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If only I could find an illustrator, I know I could create the most beautiful children's book about this most beautiful donkey. He was a most special boy as readers of The Witness newspaper remember till today.
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Darryl David wrote an obituary for One Ear on Facebook. He gave LitNet permission to use it and provided a few more lines to be included here:
Today we awoke to the sad news that our boy One Ear had died.
He was with us for 19 years, 15 of which while we were in Howick, then the last 4 years with Mike and Judy Lowry on their farm when we moved to the Cape.
One Ear came to us when the world was still young. Kiara David was only 2 or 3 years old. Book Town Richmond had not seen the light of day.
When you tell people your donkey died, they are conditioned to laugh, such is the stigma attached to a donkey. But he was a member of our family. I turned down a job at UWC because of him. And every time we came down from the Cape and went to visit the donkeys, a part of me died whenever they would start crying and running towards us.
You know people say donkeys are so stupid. I really don't know where that comes from. In my almost 20 years with donkeys, I found them to be supremely intelligent.
For instance, whenever snow was on the way in the KZN Midlands, they would start running around in the shape of an 8. Almost like dodgem cars, coming at each other from opposite directions and hee-hawing all the while. And as they dodged each other, they would playfully kick at each other. This could carry on for 10 minutes and more. I think they did this to raise their bodies’ temperature, because I never saw them do this at any other time. Whenever I saw them do this, I always knew that snow might be on the way.
It is with a smile that I think back to how my donkey cured me of a serious ailment. I often get a slipped disc in my neck after excessive marking. It is so painful I have to be hospitalised and walk with my hand raised in the air, like an eager child raising his hand in the classroom. So here I was in hospital with the orthopaedic surgeon suggesting a serious operation. But that day my wife told me my donkey is sick. Her feet are extremely sore. And she is sitting for long periods of time. And not eating.
We lost a young foal once and we knew that once a donkey sits down, it is a bad sign. And so, I told the doctor that I needed to be discharged, that my donkey needed me.
The surgeon was so incensed, she told me not to come back to her when my condition deteriorated, which it would, she said.
So with one hand in the air, I returned home and I started mixing Epsom salts and hot water. I would go down to soak the donkey’s foot for as long as she could stand. I would do this about four times a day.
By the third day – would you believe it – not only was the donkey running around again, but my own arm was cured. The pain had disappeared.
To this day, I have never had reason to visit that orthopaedic surgeon again.
My donkey cured me, I always tell my parents, who were even worse to put up with than the orthopaedic surgeon. 🤣🤣🤣
Thank you to all the people who took care of our donkeys when we went away on holiday or to book festivals: Duncan Guy, Trish Beaver, Sheivine Datadin, Cielle Trichardt, Clive Forbes Wilson, Howick Large Animal Clinic, The Timm family of Mooi River who were their farriers, Hopewell Farm Supplies. But especially Mike and Judy Lowry who gave them a home when we moved to the Cape and allowed us to visit them every holiday.
Sadly we have no pictures with One Ear. He was a rescued donkey and must have been treated badly, because he never allowed anyone to touch him or hug him. Only the farriers ever succeeded – after an hour or so of protestations.
If only I could find an illustrator, I know I could create the most beautiful children's book about this most beautiful donkey. He was a most special boy as readers of The Witness newspaper remember till today.
Rest in peace our little boy. Till we meet again in fields of gold up in heaven.
See also:
Persverklaring: David Kramer skryf en neem ’n spesiale liedjie op vir die donkies by Eseltjiesrus