Premonition
I knew the cow would be born last night. We traveled by night bus, crossed a border, took a rickshaw, boarded a jeep, spent the night in a nasty hotel complete with dead cockroach in the corner, walked a mile and a half with all of our bags to the little room next to the pregnant cow who was due any day. I knew the cow would give birth that night. We had arrived just in time.
In India, cows coexist with the army, traffic insanity, they eat garbage, they have a special holiday where people dress and greet them and feed them holiday foods. They are worshiped and blessed. On the night of our arrival in Kalimpong, a cow was born. There was electricity in the air, and lightning. It was beshert, it was meant to be. Animals give birth at night during lightning. At least that’s how it happens in books. We awoke to a beautiful new day and an adorable new life.
jello
