Steer

The customers in the cable company lobby were stunned, but not alarmed. These were small town folks, slow to stir up. A full-grown steer isn't what you expect to meet at Regency Cable, although the monopoly area provider could sling plenty of its own company BS  The service rate hikes have come fast and hard since the so-called industry de-regulation. Folks were promised lower rates thru competition, exact opposite happened. Now, it's tough luck, you pay the frequent rate hikes, or go find a pricey dish to install, or go back to fifty-cent paperbacks, unconnected.

Marilyn Mason, captive customer for the past decade, decided to respond to the last steep rate hike in person. Rural neighbor, Marilyn had a small dairy farm outside of town, remaining prosperous running things solo, after her husband passed three years prior.

Marilyn, inspired also by her dear husband's utter contempt for Regency, decided writing letters wasn't enough. So, one extra-fine September morning, Marilyn strolled the mile and a half into town with one of her four steers, then straight into the company's lobby. A manager flew out of his cubicle, but the standoff had already begun, the rate increase protest now official. Marilyn began talking to everyone about why she had come, with the manager yelling at her to leave, or he'd call the sheriff.

Marilyn wasn't going anywhere, so the local authorities were summoned. Just then, Marilyn's old, affable steer began to do what steers would normally do after a long walk and a couple of hours- as the people in the lobby gasped and giggled, everyone holding their nose now. No more foot-tall pile of steamy detail needed here, as Marilyn and manager just kept arguing.

When the Sheriff's Deputies arrived, they both walked in choking back both the strong odor and their own laughter. After more arguing, a truce was called. Secretly, the deputies wanted to arrest the company's irritating manager because they were cable customers too, but no one got cuffed or cited.

Marilyn Mason, determined to make her point, just trying to steer the callous company in a better direction. Anyway, her husband must be smiling.