George

Once upon a time there was a goat named George who liked to travel. He had traveled all across the world, but there was one place he had never visited. Greece- he had always wanted to go there, but just never had the time, since he was visiting all these other places. So one day, George packed his bags, boarded a plane, and set off on the adventure of a lifetime.1

George loved traveling, because he felt like he could reinvent himself in every new place; life was hard for a goat. Back on the Hardscrabble Farm where he grew up, he had to walk twenty miles just to graze each day. And when it got to be winter, it was next to impossible to find food, which was why George enjoyed traveling to warm, tropical climates. Greece was his dream vacation, his paradise, his Mecca. His entire plane ride was spent in excited anticipation for the landing in Athens. He tore through his guidebooks digesting every morsel of information, trying to decide where to visit first. And by digesting, I do mean digesting- he is a goat, after all. With such a full stomach, he began to drift off to sleep. 2

As the plane touched down, George awoke suddenly, peering out the window at the Greek landscape around him. It didn't look at all like he had expected. It was gray and raining, and from what he could tell there was no delicious grass anywhere. Tall, foreboding buildings rose around him. People with scowling faces stared at him from all corners. Where were all the elegant ruins? He didn't see one lady goat that tickled his fancy. This couldn't possibly be Greece! Not his beloved Greece, the one he'd dreamed about for so long! 3

But was it—? could it be—? From far away, he had caught a glimpse of the ocean! He stumbled towards it through the vile city streets, hoping, praying. His hooves hit the hard pavement, but he barely noticed the pain, his mind focused on the beach, until, finally, his poor hooves sunk into brilliant white sand. The glorious sun shone down on him, and the sapphire waves lapped an his ankles. He frolicked in the waves for hours, building sandcastles out of glistening sand and munching on the surrounding vegetation. Sampling the local cuisine, he found the delicate salted flavor of seaweed most delicious. He decided to spend the night on the beach under the moon and stars; after all, what need does a goat have for a hotel?