THE SHEEP THAT “PROVED ME INNOCENT
by Jim Rose

‘If you don't stop that racket upstairs, I swear I'll be up with the belt!’ How often did Dad bellow those words of warning, I wonder? It seemed that I was always the one blamed for the bouncing on the bed and the banging against the walls at bedtime. I will tell you though, it was rarely I doing the jumping up there. Basil and Terry always seemed to get away with everything! Sometimes it felt like I was fighting a losing battle! But when things would get too much for me to handle on my own, I'd run to Mom. She would always say that I was the good, quiet boy! My mother had such wisdom! It's funny though, that it took a sheep to prove my innocence.

Fall in Merasheen was ii beautiful time of the year. I fondly recall playing outside in the cool, crisp weather with my buddy, Vivian Hann. With the summer over, we could explore down on the stage without being attacked by a swarm of those ever dreaded black flies. We loved autumn the most because that was the time of the year that Dad would drive the sheep home. No roller blades back then. The only means of experiencing the joy of speeding through the meadow was managing to grab on to a nice fat sheep and letting ‘er go. I was pretty good at that, or so I thought. Hanging on wasn't much of an issue for me. My problem was learning how to let go. I don't know, I maybe I was a slow learner, but this terror of a sheep was going to teach me a lesson I'd never forget.

She was into a nice little trot when she saw me coming at her, all out. I was like a man on a mission. I neared her and she picked up the pace. She wasn't getting away from me. After all, I was the world champion sheep rider. I reached out and grabbed on for dear life. We were off and boy, was it awesome! I was having the most magnificent ride of my whole 7 years of life. With my eyes closed and the wind in my hair, I could swear that I was flying down a ski slope. Flying down I was, but it wasn't a nice mound of snow I was landing on. It was the bottom of the cliff. That demented animal had decided that she had enough of me and was making certain that I wasn't about to attempt a second ride.

I don't recall much about the next few days. I'm told that I was ‘out cold". Thankfully my brother Edwin was helping Mr. Tom Houlihan unload freight from his boat and saw it all. He picked me up, body and bones and carted me home to dear “ol Mom. Apparently it was quite a fall. I think this not only because of the stories I have been told but because of the huge scars I have on my head. I don't remember anyone with any medical background treating my injuries. However, I do remember Father Lewis performing one of his many miracles. When I finally came around, he was standing over me telling me how relieved everyone was that I was still around and chastising me for pulling such a stupid and dangerous stunt...all in the one breath.

Now I know that I should be saddened and sorry that this terrible accident occurred. And I am, well, sort of. The gashes were a small price to pay for the satisfaction I experienced on my first ‘conscious’ night. Needless to say, I was almost totally incapacitated and lay in bed while Basil and Terry continued with their nightly ritual of bed-hopping and rough housing. I was quite uncomfortable as we all shared the same bed. But never mind...it was all worth it when Dad stormed into the bedroom door with Mom close behind. ‘Keep the noise down in here. What is the matter with you Jimmy?’ There, he said it. I know I heard it and there I was, not able to move a muscle in my beat up little body. That's when the heavens opened up and my mother, with the voice of an angel said, ‘There John, didn't I tell you,
Jimmy is as innocent as a new bride!“ Alleluia! At last my prayers were answered. What a relief it was to finally prove to Dad that Basil and Terry were the real culprits! It was more a relief to know that I wasn't going to be the recipient of the ensuing punishment.

That night as I said my prayers, I remembered all of my family and friends and of course, those who had gone before us, but I offered up a special blessing for that dirty, old, woolly sheep that without even knowing it battered my little body, but more importantly, PROVED ME INNOCENT!