Metairie Road

Last month's giveaway horse - and the majority of his potential giveaway-mates - were shipped to their new homes today. 

When I offered Newspaper Man to my friend, Kristie, she said, "Yes, I want him, but don't you think you'll regret selling him?"

Truthfully, I do not. Although I loved owning - and accumulating! - these horses, I have reached a point in my life where I'm ready to let them go.

That said, there are a few whose attached memories need to be honored. Take this guy, for example. He is Breyer #901, Lippitt Pegasus, who was produced in 1994 and 1995.

Those were, not so coincidentally, my mobile tack shop years. 

In early December 1994, I worked a small-by-our-standards, three day show in Jackson, Mississippi. Because it was such a short stay, I didn't take much with me, just a few changes of clothes and my ten month old puppy. I did not even pack my camera.

On Sunday, my boss called me and asked if instead of coming straight home, would I drive down to New Orleans to check on their other, smaller tack shop.

Of course, I said yes.

Who wouldn't want to go to New Orleans?

Except when I got there, it turned out that the person running the store had quit. What they really needed me to do was keep the lights on and the doors open until Christmas, which was still a couple weeks away.

I had three days worth of clothes and a puppy who couldn't be left alone because she was in a destructive phase.

Her crate was in Memphis. My camera was in Memphis. 

Everything I needed to make those weeks pass more comfortably was in Memphis.

After one particularly long and frustrating day, I decided I needed a little retail therapy. I closed the store and drove to the nearest Toys R Us, where I bought three brand new Breyers. I took them back to where I was staying and put them on the nightstand next to my bed. Instantly, it felt a lot more like home.

I was staying in Metairie, so this guy's name is Metairie Road.

I've always admired his bright red coat and jaunty head tilt. I'm pretty he had show photos - taken with a film camera - but I wasn't able to find them. If I do, I'll add them into the post later.

Enjoy my sweet boy, Lindsay, and thank you for giving him a new place to call home.

P.S. The New Orleans photos accompanying this post were taken on a previous trip. You have no idea how much I wish I brought my camera with me, so I could have memorialized Abbie eating beignets and being serenaded by a saxophone player at Cafe du Monde. Sigh.