Emmie Lou was walking along Gumdrop Avenue in the town of Clickity-Clack with her two pups Rufus and Rosco. It was a very hot day. She saw a white blur ahead. Emmie Lou blinked hard to see if it was something real.
As Emmie Lou got closer she saw that a pretty teen-age girl was coming towards them wheeling something large and white on a platform.
“Hey!” Emmie Lou said, “Is that a cow?”
“This is my cow,” the girl said. “Her name is Milky Whey.”
“How do you do, Milky Whey?” Emmie Lou introduced herself and her two pups.
“What is she made of?” Emmie Lou gave Milky Whey a gentle pat.
“I made her out of hopes and dreams and papier-mache,” the girl said.
“You must be an Artist,” Emmie Lou said.
“In a manner of speaking.”
“Well, she looks really real.”
“She is real,” the girl said. “She is just playing at being a cow until the world is ready.”
“Ready? Ready for what?”
“Ready for the time when Milky Whey can breathe the fresh air and smell the flowers.”
“Oh yes, of course,” Emmie Lou hadn't understood a thing. “If she ever needs a good home, you can count on us. Here's my card.”
“I'll keep that in mind.” The girl put the card in her pocket.
“Bye for now.” Emmie Lou and her two pups watched the girl with the papier-mache cow move on down the street.
A couple of weeks later the phone rang: “Hi! Do you remember me? I met you and your pups with Milky Whey on Gumdrop Avenue .”
“Oh I sure do. How is Milky Whey?”
“She's looking for a new home.”
“Bring her right over,” Emmie Lou said. “Who shall I tell the doorman I'm expecting?”
“Angel.” There was a click at the other end of the phone.
Before Emmie Lou had a chance to tell Rufus and Rosco that a friend was moving in, she found herself greeting Milky Whey as Angel wheeled her through the doorway. “She's bigger than I remembered,” Emmie Lou whispered.
“Yes, she's life-size. Your apartment will be perfect. There's not much furniture so she can move around.”
“Move around?”
“In a manner of speaking,” Angel said.
Rufus and Rosco were delighted to have a new friend. They couldn't stop wagging their tails.
Taking one long last look at Milky Whey, Angel said, “She's a treasure. Remember that she can be a wonderful friend.” And moving towards the door, “The only thing is, you must find a new home for Milky Whey in one year.”
“Why is that?”
“She wants to spread the message.”
“Oh yes of course.” Emmie Lou was at a complete loss.
“I must be going. Bye for now.”
Emmie Lou and her pups watched the girl walk down the hall and on into the elevator.
“We'll take good care of Milky Whey. We understand cows. Bye for now . . . Angel,” Emmie Lou said as the elevator door closed.
Emmie Lou thought she heard a lonely ‘Moo' sound. She turned around but there was only Milky Whey, the papier-mache cow.
Milky Whey fit right into Emmie Lou's home. Rufus and Rosco loved her. They always wanted to be near her. They must have kept bumping into her because she would never stay in one spot. Emmie Lou's friends thought she was great fun. They marveled at how real she looked. A few would even pet her. They felt more light-hearted with a cow listening in on the conversation. Milky Whey brought happiness.
Emmie Lou and her pups slept in the same room with Milky Whey. One night, during Emmie Lou's sleep, she heard a cowbell. Turning toward the tinkling bell she saw to her amazement that Milky Whey was walking. She was walking on air. “What are you doing?” Emmie Lou thought.
“Hi, Emmie Lou. I'm stretching my legs a bit”.
“Who are you?”
“I'm Milky Whey's Spirit. I'm waiting to come into the world.”
The papier-mache cow was standing, facing the bed. The Spirit Cow was hovering in the air. Rufus and Rosco were sleeping peacefully.
All of a sudden, Milky Whey's Spirit threw back her head and sang out a loud: “SOY!”
“I beg your pardon?”
“SOY!” she wailed again along with a brief tap-step with her hooves.
“I didn't catch your drift.”
“SOY!” crooned Milky Whey's Spirit, “Its My Dream.”
“I thought this was MY dream,” Emmie Lou said.
“I can dream in your dream too. Dreams are wonderful places to meet.”
“Okay. But what do you mean by “SOY?”
“SOY is hope! SOY is love! SOY is a miracle! SOY is the plant of peace! It's a legume, a protein vegetable. It's easy to grow and good to eat. It can taste like almost anything: meats, cheese, milk and yogurt. It could save lives. It can keep our water pure, the grass green and the forest intact. Come with me and I'll show you.”
A pasture suddenly appeared around Milky Whey's Spirit. It was full of bright green plants with bushy tops. “Isn't it beautiful?
“Once, not too long ago, I was born on a farm as a real cow. The sun was shining. The flowers were blooming. The grass was growing. Our cow family and the other animals all felt like brothers and sisters. We were happy. But as I grew older I became aware that there were shadows. One came in the afternoon to our barn door. My Father was taken away and he never came back. Another shadow came early in the morning. My Mother was taken away; she never came back. And then one day, the shadow fell on me. I was put in a truck. That truck door shut and everything was blackness. My life on earth was over.” A shudder ran through Milky Whey's Spirit and a tear gently ran down her cheek.
Emmie Lou wiped a tear from her eyes and gently said, “Milky Whey, now you are here with us. It's you and I and Rufus and Rosco. We're in this together.”
“Yes, but I'm here in spirit only. That's why I have a dream. I dream that someday, I will be a real cow again – grazing on a real farm – with my real animal brothers and sisters.” Milky Whey's voice grew stronger, “And when that day comes, there will be SOY! In the fields – SOY! On the mountains – SOY! On the dinner table! My heart yearns for such a day. In the meantime, there is hunger in the world.”
“Milky Whey's Spirit, let's go to sleep. Maybe tomorrow, the sun will shine.”
“Yes, Angel told me to try to stay light-hearted. That's why she made me out of papier-mache. She tries to promote cow-appreciation in an upbeat way. Some of her artist friends made designer cows, which stood all over Clickety-Clack City . Maybe you saw them? It's late I know. I will bid you a goodnight.”
“Goodnight Milky Whey's Spirit…AND…. is there anything you want me to do?
“Give Milky Whey to someone who will be kind to her. And remember….”SOY!”
The cow-spirit turned towards the window – took a deep spirit-breath – there was a tinkling of a cowbell and then…. nothing.
Emmie Lou put on the light. Her pups Rufus and Rosco were still sleeping, but she saw that the papier-mache Milky Whey was now facing the open window.
The next day Emmie Lou noticed that it had been almost a year since Milky Whey had come to live with her and her pups. Emmie Lou knew exactly the right new home for Milky Whey – but first she wanted to celebrate having Milky Whey as a friend. She would have a party.
People came from far and wide – there was Renata, there was Bill, there was Gerhard, there was Jill, there was Jane and Harry – Doris and Larry and many others. Emmie Lou had presents and laughter and cake and fruit. Barbara sang a song. Andy acted a skit. Gretchen told a story. Rufus and Rosco ate almost a whole cake when no one was looking. Milky Whey wore a red ribbon and had a red balloon tied around her neck. Emmie Lou gave out Milky Whey tee shirts. The guests all threw confetti and then the party was over.
The next day Milky Whey waited patiently for the two moving men. She still had the red balloon around her neck. She looked so alone standing in the lobby. Rufus and Rosco didn't understand where their friend had gone. Emmie Lou gave Milky Whey a big hug and a kiss. She thanked Milky Whey for being a part of their lives and whispered in her papier-mache ear that Emmie Lou and the pups would never ever forget her. She thought she heard a faint ‘Moo' as she entered the elevator. Because she was crying she didn't turn around.
If you want to visit Milky Whey she is at a fabric store in Clickity- Clop, the next town over. She stands in their window. You'll find her if you really want to. Emmie Lou's friend Dana Dee runs the store and is watching over Milky Whey and says that she is really happy. All the fabrics in the store – the many colors of blue and violet and red and yellow -- surround her like flowers. She visits with all the people who are coming and going so she isn't lonesome. The workers in the store dress her in fashion to celebrate each holiday.
She's worn golden ribbons, a Halloween mask, flowers around her neck, a Santa's hat with mistletoe pinned on it and now a floppy sunhat with all kind of fruits on the brim. She's bringing joy to people's hearts. At night her spirit sings with great gusto, “SOY! SOY! SOY!”. If you listen very closely, you might hear her hooves doing their little tap-dance. She knows that in a year's time she will be visiting another place. And she knows that someday – she hopes not too long in the future – that all humans and cows will be friends.
© copyright 2005 marian hailey-moss