To raise awareness about Latham Centers’ Asinotherapy Program, we’ve launched this entertaining and informative blog series featuring our six miniature donkeys: Esther, Esau, Moonbeam, Curley, Angus, and Jake. Be sure to check in regularly to learn about the donkeys and the important role they play at Latham Centers.
If you’re fond of sand dunes and salty air… you might have quite a bit in common with Curley. A native Cape Codder, Curley was born in Yarmouth and joined the Latham herd nine years ago with his best friend Jake. Like many Cape Codders, Curley loves the shoulder season and curses the arrival of summer tourists.
“They think they own the place. They spend a few weeks each year reading under an umbrella on our beaches, lining up for fried clams, and driving the prices up at Stop and Shop. It makes them feel like they can lay claim to the Cape, like it belongs to them. Let me tell you, until you are huddled inside a dark house, listening to the sound of the wind churning the ocean, tearing off shingles, and taking down trees during a Nor’easter in February, you are not a resident. You are a tourist.”
Curley is tall (for a miniature donkey) dark, and strikingly handsome. He was named for his thick, chestnut hair that is “curly” when wet. A gifted athlete, Curley learns tricks in a snap and he enjoys showing off for the Latham residents and the other donkeys. His confidence can sometimes border on smugness and can on occasion be off-putting to his herd mates. He fancies himself a lady’s man, and in the Latham herd, there is only one lady (or jennie), Esther. Esther, of course, is head-over-heels for another Latham donkey, Esau. In a recent interview, Curley shared his feelings about this complicated donkey-love-triangle:
“Agony. Each day I watch her tiny hooves tip toe across the paddock. She shares her breakfast with him. Her silvery fur shines in the sun, and her warm brown eyes take in her surroundings. Later in the day, she will wander over to me and ask me to tell her stories about pirates. She loves pirate stories. I always offer to share my grain mash with her, but she never does. She only has eyes for Esau, and the thing is, he’s a nice guy, but he’s got like one trick. I’ve got a whole trick catalogue and I am a great looking donkey. Look at me! Go ahead, teach me a new trick. Go ahead – I can stand on the box. I can bow my head. I’ll learn any trick you’ve got up your sleeve in an afternoon – but she loves him. He’s her fella.”
When Curley is not pining away for Esther, he is a dedicated therapy donkey and greatly loved by all of the Latham residents. He especially enjoys being groomed as he takes great pride in his appearance. He and his good friend Jake can be seen pulling a cart in local parades or at holiday time.
