Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 11, 1994 TAG: 9406170124
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TRINITY LENGTH: Medium
To Violet, the 2-year-old Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, that is more than a philosophy. It's her mission in life.
For the past three months, she's been roaming the meadows and lawns of this quiet, rural neighborhood in Botetourt County, knocking down social barriers.
The 125-pound pig has been responsible for introducing her owners to people they had not met in five years in the neighborhood.
"It's like having a teen-age child," said Sandy Graham, one of Violet's owners. "You don't know what they're doing when you're not home. She had a whole life that we didn't know about."
Graham and her fiance, David Mosier, had been under the impression that Violet lounged in the meadows all day after they fed her one cup of pig chow each morning before going to work.
At night, like clockwork, Violet would reappear and find another tempting cup of pig chow awaiting her.
"We knew we would see her coming up the road about 5 p.m.," Graham said.
What they didn't know is that Violet had been visiting the neighbors during the day and munching on the goodies they provided her. Since March, she's put on 15 pounds.
"She looks like she wears high heels," said Pat Mankin, a neighbor. "Her stomach sways from side to side as she walks."
Mankin said Violet is simply looking for attention.
A few pretzels and sugar cookies don't hurt either.
Violet has been known to knock on the Mankins' door with her snout as early as 6:30 a.m., demanding attention.
If none is forthcoming, she goes around back and knocks.
"She wants in," Mankin said. "She wants company."
In the past three months, Violet's social circle has expanded to include doctors, lawyers and farmers.
She even had a brief encounter with Judge Dudley "Buzz" Emick, a former state senator.
Mankin said Emick had come to her house to accompany her husband on a golf trip when Violet came sashaying up the driveway toward the golf party.
"What is that?" she quoted the startled Emick as asking.
"She's nice," the timid-looking Emick said as he petted the hog at arm's length.
But Mankin said Violet is no slave to social contact.
"Sometimes we don't see her for four or five days at a time," Mankin said.
That suits Razor, the Mankins' dog, just fine. With no male hogs available, Violet has been casting a suitor's eye on him.
Razor is unable to ward her off. Violet is too stubborn to give up and too fat to bite.
``It's like Razor is saying, `I've been a good dog. Why do I have to put up with a pig?''' Mankin said.
Violet does not restrict her affections to canine companions. When the Mankins' son, Matt, brought his girlfriend over to sunbathe in the back yard, Violet joined her.
While Violet lay on her back with her hooves raised and caught a few rays, she demanded a belly rub as well.
Violet's escapades have not ended there. She roamed farther up the meadow to cavort with the cattle of Garland and Jane Jones.
But an electric fence stopped her. Jane Jones said the fence was not intended for Violet.
"We had a bull that liked to entertain the ladies," she said.
Violet's travels have not been without peril. Two weeks ago, she got locked in a barn by a farmer who didn't understand her footloose ways. When Violet's owners went looking for her, her secret life unraveled.
With food as her motivator, she will not be deterred. She even likes bacon and sausage.
"She's a cannibal," Mosier confides.
But as long as there are cinnamon buns and cookies out there, she'll be hard to keep home.
"She's got a lot of friends we didn't know about," Graham said.
by CNB