When Lucy Noland and I were working on a story recently on the campus of Texas A&M, I noticed a llama in a pen and immediately thought of Sarah. This was after a lot of driving, shooting, interviewing, setting up and breaking down lights, walking in and out of animal pens and getting pummeled by that day's unusually strong and dusty wind, so I'm sure Lucy was wondering why in the world I wasn't ready to head back to Houston. Instead, I grabbed a digital still camera and told Lucy I was required to go take the llama's picture.

It turns out the llama was not one of the many amazing cloned animals A&M has created in recent years. It wasn't the product of creative breeding or manipulation or a test subject of any kind. It was a pet. The exact details aren't important, but the llama's owner is a big contributor to the university and it worked out that the llama could live there behind the research buildings. I didn't get the llama's name, but I was determined to get my shot.

You could fill several blogs with the things I don't know about llamas. One thing I had heard, though, was that they are closely related to camels and like camels have a tendency to spit. To avoid getting splattered I decided as I got close that I would not look the llama in the eye. The logic was that it would feel less threatened and wouldn't have my face as a clean target.

I was able to get a few nice pictures of the llama standing in it's pen, walking up to the rail and even nice close shot of its face. Then Lucy was kind enough to offer to get a shot of me with the llama. This would prove I really met the llama and that it wasn't some random llama I pulled off the internet. Good thinking, Lucy.

I'm happy to report the llama did not spit on me. It bit me. Lucy, it turns out, is an excellent spot news photographer in that she caught the moment. Okay, it was really just a nibble, but only because I pulled my arm away before those teeth got even busier. She was able to get shots with the llama behaving itself, but I'm pretty sure it wanted to have another go at my arm.

This sealed the deal: No llamas at Sarah's party. Still, comedy gold.

FMc