Fitness and foolish stubborness combined for an awakening in a predawn beach walk run
Rid'n Reality
Chapter 28
Ruth, JB, and Della help create a wonderful picture book as Carol’s life is blurred in 1980.
I met a young woman whose body was burning
I met a young girl, she gave me a rainbow
I met one man who was wounded in love
I met another man who was wounded with hatred
And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard,
it's a hard It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall –
Bob Dylan Hard Rain is Gonna Fall Leon Russell - Leon Russell and the Shelter People
Ridin Reality
Ruth got the team out and hitched them up. Pam had been there early capturing shots of the black beauties. She was on Ruth’s side they were marvels. Cowboy Danny came, who Pam loved through her lens. Ruth loaded Jimbo and JB drove over to the covered bridge. Ruth and Della got in with Pam and followed.
“I came out the sun was great. I have some nice shots of you caring for the horses and for Della.”
“Della is such a good girl, seems to be happy wherever we go.”
“How old is Della?”
“She is 10 months.”
“Is Della a family name?”
“She’s named after JB’s grandmother.”
“Carol doesn’t seem to have the same affection for horses you do.”
“Well Carol grew up in the big city, she doesn’t know what wonderful creatures they are. The Shire team is a huge draw to our market, and she has come to appreciate that.”
“Carol didn’t grow up here.”
“Her father and brother are part of a large law firm in Chicago. This was her grandparents’ farm.”
“She seems as natural here as the oldest tree.”
“Carol became Carol here; she’s is as tied to the land as any farmer in the county. JB is going to turn left at the next corner. The road will bend back to the right in another half mile, but then it will be straight to a very nice parking area by the covered bridge.”
When they parked JB came and took Della to a shady area with a picnic table. He began playing with her, and Ruth unloaded Jimbo. Pam thought it was a lovely setting and was off taking photos. “Yes, this is wonderful, perfect. Can you take Jimbo through the bridge and then come back towards me?”
“Yes, Jimbo is a showoff.”
“Wonderful, these should be great. Does JB ride?”
“Yes, JB does ride sometimes. He doesn’t love it, but he loves me.”
“He’s got that cowboy hat and I think he would make a nice set of photos with the horse.”
“let’s go see, I can watch Della.”
“JB Pam wants to make you a model. Would you go pose with JImbo?”
“I suppose, but I’m no cowboy. I’m a mechanic.”
“You got that straw cowboy hat at the rodeo; I think that makes you a cowboy.”
JB followed her instructions for a set of photos that became very popular in the book. They loaded up and went over to the iron truss bridge. “This is one of our favorite spots. We thought we could have our picnic here. Lizzie and I got up some sandwiches and cookies. These little flimsy Styrofoam coolers sure help keep cold things, got to pack them right or the lids blow off.”
“Where is Lizzie?”
“She’s up overseeing the garden today. I usually do that but I’m here. We have some high school kids out on Saturday. Someone has to keep’em from weeding the onions and potatoes instead of the real weeds.”
“You two pack an excellent picnic. Your daughter is so cute, can I take some photos of her with you and JB on the bridge?”
“Yes, we are here to make the best show possible.”
“Della makes me want to find the right man and do kids and family like you guys are. I suppose Carol is so back to earth she doesn’t want children, either.”
“Stephen doesn’t want kids?”
“No, he says humans must stop creating more human parasites. He can quote some fact about how much each American uses of the world resources. That is the reason he gives for getting himself fixed.”
“Fixed?”
“Stephen got a, you know,, a vasectomy. He claims he is helping make a better world. I think he knows they can never nail him with a paternity test.”
“Stephen is a womanizer, you’re telling me.”
“He reminds me of the cartoon skunk, you know Pepe Le Pew. Carol has gotten his head turned though. She would turn anyone’s head. Her farm and the photos of her and the stuff she is growing is making him a success. She is the special sauce on his Big Mac. Maybe he is stuck to only her.”
“Carol tried some of his ideas, if they seemed practical at all. I knew those weeder geese were a mistake.”
“Yeah all those damn birds did was shit everywhere, on the tractors, everywhere.”
“JB watch your language Della will be cussing in church, if you are not more careful. “
“Glad Joe had that smoker; they did make decent jerky and summer sausage.”
“Yes, that is why we hire kids on Saturdays, far more productive."
-
"Pam would you like to ride up to the lake? JB could then take Della home for a nap.”
“I haven’t been on a horse often.”
“I’ve got a real gentle mare; Jimbo and I will lead you. It will be fun. “
“You are quite the cowgirl; how did you get into horses?”
“The neighbors had horses; we couldn’t afford horses. I was over there all the time. I helped train their horses and practice race them.”
“Race them like in the Kentucky Derby?”
“No not thoroughbreds, barrel racing, tight turns, exciting rides on Quarter horses.”
“Not full horses?”
“Quarter horses are a breed meant for tight turns and quick sprints. All the barrel racers ride them.”
“It sounds exciting.”
“Oh, it is. I trained the neighbor’s horses but couldn’t race them for real. After Ms. Carol gave me a job. I earned enough to get a quarter horse. He was one the owner thought too spooky and spirited to race. I knew I could gentle him a little. Carol was kind enough to let me use her barn. The machine shed her grandfather had was mostly empty. The Greene’s have all the big equipment. It became my indoor training facility. "
"You train them to run?"
"A horse will run; you train them to turn with you. A good racer isn't a rider, they move as one with the horse. JB got a trailer and we started going to some fairs and small rodeos. My horse was named Seven Up, he was a tremendous horse. We were winning at the small venues. An organizer said he could get us in to the Western in January. It would let people see Seven Up against the big names. It is a haul, but we wanted to try a top tier race. Seven Up won and we got the big purse. One of the well-heeled outfits offered to buy Seven Up. They offered a small fortune for folks like JB and me. I sold Seven Up and gave up barrel racing.”
“It sounds like you were good and had a good horse. Why did you give it up?”
“JB didn’t know yet, but I knew I was pregnant with Della. I had proved myself to myself; we couldn’t be chasing rodeos. I used some of the money to buy that team of Shires”
“I will ride up with you, but no racing. Let me get some family shots and then we can go. These have been great places to shoot. I want to see the lake.”
JB drove back to the barn. ” I’ll ride home JB.” JB waved as he took Della and the trailer home. Ruth saddled up the mare she called June, while Jimbo rested and got a drink. She stored Pam’s cameras and helped her get on June.
Pam looked over to the market, “That is Stephen’s Fiat isn’t it?”
“Looks like it, why you want you ride over and chat?”
“By no means, riding to the Lake sounds even better, now”
“Yeah, I don’t feel like chatting either."
FishBum55 - photo
