Caution: I stop for burros

My favorite animal.

Burros.

We had a couple back in the late Eighties in New Hampshire.

They had been saved from the slaughterhouse door by Cleveland Amory, animal-rights activist.

Smart and friendly many people think of them as dumb and stubborn. Well, in my experience, that is just another

bogus urban-style legend. They are now widely used as the equivalent of farm watch dogs. Don’t mess with them, coyotes.

I spotted – pun intended – this friendly, gentled white and black Jenny on a back road while returning from Columbus.

She came right over to the fence as I approached and said hello.

With the back of my hand presented carefully to her I passed the smell test. And did she love that gentle inside-ear scratch!

After a few minutes of conversation I had to leave, promising to return soon with a nice, juicy apple.

I’ve never known a burro to refuse one.

Sure hope the owner’s won’t mind.