Retired vet, Roy Farman has a wonderful way with words. If he hadn't followed his chosen path into veterinary science, without doubt he would have made an exceptional writer or stand up comic, although he might not agree that’s true.
Born in Suffolk England, Roy knew he wanted to be a vet since he was ten years old, his interest ‘sparked’ when he watched the local vet work on his father’s horse that had cut its leg. “After that I would cycle the 5 miles to his surgery every chance I got to watch him work, I loved it.”
After completing his studies at Bristol University, Roy had to do a six month training period on placement in veterinary practices. One of those placements was with someone well known throughout the world, Alf Wight, better known as James Herriot. There would be few who are not familiar with the popular TV series All Creatures Great and Small based around his practice in the Yorkshire market town of Thirsk. Roy has fond memories of the time he spent there, and the friendships he formed.
In 1965 he came to New Zealand and settled in Taihape, where he met and married Sandy, a local midwife. Wanting adventure the couple decided to travel to England by bus from Calcutta.
Surviving the trip, which included such delights as getting ‘Deli Belly’ in India, they arrived safely in England, and lived in Staffordshire before returning to New Zealand in 1971. They settled in Masterton where Roy had a job waiting for him and Sandy’s sister lived.
While being a vet is a serious job, it’s also provided many experiences that with hindsight and the passing of time are humorous.
“I was working with a young vet when a woman brought in her cat. It had a growth on its eyelid that needed removing. The usual method was to anaesthetise the cat and then cauterise it. Well I left the young chap to do the job. Shortly afterwards there was an almighty explosion. I rushed in and there he stood with the cat scattered around the room, he’d blown it up. In those days we used ether as an anaesthetic. The heat from the instrument he used combined with the ether and caused the explosion. When the poor woman came in to pick up her cat he made matters worse by telling her he had ‘blown it up’ before adding, its okay it was asleep when it happened it didn’t feel a thing.”
Not all mishaps were other peoples; Roy had a few of his own. One he recalls with a chuckle was his decision to plaster a budgies broken leg. The next day its owner was back with a one legged budgie. The weight of the plaster had caused the leg to ‘drop off’. On another occasion he had to make a visit to a farm. “Being a young vet with little experience I was told whenever you visit a farm always park your car facing the road, just in case something goes wrong. Well I pulled into this farmyard and remembering what I was told swung the car around and parked. Unfortunately I hadn’t seen the farmers dog and ran over it.”
Today, Roy and Sandy’s property outside Masterton is a menagerie made up of donkeys, alpaca’s, cats and an elderly dog. Roy also has a pony he occasionally harnesses to pull a small gig. His voluntary work for Literacy Wairarapa, and Arthritis New Zealand is something he enjoys as is his love of reading. With his wonderful stories I think its time he wrote a book of his own.
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