Little Eddie had a baby goat. It was brown. He called it Ramshackle. Eddie’s mother wondered where he got the name from.
“Where on earth did you dig up a name like that?” she said.
Eddie was the youngest in the family, by far. All his brothers and sisters had grown up and left home. Eddie had appeared unexpectedly and miles down the track. There was just him and his Mum and Dad, and Ramshackle. They lived way in the middle of nowhere, so Eddie didn’t have anyone to play with.
Eddie and Ramshackle did everything together before and after school. They would walk the long, long drive to check what the postman had left in the box. They would play on the lawn, and Ramshackle would jump and butt but never hurt a fly.
Eddie’s Dad helped Eddie build a goat house, because goats don’t like rain. “You’re a wimp,” said Eddie.
One morning, Ramshackle wasn’t there. There was a note on his house that read, “Thanks for the curry ha ha ha.” His father saw the note before Eddie got to it and took it away. Eddie searched and searched for Ramshackle and couldn’t find him.
His Dad didn’t know what to do. He sat Eddie on his knee and told him the truth.
For his next birthday, Eddie was taken to the Animal Shelter, and he was allowed to choose whatever puppy he wanted.