One morning when Cleo was about four or five, he was playing near the barn and watching our neighbor’s guineas that had come visiting. Guineas are not like ordinary farm animals. They are built something like chickens, but they are much more dominant and loud. I can see that it would be easy to become irritated with guineas, especially their noise.
I guess Cleo was vexed by one guinea in particular. This one had flown over the fence into the field. Apparently, he kept right on squawking. Cleo kept telling the guinea to shut up. But guineas do not listen, and Cleo’s patience ran out, I guess. He grabbed a rock and threw it at the guinea. Remember he was only four or five years old. He was probably shocked when the rock hit the guinea in the head, causing it to fall over. Cleo picked up that unconscious guinea, threw him back over the fence, and said, “Now go home!”