Movie star goats....

Weird.  It was weird. 

I loaded up the 2 youngest goats - they are smaller, malleable, friendly, interested in new things.  I had grain, hay and a 5 gal bucket o' water cuz I didn't know how hot it'd be, if they needed them to do something for them and the goats would need to be plied with grain or what.... brought Toe with.

Drove 1.5 hrs up the canyon to Pingree Park - there is NO cell reception there.  I was praying the directions were good otherwise there would be no way to find them - huge National Park - tons of people camping etc.

I get to the first fork, take the right and the directions are that I should take my first right from that road.... I'm going down this single lane dirt road.... been going prolly 10-15 min and a car comes from the other way - I pull to the side to stop and let him past - he rolls down his window and says he's the rancher that owns the land they are "filming" on... says one of his sons is part of it and sort of rolls his eyes... tells me to go exactly 1.4 miles and there is a really steep road on the right where their campsite is.  

Found the campsite - let the goats out who had peed and pooped in the back of the car and lets all hear it for those rubber Subaru mats!   I took that out and drained all the pee off it... flipped it over and rubbed it around on the grass....it was gross and I heard a couple of the guys exclaim "whoa..."  due to the gross factor....

The guys introduce themselves... then we load up and move on to where they are filming....

2 guys are dressed I guess in older time clothes - one takes the goats - is asking me how to make them follow him and I'm like... uh, walk forward and pull them, they will follow you.... little goaties just going along with whomever cuz they are thinking...where ARE we? 

One guy goes up the mountain with the goats.... the other guy has a shotgun.   I'm joking "there will be no shooting of the goats right?"  crickets.   The scene is that these 2 guys stole these goats as they are making their way back home...

The one with the gun yells out - "Jed, they're makin' too much noise - get 'em outta here now - take 'em up the trail"  and the other guy walks across the scene leading the goats.  (of course the goats are completely silent... guess they'll have to edit in some goat noises eh?)


They are doing this over and over to get the right lighting etc.   I ask if they need me there or if I can go hiking with the dog?  They tell me to go do whatever and they'll be done in an hour or so and there is another place they want to go to shoot some other scene involving the goats....

I hike around with Toe - there was a stream so that was good for cooling and water for him... .TONS of biting flies... my ankles are chewed up and I am itching them between typing....

Got back to the cars - they weren't done and I sat in the car with the air on, windows up to avoid flies.... listened to NPR.... ate sunflower seeds.... they get back an hour later and say they shot the other scene cuz they found a good spot to do it further up....

The one guy - I think he would have been what some might call "the director" says "oh, your compensation".... he pulls out this sweaty, pathetic, crumpled $5 bill and three ones....stammers and says he has more money at the campsite.  At this point I just want to leave and get home....

I say - uh - why don't you give your Dad some good beer, he can give it to Mrs. Kravitz at work and she will give it to me.  Kid's face lights up - oh!  good beer!  oh!  ok!  That can be your compensation!

I ask them if the goats will be screamin' out their names in the night.... nothing... crickets.... alrighty then.  Figure they must be super serious about their art and immune to any sort of humor....

They hand me the goats and walk back up to where all the equipment is... goats are thinkin' - What!?  We've been in and out of that damn station wagon twice already... no way jose!   I'm left wrasslin with goats and getting them in the car... the kids finally turn around and shout down - "do you need help?"  


No shit sherlock.   I had gotten the goats in, shut the hatch door and waved the kids off....

Got home....Mrs. Kravitz calls and says WHAT?  about the compensation.  She says no way - you need $100.  I'm going to make his Dad feel so guilty and tell him that his kid screwed my best friend and get you $100.

Whatever Mrs. Kravitz - it's fine - I don't care....

Do you think this is how Joe Camp of Benji fame got started?   heh heh