Fighting a losing battle

George and Alan each got new fly masks six weeks ago. Alan's lasted five weeks and six days. He lost it in the pasture on Friday. 

Luckily, I was on my way to town that afternoon, so I stopped at the feed store for a new one. 

There were two options in his size: the less expensive model like the one he had just lost, and a pricey model similar to Lucy's.

I'd been impressed with the quality and durability of Lucy's, so I opted to buy Alan the same brand (Cashel). 

My hope was that it woud fit better and stay on so he wouldn't lose it as quickly.

The good news is, it fits him like a glove. 

The bad news is, by the time I got home with it, George had lost his.

I patched an old mask from my growing pile of dead fly masks, which will have to suffice until I get back to the feed store...

...which had better be soon. Why rest quietly in the shade when you can pull on each other's fly masks?

So Alan had been wearing his new, pricey Cashel mask for exactly seven hours 

when I went out to the barn to feed dinner.

Alan: I'm in really big trouble, aren't I?

Me: You have no idea.

Luckily, I had spent much of the afternoon in the pasture with them, so I had a good idea where to begin my search.

All that experience I've acquired searching for cow skulls across the vast desert paid off. 

I spotted Alan's new fly mask in no time.

Hmmm...the velcro strap was still stuck together.

Me: Does this look familiar, young man?

Alan: I promise to be more careful.

I put the mask back on him, then stood back and tried to imagine how he removed it in the first place.
Lacking opposable thumbs, the only thing I can figure is that George must have grabbed the top part near the ear holes,
then pulled it down and off. Either that, or Houdini has been reincarnated as a burro.

Anyway, yesterday, I put the new fly mask on Houdini's assistant George.

Maybe he can keep it on longer than Alan did.

But I doubt it. Meanwhile, if anybody hears of any end-of-the-season fly mask sales, 

let me know. I need to stock up.