Fortean Bison

Another thoughtful post from Oregon's CFZ rep, Regan Lee. And in case you're wondering where the accompanying photograph comes from, by a curious coincidence (or, perhaps, by a synchronicity?), my wife, Dana and I attended the first Goat-Man celebratory event at Lake Worth, Texas this past weekend - which also happens to be home to a large herd of bison. Dana took a few photos of the mighty beasts, never thinking that we might need to use one or two of them one day. But, now, I suppose we do!

And now to Regan:

"A gruesome and sad story with Fortean elements from South Dakota. Bridgewater South Dakota became overwhelmed by the stench of over 44 tons of rotting bison meat. The owner of the meat processing plant abandoned his business, leaving behind tons of frozen bison meat. Electricity was shut off for nonpayment, though the meat stayed frozen through the severe Dakota winters.

"When spring and summer arrived, the meat thawed. It didn’t just thaw; it literally 'liquified.' The stink of decomposing bison flesh was worse than 'rotten [human] bodies' said the mayor.

"Some said the scent was like road kill. The mayor said he spent two tours of duty in Vietnam and could not recall smelling anything as bad. 'This is worse than rotten bodies,' [mayor] Barattini said.

"Going in a Fortean, slightly esoteric direction, we can say all those bison were sacrificed for nothing; the symbolism of the bison as an animal of strength, abundance and nurturing gift to indigenous peoples is contrasted with the legacy of man’s greed and disrespect for both non-human and human beings."