Among
the many disturbing news and touching stories about current
devastating flooding in Northern Croatia, touch to the heart is
the report of one rescue worker: just before he lifted an old man
into the boat (water was already around five feet high), the man
kissed his cow and told her that they will never see each other
again.
Just
imagine a small farm where a single cow is the most essential part
of the household. Cow gives milk used for the variety of foods.
Cow gives manure used as the fertilizer in the field and vegetable
garden. Cow is pulling a wooden wagon, the only vehicle in the
household; just better standing families in the village can afford
an ox for the job. Cow is pulling a plow to turn the soil in the
field, there’s no an ox or a horse for the job. Cow will bear a
calf to be sold - the household is economically pretty independent
but some things you have to buy. Listen, I have not made this up,
those are my childhood memories of my uncle’s (my father’s
oldest brother) household in a small village in Northern Croatia.
And
now imagine flood taking everything, including the cow, from an
old man.