[Iowanian]

In the early fall of 1979 or maybe 1980 a young, impressionable kidowanian and kid brother followed our grandpa and great uncle out to the barn yard. As was common during that time we did chores, fed chickens, and followed as he dumped buckets of ground corn into the bunks. To this day the smell of ground corn or coffee remind me of my grandpa.

This day something was different as they brought a tractor beyond the yard and instead of feeding the fat pig, one of them was herded nearby. I see uncle bob bring out my grandpas butcher gun. It was a single shot he had ordered from a Sears catalogue when he returned from WWII, complete with the tip broken off the trigger as it arrived. I watched him mark the x on the forehead with chalk and with a crack.....the beastie dropped onto the ground shivering. Grandpa told me to come as he had a task and I bolted to the nearby cornfield to fetch the cob he had requested. Being always inquisitive I asked the purpose, and as honest grandpas do, he answered as he inserted the cob into the south end of the pig and said something about plugging the anus so the meat wasn't fowled. They the pig was hoisted with the loader, gutted and hung to season.

I was somewhat traumatized.

Keep in mind the year is near 1980, Friday nights the most popular show is very influential on young boys. The Dukes of hazard ruled the airwaves....before young boys went to bed before the dirty show....Dallas. Came on.

The next morning sitting in a church pew I couldn't help but stair at my grandpa, still bewildered and wonder......why on earth would he do THAT to Enos.....

A couple of weeks before he died he called me indoors and gifted me the butcher rifle.....my most prized possession.