Copyright © 2012 by Rick Talbot. All Rights Reserved. ISBN 978-0-9881371-0-3
Originally published in Jouvert: a Journal of Post-Colonial Studies, Vol 6 Issue 3 (Spring 2003). Revised and updated, as printed below, in 2012.
Total Bull and the Buffalo
Buffalo (n.) - 1. An industrial city in the North, known mostly for cross-border shopping. 2. a freshwater fish (Ictiobus cyprinellus) related to the carp.
Total Bull returned to his stall in the suburbs after a particularly bullish day at the office.
“What a day that was! I got so much work done, but I feel incredibly unaccomplished.”
Total Bull wondered about this, and about the feeling of emptiness in his stomachs.
“Mmm... Haven’t chowed-down for a few hours,” he said. He went to the kitchen, where his wife had just finished cooking some vegetable lasagna.
“Oh, my lovely wife, I’m so happy to see you!”
“Don’t lovely wife me! You’re late! Where have you been?” his wife asked.
She placed a trough of food in front of him with a grunt. Total Bull sat down at the table and began to eat from the trough.
“I’m sorry. We all had to stay late at the office to work on the new advertising campaign.”
“Well, I’m glad that you’re home,” she said. Total Bull thought that she sounded sarcastic.
His stomachs felt a little better after finishing his meal.
“That really hit the spot. But you know, I feel this strange emptiness down in the pit of my stomachs.”
“Interesting. Take some antacid,” she said. She batted some Rolaids(r) at him and gruffly hoofed out of the house.
Total Bull went outside and found his wife strolling through the paddock.
“Feel better?” she asked.
“Kind of. I think I’m going to go out for a bit. Is that ok? Let me know if anyone calls while I’m gone?”
“Oh yes, please go out for a while.”
“Okay.”
“Why don’t you take some animal cookies with you.”
“Great idea. You know how much I love animal cookies. I’ll have some little two-dimensional companions for my outing.”
“Have fun.”
Buffalo wing (n.) - crispy spicy chicken wings.
Now Total Bull went to a place that he had heard of some time ago, although he had never paid it much attention. It was a place to encounter the “inner-self.” He found himself in a square room with other bovines who, much like him, sat apart from each other with a blank look in their eyes. The meeting started. The group leader, who was wearing a lavish suit designed by Cowvin, spoke confidently.
“Welcome brothers and sisters. You have come here because you are missing something, and I am here to help you discover what that thing is. Let us all sit in a circle and join hooves, and then we can tell us about each other. You go first.”
The group leader pointed at the cow to Total Bull’s left.
“Hi, My name is Brown Cow. Umm, I work in the entertainment industry – catering, parties, cocktail events. It used to feel like one big party after another, but now it’s just tiring.”
“So, that’s why you’re here,” the group leader said.
“Yes.”
“Thank you. Okay, and you?”
The group leader pointed at Total Bull.
“Oh, hi, I’m Total Bull. I work in marketing. It’s great. Long hours. Meaningless. That kind of thing.”
“And that’s why you’re here.”
“Yes.”
“Okay, thank you. And you?”
The cow to Total Bull’s right spoke next, and each bovine in turn spoke a little about his or her own life. The leader went on to tell them how to visualize their own spiritual “oneness” in order to gain success in business and love.
“Well, that’s the end of our meeting. When you go home tonight, I want you to visualize your own spiritual wholeness, and see your spirit bringing you success in business and love. See you next week, and please don’t forget to leave your twenty dollars in the donation box at the back.”
Total Bull put the money in the donation box, but he didn’t really feel that he had gotten twenty dollars closer to finding what he was missing.
He treaded by a bulletin board on the way out of the building. An advertisement was tacked on the board. It read: ‘Are you tired of New Age encounter sessions that don’t get you any closer to one-ness? Come to the medicine wheel ceremonies of Light Beer. Learn the traditional ways of healing the self. - Sponsored by the Upper Holstein County New Age Society.’
“This seems interesting. Maybe a more traditional way of looking at things will help me find what I’m looking for.”
He noticed the location of the event, and realized that he would have to stampede in order to get there on time.
buffalo (v.) - to intimidate or overawe.
Total Bull arrived at the rear of the Bingo Hall. He sat with the other bulls and cows who were sitting inside a circle of flaps. Light Beer was in the middle. He spoke to the gathered herd.
“This ring of flaps is our medicine wheel. It is a place of gathering and healing. Using the medicine wheel and assorted crystals, we can help ourselves to understand better who we are and to guide our journey to spiritual wisdom.”
Total Bull realized that Light Beer was not livestock, but Buffalo. He was amazed that standing there before him was a real live Buffalo. He always thought that Buffalo were a thing of the past.
“My people, the Buffalo, believe that the Creator made all things, and that all things have their own sacredness. The flaps that you are sitting on have power of their own. The power that was given to them by the Creator, Waka-Waka. Because of the ways of bovine society, our mother earth has been injured. Whenever you cut trees, or mine metals, or hunt for sport, you assault mother earth. Now she is paying you back.”
Light Beer spread his arms wide. The beads on his necklaces rattled against each other, and his tie-dyed shirt lifted over his ample tenderloin.
“You are out of touch with mother earth, and therefore with the Creator. This is why many of you domesticated cattle feel emptiness.”
Light Beer gave some demonstrations of his people’s ways.
“Use all of what I have shown you as a way to change how you live. Only by changing the way you live can you come back into favor with mother earth.”
Total Bull was completely shocked.
Light Beer ended the gathering and went inside his Winnebago RV. Total Bull sat in silence as the other cattle began to mosey-off. He could hear their moos as they vowed to change their ways and to get in touch with the sacredness of the earth. As they sauntered away they discussed the universal presence of Walkin’ Talkin’. Others spoke of the great powers of Willy Wonka, or rambled about the kindness of Honky Tonkin.
Total Bull was still sitting on his medicine wheel flap long after every other bovine had left. He heard a door creak open. Light Beer had squeezed through the doorway of his trailer.
“Why are you still here, domesticated-livestock friend?”
“I think I’m missing something.”
Light Beer smiled at the steer and took a seat next to him.
“My friend, it is good that you are looking for that which you are missing. But you can’t just have it,” Light Beer said. He laid a hoof on Total Bull’s shoulder and offered him some of his bottle of Red EngineTM.
“I don’t understand. If I’m missing something, and not having it makes me feel so empty, then doesn’t it stand to reason that I should have the thing that fixes it?”
“Bull, the problem with your people is that you want to acquire everything here-and-now. No patience with you cattle. Now listen. What you are looking for you can only gain through time. You cannot get it quickly, nor can you own it.”
“So what do I do?”
“I think that the emptiness that you feel is your lack of communication with Waka-Waka. Did you know that the eagle has the most powerful voice of any animal?”
“No.”
“Well it does. And look at how the eagle lives. It flies high, and it is free. You know, if you could be free like the eagle, going where you want, flying with the wild winds, you would come to understand things more easily. Waka-Waka comes to us most naturally this way.”
“But I have a job, and a mortgage! I can’t be free as a bird.”
“It is true. The domesticated-livestock creatures are not free. Stop trying to control everything. Hey, did you know that the French for mortgage means ‘death pledge’?”
“That’s about when I’ll pay it off. But what can I do?”
“Switch to an accelerated weekly payment plan. You can shave years off your mortgage. Then go and find a copy of The Wealthy Grazer. It’s full of tips about making money work for you, rather than you working for your money. Hey, what do you think of my new jeans? They’re Cherokees. Pretty comfy.”
“Oh, uh, they look fine. Wait, how do you know all this finance stuff?”
“How do you think I could afford the wide-screen television in my ‘95 Winnebago Chieftain? Listen, you have to leave the path that you are on. The Upper Holstein New Age cattle take what I teach them and go home feeling good about themselves.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“Sure it is. But these bovines will misuse my teachings.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Well, think of it this way. You can be like most of the Upper Holsteins and learn about the eagle, then go home and think about the eagle while living like a pigeon. Or you can try to live more like the eagle and maybe you’ll really understand what it means to be one.”
“I still don’t get it.”
“That’s okay. You’ll figure it out for yourself one day. Just don’t go and open a Buffalo-themed bookstore, okay?”
“I don’t know what that means.... Are you happy about teaching cattle?”
“I love it. Even if only one or two from each group goes away with a simple understanding, then it’s worth it.”
“Thank you, Light Beer, I know what I have to do now,” he said. Total Bull shook the Buffalo’s hoof.
“So what’s your plan?”
“You know.”
Light Beer stood in silence for a few seconds, then said, “Ummm... Of course I do!”
“And once I’ve learned the Buffalo ways, then I will find what I’m missing.”
“Let me tell you something. I once had a student who learned much from me. I taught him about our ways. I thought that I could do as good a job as one of the holy bulls. I was wrong. I told him about the power of deer antler, which could cure impotence in bulls. This was a secret, and I was demonstrating to him my faith in him. Well, his old ways took over once he realized the money he could make on antler powder. There is this ‘natural remedy’ now, made by one of the big companies. And he, this wealthy bull, who used to be my student, is now a real Frankfurter. Would you do this to me?”
“I’ve never been in a situation like that before. I don’t know how I would act.”
Light Beer considered this, and said, “At least you are honest. That is a rare thing to have in a domestic bull. Go out to the Buffalo Preserve and visit Sage, and tell him I sent you.”
“Thank you, friend.” said Total Bull as he stood up.
“Before you go, I see that you have cut-out cookies in cow shapes. Why don’t we share them together?”
Total Bull thought that this was a good idea. He gave one cow cookie to Light Beer, and ate one himself. He quickly felt the hunger in his stomachs become satisfied by the cookie. It was more filling than it looked. After sharing this light snack with Light Beer, he left the Bingo Hall and headed for the Buffalo Preserve.
buffalo nut (n.) - bigger than a cow nut.
Total Bull arrived at the bus station and walked over to the station attendant.
“Where you going?” the attendant asked.
“What?”
“Tickets. Where to?”
“Oh, I’m going to the Buffalo Preserve.”
“The one south of Buffalo City?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, here you go,” the attendant said. He gave a ticket to Total Bull. “Be careful.”
“What’s that?”
“Be careful, Buffalo can be kind of wild.”
“Okay, thanks.”
Total Bull went over to the waiting area. He got a newspaper and a chocolate bar from the newsstand and sat down. He ate the chocolate bar in a few bites. The front page of the newspaper had an article titled North Steerland makes peace with South Steerland. He flipped through to look for other interesting stories. He found a story about how the Upper Holstein Mothers Society was baking treats to raise money for inner-city calves. As he continued to flip through the paper another cow moseyed in and sat beside him.
“Nice weather.”
Total Bull looked up idly from the paper.
“Oh, yes,” he said.
“Yeah,” the stranger said.
“Uh-huh.”
Total Bull looked back down at the newspaper.
“So peace in North Steerland,” the stranger said.
“Yeah.”
“It’s amazing, don’t you think?”
“Umm, yeah, I guess it’s about time.”
“Sure is, peace is good. No fighting. That kind of thing.”
“I guess it is good,” Total Bull said.
Just then an announcer said over the loudspeakers, “now boarding to Buffalo City and Buffalo Preserve.”
“That’s Me,” Total Bull said.
“No way!” the stranger said. “You’re going there too?”
“Yes.”
Total Bull left the station, got on the bus and took a seat. The stranger sat beside him.
“So, you’re first time visiting the big B?”
“Big B…”
“Buffalo City, the Big B, the vertical prairies, the big shiny glass barn.”
“Oh, I’m going to the preserve just south of the city.”
“Why would you go there?”
“I’m going to see someone.”
“Aunt, uncle, grandfather?”
“No, I was sent there by a Buffalo to help me figure out what’s missing.”
“What’s missing?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well good luck finding it if you don’t know what you’re looking for.”
“Thanks I guess.”
“Hey, no problem… I don’t understand why you’re going there, there’s really not much to see. Some old Buffalo in their shacks, and a general store. Buffalo City is where the action is.”
“You’ve been there?”
“I grew up there.”
“Really?”
“Sure did. I’m Spaghetti,” he said. He extended his hoof in greeting. “Formerly of Buffalo Preserve, now making a name for myself in Buffalo City.”
“I’m Total Bull, pleased to meet you.”
“Cool.”
“So what are you doing in the city?”
“Investment banking.”
“Sounds like a good long-term career.
“The best.”
“What got you to move to the city?”
“Opportunity. There’s just nothing going on at home, unless you like to play a lot of shuffleboard.”
“Shuffleboard is okay.”
“All the time?”
“Maybe not….”
“So I made my way to the big glass barn and got myself a job.”
“How long ago?”
“Five years now. It’s been a blast… So I don’t know what you’ll find there. I think a cow would prefer the city, but I don’t know, it’s, it’s…”
“Home?”
“I was going to say it’s slower. If you like slow, it’s for you maybe.”
“Maybe.”
The bus driver turned around and said, “this stop, Buffalo City.”
“That’s me. Well, have fun Mister Bull.”
“Thanks.”
Spaghetti left the bus along with most of the other passengers, and the bus continued on.
A while later, Total Bull got off the bus in the middle of nowhere. The bus drove away and kicked up dirt into the air. Total Bull looked around. A path went into the forest.
“Where can a guy get a drink around here?”
Ruff.
Total Bull looked around and saw a dog standing at his feet.
“I guess you wouldn’t know, eh?”
Ruff.
The dog started to walk down the path.
“Why not,” Total Bull said. He followed the dog along the path.
“Well this isn’t creepy.”
After a few minutes the path forked in two directions.
“Hmm…”
Ruff.
The dog was looked at him and started down the path that diverged left.
“Okay. I’m going left I guess.”
After a short walk down the left path the forest cleared and opened into a valley. The path joined up with a road. Houses and buildings lined the road. As he got closer he could see a sign over one of the buildings.
“Oh good, a pub.”
Ruff.
The dog paused for a second and ran off. Total Bull entered the pub.
“What can I get you?” the barkeep asked.
“Water please.”
“Big spender.”
“I’m on a budget.”
“Then have some peanuts.”
“Nice place.”
“I like to think of it as my little piece of heaven. In this little town, all quiet, between the hills here in this valley. Most of the world drives by and doesn’t even notice.”
“Wow, yeah it is quiet.”
“Listen to the birds, and the kids playing.”
“Would you want more business though?”
“Not if it ends up being like the city, all loud and jam-packed, and always in a rush. A hundred years ago Buffalo Town was a lot like our town, but they went commercial. So we’ve got to preserve this place. There’s no need for two Buffalo Cities.”
“Hmm, it might be good for the economy though.”
“Oh no, that’s like having vanilla, but no chocolate. So you lose the taste, nothing to compare it to. Just meaningless…”
“Chocolate?”
“We’re chocolate, they are vanilla.”
“Hmm…”
“So what brings you here anyways, I’ve just been rambling on and didn’t ask.”
“I’m here to visit Sage.”
“No kidding? Now he’s a fun old Buffalo. Maybe a little crazy though.”
“Really?”
“Oh don’t worry about it, not in a bad way. I think it’s just his age or something.”
“How old is he?”
“Don’t know, he’s always been here, so pretty old. When I was a kid he was already old.”
“Wow. Oh, could you please tell me where I’d find him?”
“Here I’ll write down his address for you.”
Total Bull took the address from the barkeep and headed off. As he got close to the house he thought he heard a dog barking inside. He knocked. An old Buffalo opened the door. The Buffalo looked into Total Bull’s eyes for a second, then shook his head.
“Go away, you have too much to learn.”
“I do?”
“Yes. Especially considering that Light Beer sent you.”
“How did you know that?”
“By the look on your face. You expected some mystical, stoic Buffalo who speaks in short phrases. For example: Me mystic Buffalo.... You come in now.... Tell Sage, great chief, why you here....”
“What?”
“Ha! How many cattle think that’s how we talk? Seriously!... I like you, bovine! Now come in and have a seat.”
Total Bull went inside the cabin and sat in one of two chairs. Sage sat in the other one.
“Talk to me,” the old Buffalo said. Some drool leaked from his weak old mouth.
“Why did you say that I have a lot to learn, especially considering that Light Beer sent me?”
“Hey, did you see the new Playbull, with that naked figure grazer, Cowina Witt?”
“No. Why did you say especially considering...”
“She’s one hot sirloin, for a cow that is. Still nothing like a Buffalo female though.”
“Why did you say especially...”
“I’ll tell you, if you want to know how lovin’ is meant to be, you’ve got to find yourself a Buffalo female. Those cows just don’t have what it takes.”
“Why did you say...”
“I’m hungry, can I have your cookie?”
Total Bull, not understanding the methods of Sage, but understanding that he was a great Buffalo, and also not wanting to be rude, gave him his last cookie.
“Mmmm.... Yummy,” the old Buffalo said.
“Oh, did you just give me your last cookie? You’ve demonstrated yourself to be a generous steer. Cattle tend to usually give if they may get something in return, and I don’t think that you were expecting anything. In our tradition we Buffalo don’t expect anything in return, but because we all give to each other, none of us ever goes without.”
Sage stood and paced around the shanty for a minute or two. He scratched at his rump and adjusted his shirt.
“I’ll sum up for you why you have a lot to learn. First, Light Beer is a good Buffalo, but he doesn’t teach traditional ways.”
“I know that. But he teaches some of them.”
“No, Light Beer doesn’t teach any of our traditions, not really. This is because he is trying in his own way to get the bovines to change their ways.”
“He told me that it was his goal.”
“Light Beer changes the traditional teachings in a way that can be used by cattle in their society. But then they’re no longer traditional teachings.”
Total Bull wasn’t quite following.
“I’m not quite following you.”
“Light Beer teaches for the, ahh... what are they called?”
“The Upper Holstein County New Age Society.”
“That’s right. The Upper Holstein County New Age Society already has its own ideas about what Buffalo traditions are like.”
“Does Light Beer teach them what they want to hear?”
“It’s more that they only graze what they want to graze from his teachings.”
“That doesn’t sound too helpful.”
“It’s not. If they were really learning the traditional ways, there wouldn’t be so many Buffalo-themed bookstores these days.”
“Well, uhh, I don’t get it.”
“Never mind. That market is saturated. Now, what the Upper Holsteins learn they strip of its original meaning because they do not learn it in the context of trying to live a Buffalo life. You know, you can be a plow ox, or you can just pull a plough around all day - but I don’t think that you’ll learn much about what it means to be a plow ox by doing that. In this way, the Buffalo life and spirit are one in the same thing for us Buffalo, and they can’t be separated. Because they don’t understand this, they change the ideas that they have learned and give new meanings that fit with their current medicine bag of beliefs.”
“I saw it happening as they were leaving Light Beer’s gathering. They were already making wind, and changing the current of what he said.”
“The worst part though, is that they forgot the fact that their ancestors are the ones who put us on the Preserves. We can make them feel good about themselves, but they’re still in denial about our being concentrated on rancheros.”
“Yes, I know, but what can I do to change anything?”
“Hmm, don’t know. You could stay here and learn the ways from us. Become one of us. It does happen. There are even books written by Bulls who have chosen to live in the Buffalo way. You can find one at ...”
“A Buffalo-themed book store?”
“So, you staying?”
“I’m sorry Sage, but I have a wife, a job, and there’s a new calf on the way. I have to go home.”
“That’s too bad. Have you ever heard about the ‘Good Buffalomaritan’?”
“Sure I have. He was good and went around helping people.”
“Alright, let me tell you how it really went. The Buffalomaritans were outcasts in their time. All the other Buffalo tribes hated them. Called them dirty. The Buffalomaritans could not marry other Buffalo, and were ignored on the street when they passed by. One day this Buffalo we call the Good Buffalomaritan saw a Buffalo injured and came to help. He helped, even though this was one of the Buffalo that had done so many bad things to him. So he helped them, and everyone was amazed that this Buffalomaritan helped, and they were thankful. And they learned nothing from it, and did nothing to change their ways.”
“So what does that mean.”
“Overall, that all Buffalo, all cows, across the board, are self-involved and set in their ways. Even if you are different, you’ll be going it alone because we don’t like change. And no matter how hard you try, you might not make a difference or change anything. But you might, so still do it.”
“Ohhh…”
“Just thought I’d leave you with that. To get your spirits up.”
“Okay thanks. Well I guess I’ll be going. Thanks for meeting with me.”
“Come by again some time.”
Total Bull returned to his home and his job. Although the demands of cow society weighed heavily upon his shoulders, he Total Bull and Sage wrote letters to each other for many years. Then one day he received a different kind of letter. An invitation to a memorial. And so he went....
“We are here today, in honor of our grandfather, and teacher, Sage. One of his students has a story to tell about him. Please come up,” the pastor said.
“Hi, I’m Total Bull. I think a few of you know me. I’ve known Sage for about ten years now. Back then, I was having a hard time with things. You know, who am I, where do I fit in, in this society and in the universe. I couldn’t put it into words at the time, but I felt like something was missing inside me. So I went looking. And luck led me, or fate, I don’t know, umm, led me to Sage. He was this old Buffalo, this old mat of graying fur and hide. I’d never seen anything like it before. And what was strange was his oddness. He had this wise, worldly, priestly look, but he said things, funny things, not what I expected from some Buffalo that looked like him. And you know, he taught me so much. I came to visit a few times, but it was mostly by letters, and I learned from the things he said to me in those letters. Umm, I have one here, I could read a piece of it, if that’s okay? Okay.”
Total Bull, don’t worry about what your neighbors think. So he makes more money, or has a better car, or whatever it is that worries you. Why do you compare yourself to him? Do you think he is really happy? Because happiness isn’t an acquisition. So what is important? Being happy? Family? Friends? Or the salary and a shiny car? I know how cow society puts pressure on you to ‘keep up with the Heifers’, but you don’t have to take it. You don’t have to accept that pressure and hurry around, like a mad cow, trying to keep up. You can ignore it, or throw it back, do whatever you want, but don’t beat yourself up that you’re not as successful, because there’s a very good chance that your neighbor’s car is owned by the bank, and his Cowvin suit is owned by the credit card company. But you get me thinking, what do I have? I am an old Buffalo, and I have this little shack, not much money, not much things. But I have really good friends, and family, and my community, my Buffalo. Would I like a 64 foot yacht? Sure I would, that would be fun. I’d be pimpin’ large. But what if I could only keep one, only the yacht and the material things, or only my Buffalo family. What would you keep? I’m pretty sure that most cows only really get to have one, or they think they have both, but they’re really hanging onto one of them by a few threads. –Sage
P.S. Please send the latest Playbull, the one with Tricia Heifer on the cover. Thanks.
“So that was one of the moments in my life, when I had a decision to make. Maybe I would have done it on my own, but it doesn’t matter how. What’s important is I figured it out, and gave up the promotion, and the super long hours, and the matching salary. I decided, this is my family, this is really all I’ve got, and I gave up the rest, I just let it go. Thank God. I know those of you here, the Buffalo who know me, know how my life has changed, and Sage, and all of you, have really been here for me, and also for my family. You really feel like my cousins, and you know, I like the name the little ones started calling me. Totally Cool Bull. That’s so awesome! Thanks.”
One day, some time after the memorial, Total Bull was relaxing at home with his wife.
“I’m hungry.”
“Try this,” she said.
Total Bull took a bite.
“It’s amazing,” he said.
“I thought you’d like it.”
“So how was your day?”
“It was great.”
“You take care of me,” Total Bull said.
“I do, don’t I.”
“You do. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She leaned over and gave him a kiss.
“Oh, can I have some cookies?”
“I give you a kiss and you want some cookies? I swear, you never change.”
“Would you want me any other way?”
THE END
Notes
Total Bull and the Buffalo is an allegorical treatment of the interactions between North American aboriginal spirituality/culture and North American popular (European derived) culture. Specifically, it deals with appropriation and alteration of aboriginal spiritual ideas by non-aboriginals.
One example of this is the popular use of terms such as "mother earth" in New Age literature. Here the aboriginal "earth-mother" is transformed from a genealogical relationship into a form of goddess-worship.
The symbolisms of cow and Buffalo are based on ideas presented by Dr. Donald Blais, where the Buffalo is powerful, spiritual and individualistic, and where the cow is a dull animal with no inclination toward independent thought. We know that the Plains Indians (sic) have a strong spiritual relationship with the Buffalo.
Please note that the Plains Buffalo, Bovidae Bison bison bison, can interbreed with the domestic cattle, Bovidae Taurus, yielding an offspring that is commercially known as Beefalo.
Let us consider these words spoken by Lame Deer, from his book Lame Deer: Seeker of Visions:
“So I don't mind a young white man with long hair and a beaded headband coming to me, asking to learn about our Indian religion, even praying with us. But I would mind it if he tried to change our beliefs, adapt them to his kind of culture, progress, civilization. . . . You can't take our beliefs out of the Badlands and prairies and put them into one of your factories or office buildings.” (New York, Washington Square Press, 1994: 168)
Cover Credit
The buffalo cartoon on the cover was created by Greg Williams, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic. The full comic can be found at: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buffalo_buffalo_WikiWorld.png
Greg is a designer and illustrator. You can find his work online at