Front Porch Conversations: ‘Angel’ delivers a little good news

By STEPHANIE PORTER-NICHOLS/Columnist

Fuzzy Butt wore angel wings, but I have my doubts about them truly reflecting his personality. His name aside, Fuzzy Butt was a kitten, and kittens grow into cats, which possess many redeeming qualities. Few of them, however, could be classified as angelic.
As I left home this morning one of my feline angels was lording over the body of what appeared to have been a mouse. While I was grateful the rodent wouldn’t be invading my basement, the cat’s apparently immense pleasure at batting the corpse from one side of the driveway to the other didn’t provoke images of heavenly hosts.
Of course, Buckwheat didn’t much resemble a ladybug either. A donkey, Buckwheat was quiet sociable. Sugar Cookie tried to assume an equine appearance. The dog was undeniably adorable.
These three critters provide just a tip-of-the-iceberg look at the fun folks had with their Rich Valley Fair Pet Show entries last Sunday.
My husband, Doug, and I had the pleasure of judging the show. As animal lovers, we enjoyed the antics of the pets and their owners and worried over leaving anyone off the prize list.
While everyone had fun, the devotion displayed by owners for their pets was even more impressive.
Story after story conveyed how many of these doted-upon animals had been rescued either from euthanasia at the pound or the cruel life and death of being a stray. As one child’s eyes sparkled as he shared the story of his dog’s rescue, I knew that this canine would never be forgotten, the unfortunate fate of millions of other animals in our country.
Even the pets that had come from breeders or stores were being lavished with love and attention, not to mention the basic necessities of food, water, shelter and veterinary care.
My heart warmed to see so many children learning the life lessons that can only come from loving and being responsible for a pet.
I found comfort in watching adults demonstrate affection for their pets and in return get rewards of unquestioning love and stress relief from simply touching their animals’ fur.
While he didn’t have a furry critter to pet, one boy’s absolute enthusiasm for his frog and turtle made me wonder if a future research biologist was in our midst.
As the audience supported the entrants, I knew too that this event was undeniably more about supporting neighbors and friends than top dogs –and frogs, just as the entire nine-day Rich Valley Fair is a rare and wonderful celebration of community.
As many of us seem to have cell phones practically glued to our ears and it’s hard to go a few hours, much less an entire weekend, without checking our e-mail and the latest Web headlines, we may be more out of touch with our neighbors than ever. Yet, events like the Rich Valley Fair help us stay connected. Whether we catch up on the stuff of life or just exchange pleasantries and a smack on the shoulder, we’re making contact. The value of such interaction should never be underestimated.
While chat room pals with their sometimes ambiguous and sometimes telltale user names can play powerful roles in our lives, our geographic neighbors are the ones most likely to come to our side in times of trouble – if we know who they are. 
In singer Anne Murray’s 1983 number one hit “A Little Good News,” the Grammy winner lamented the lack of county fair coverage in the midst of all the day’s – everyday’s – horrific news.
When it comes to journalism, that may be one of the best aspects of working for a hometown newspaper, county fairs and similar events get attention, though, given their importance in community building, maybe not as much as they deserve.
As we should, we report the tough news of our community, but there’s also value in covering the fairs and festivals. Amid the smells of the fair food, the excitement of contests and the competition for blue ribbons that bring us together, the events contribute to and build our community’s strength.
And, they keep us grounded. An afternoon spent in the heat of the day and muck of a livestock show ring may have prompted friends to keep their distance Sunday evening and my shoes certainly need a good cleaning, but watching children and adults and their best friends prompted me to turn off the cell phone and reaffirm our commitment to delivering more than “a little good news.”
Perhaps I’ve even misjudged the heavenly potential of our feline friends. I have no doubt that Fuzzy Butt could hold his own even in the company of Gabriel, Michael and Raphael. Without a doubt, he and all the other fair pets were messengers of goodwill.

Stephanie Porter-Nichols is the editor of the Smyth County News & Messenger.