It's an Animal Thing

I drive quite a bit.  I like the feeling of moving along the road, with a view of green pastures on occasion. In Texas that's not a rare thing, even in a city as large as San Antonio. Small farms dot the landscape.  A strange thing happens to me when I pass a herd of cows.

I moo at the bovines.

I can't help it. I know that the cows can't hear me.  I know that they wouldn't care, even if they did.  They're cows, and more concerned with chewing than much else.  And knowing that doesn't mean a darn thing.  As soon as I see a cow, I moo at it.  This makes attending parties at ranches a bit awkward.

I've been doing this for years.  As long as I can remember, anyway.  I also bark at dogs, and meow at strange cats, but nobody comments on that.  I guess it is more socially acceptable to do that.  To moo at cows, on the other hand, is considered passing strange.

I was happy, some years back to find out that a name had been given to my malady.  Rich Hall, a comedian from the 80s, would make up words he called "Sniglets".  Among these I found the word "bovilexia", which is the uncontrollable urge to yell "moo" when passing a herd of cows.  That's it!  I thought.  And obviously, I can't be the only one who hollers at cows, since somebody up and made a word up to describe it.  What a relief, at least for me.  Not the poor cows, assaulted by the random 'moo' of passerby all day long.

Times have changed.  I've accepted my crazy. I even change it up on occasion.  These days, I pass other animals on my way to work, including goats, sheep, a llama and a donkey.  

I holler at the cows. "MOOO!!!" 

I holler at the llama.  "HEY LLAMA!!! WHAT'S UP?"

I holler at the donkey.  "YO DONKEY!!!"

I still holler at the goats and sheep, "BAA!", because sheep and goats don't have time for my shenanigans.