I’ve always had an interest in magic and consider myself a better than average prestidigitator. I also consider myself a better than average animal trainer so I thought that one day I’d be discovered and given a one year residency in Las Vegas. I can envision my name up in lights on some giant marquee on the strip… The Great Pittsy And His Flying Sheep Show.
For my first trick I’d bring out my thirty Rhode Island Red chickens. I’d place them in a long sandbox and to hypnotize them I’d lay them in the sand with their head extended and their eyes facing the crowd. Then, one by one I’d put my index finger right in front of their eyes and draw a straight line. Farm folk probably know this trick but the city slickers who’ll see my show in Vegas would get just as excited about this trick as I did the first time I saw it. I’d leave all 30 chickens in this hypnotic trance throughout my show.
Cindy, the best dog I ever had would be the star of my second trick. With Cindy watching me I’d pull a real rabbit out of a hat and then Cindy would one-up me by walking behind the stage props, picking up a white rabbit in her tender mouth and bringing it to me. By the time Cindy had retrieved the sixth rabbit the crowd would be on their feet. I got the idea for this trick one time when I forgot to latch the door on the hutch of my feedlot full of rabbits and they all jumped out. Cindy found every one and brought them to me without a scratch on them.
For the next act I’d have to borrow the intelligent dog that belongs to my horseshoer Monte Mills. Monte and his Lucky Horseshoe Band are an entertainment fixture in my neck of the woods and I thought Monte might let me use his dog if I brought him along to provide musical interludes between acts. I’d ask Monte’s dog, “What do all these painted ladies on street corners in the gaudier parts of town do to make a living?” And right on cue Monte’s dog would roll over on its back and move all four paws and legs up and down.
If you’ve raised sheep you know about this. If you place a small hurdle that the sheep have to jump over to get their feed the sheep will virtually fly over it. But here’s the thing: after a week of this you can remove the hurdle and the sheep will still jump over the hurdle that is no longer there. Thus the name of my act… The Great Pittsy And His Flying Sheep Show.
No show would be complete without an appearance by my wonder horse Gentleman. Anyone who has seen the cover of my book, A Gentleman and A Scholar, is aware that I can get Gentleman to let out a big horse laugh which I taught him by putting his bit in the freezer. So I’d tell a couple corny jokes and right on cue Gentleman would laugh his butt off. Then I’d ask Gentleman what I owed him for his performance and he’d reach inside my heavily sequined jacket and pull a carrot from the inside pocket.
For the final act I’d bring out Huey, Louie, Phooey and Gooey, four purebred Brahma yearling bulls that were easily the smartest, most gentle cattle I’ve ever owned. Every day I fed them some cubes that they’d eat out of my hand. Then one day I tricked Huey, by reaching into the feed sack and offering my hand to him, except this time there was nothing there. Huey immediately shook his head and his giant ears went all flopping around making a really funny sound and pretty soon all four bulls were doing the same thing. It was one of the funniest things I’d ever seen and the crowd would eat it up. I’d also taught the bulls to follow me around in single file and that’s how I’d conclude my show by walking off the stage followed by the bulls.
Of course the show would be so great the audience would demand on encore so me and all my co-stars would go back on stage and wake up all the chickens.
