All Creatures Great and Small

The funniest story in this book so far is the one where James Herriot has to go to a different vet's office with a dog that used to be his (the vet's) patient, so that he doesn't get offended to have an intruder doing surgery on his patient. While they are waiting for the dog to come out of anesthesia, the vet needs to make a call, so he invites James to go with him. It's a one-man job, so James thinks he'll just wait in the car. The other vet is incredulous that James didn't intend to go in with him, and offers him a suit to cover his nice clothes. Not wishing to insult this man further, James accepts. It turns out to be this big ungainly rubber suit that makes him look like an "automaton"! It is so stiff that his arms are stuck straight out from his sides, and he can barely walk in it. It is so bizarre looking, that as they approach the barn, the farmer's young daughter gets scared and runs to the house crying. All the men in the barn have never seen anything like this before, and they think "Wow, this guy must be getting ready to do something really important and spectacular!" The vet finishes delivering the afterbirth, and tells Jim it's time to do his job. ***SPOILER ALERT*** Jim makes his way, with much difficulty, to the doctor's bag, pulls out a tool, takes the paper off with one hand since he can't bring his hands together, and hands to tool to the vet! That was his whole job! I was dying laughing reading this chapter, I laughed through the whole thing! My husband was standing over me asking, "What? What's so funny?" Oh man! You guys should get this book, if for no other part than that one! Of course it was written much better than my summary, but seriously, even though I spoiled it, it will still be funny when you read it!