferdie sat in the back seat, safely buckled in, riding around town while listening to the blasting Hendrix, and occasionally joining in with his baritone blat.

Years have passed, and Ferdie has gone on to other adventures. Now, our lambs and ewes love to listen to music as well, but aren’t as keen on the car rides. They far prefer to explore their world on hoof in the sunshine, not head-bang in the back of a Civic.