He played Seabiscuit in some of the scenes in the 2003 film of the same name. As the rest of the tour moved away from Popcorn Deelites (he’s on the right in the photo), I moved in to talk to him. He listened, but I knew he really just wanted me to shut up and feed him carrots like every other visitor had. As I reached out to stroke his neck, he decided to use that timeless communications maxim “Show, Don’t Tell.”
Popcorn grabbed my sleeve by his teeth and pulled me up toward his paddock.
I laughed. What was the worst that could happen? I would lose my shirt to an equine movie star and suffer the humiliation of being half naked in public.
I smiled up at Popcorn and quietly asked, “May I please have my arm back now?”
He promptly released me, to which I said, “Thank you!”
The tour guide started to reprimand the horse, but I intervened. “No, we’re good. Everything’s fine.”
Popcorn had communicated in what he thought was the most appropriate way to get his point across to a dunderhead. Our “chat” was, of course, the high point of my visit.
[Photo of Popcorn Deelites from Gather.]
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