Chapter 2 The Yocona River Inn The drive to Ponotoc takes about 35 minutes. He decides to get something to eat at Yocona River Inn just before you turn in to the feed store. The waitress, Bonnie, is always glad to see him. "How y...you doin this m...morning Steve?" she asks as she wipes the counter. Steve straddles the little red cushioned stool and spins a half turn to face her, "If I was any better they'd have to shoot me", he says with a straight face as he removes his hat. "How's the cafe' business treatin' ya." Bonnie talks with a slight stutter but it doesn't seem bother her. She tells Steve about her sister who just up and left her husband of five years last week for a black man. She said that she got tired of being either ignored or verbally abused and that she met the black man at the court house when she was getting her car tags renewed. "My mo..mm..ma's about to.. ha..have a duck! She ain't never.. be..been a rac..ist, in f..fact, she has always been nic..er than most to the black folks around here, but this is sure trying her p...pretty hard." Steve sips his coffee and nods in recognition of her story, "I bet that does make things a bit more complicated for your momma. I don't know, it seems to me if two people love each other then it shouldn't matter one dang bit about the color involved." Bonnie stops wiping for a moment and stares at Steve with her mouth open, " I c...can't believe you just s...said that! That is exactly what I t...told my momma word for word!" Steve nods again and looks down at the menu. "I'll take a Texas Omelette with extra jalepenos."
Chapter 3 "See A Man About A Horse" The "Feed Store" carries everything. It was "walmart" before Sam Walton ever changed the quaint downtown squares of small towns everywhere . The "Feed Store" is on the square. You can find bridles, bird feeders, britches, books, and blankets; car tires, cat food, couches, candles, cattle feed, crow bars, and cayenne pepper. Steve walks one of the four isles that displays horse tack. He handles a pair of roping spurs, spins the rowels, props his right leg up over his left knee and tries it on his boot. Joe Brown walks up behind him and gooses him in the side. Steve almost topples over with his boot propped up. "Sum-bitch!", Steve blurts out as he catches himself on one of the displays. Joe laughs so hard he has to wipe the moisture from his eyes. Steve laughs too, "Man, you scared the starch out of my shirt, you old fart!" "How's the horse business?", asks Joe. Steve hangs the spurs back on the display, "Like always, slow and easy till you get 'em broke. How's the cattle business?" "It's about the same, we hear tell that prices are about to go up a little more. Heck, I might just sell out and buy me an island somewhere." Steve's cell phone rings, his ring tone is the sound of horses running. "Scuse me Joe,,, hello, this is Steve, yes sir, yes sir, nah, no sir, that'll be fine, yes sir, sure thing, just call me when you get ready,,, no sir, I understand, thank you for calling me." Steve puts his cell phone back in its leather holster hooked to his wrangler jeans. "Well, it sure would've been nice if he had called me last night to tell me he had changed his mind. I should charge him for gas money anyway." " Hell yea you should Steve! Some folks think everything revolves around their schedule. Did he know you were standing here waiting on him?" Steve walks over to the bridles, " He knew." "Did he offer to pay you for your time and gas?" Steve takes some heavy reins down from their hook, " No, he didn't." Joe shakes his head, " I wouldn't break the man's horse if he called me back, but that's just me. Man like that will cheat ya again if he gets a chance. You know what I'm sayin?" "I hear ya Joe. I hear ya."
Chapter 4 D.B. As Steve heads back to Yocona on HWY 334 it begins to rain. He hears thunder rolling and watches dark clouds fill up the sky in the direction he is driving. Burns is not the first person to lie to him, and he won't be the last. His daddy told him that lying was the one sin easiest to commit. It's as easy as drinking a glass of water or eating buttered toast. You do it without a thought and sometimes it's enjoyable. It can even leave a good taste in your mouth. Steve thinks to himself about his own lies in the past. He finds it hard to come down on Burns as he remembers his own indiscretions. Sometimes a person will lie to just lie. Usually it is to make another person think better of you, but sometimes, we spread a little strawberry jam with the butter just for the heck of it. The sound of horses running comes from his shirt pocket, "Hello, this is Steve. Hey honey, where are y'all? I'm heading back... no,... he called while I was at the feed store,... no, he says that he's decided to wait another month, ...I don't know, you can't ever tell about these rich folks, ....yea, I know, ......I know, ok. When will y'all be back?.... uh huh, Well, alright, y'all have fun.... Call me when you head back..... I love you too." He hangs up and turns up the radio. George Strait sings "All my X's live in Texas". It reminds Steve to call and check on his grandfather in Oxford. The rain continues and is falling hard enough to put the wipers on high. He dials Paw Paw's number, "Hey D.B., what you doing? ...Yes sir we sure do. I hope it rains all day, ...yes ..yes sir, ...well,... I was wondering if you wanted to get some coffee, my treat? yes sir,.... I will be there in about twenty minutes,.... ok,.... I will be, goodbye." D.B. Williams is a WW2 veteran. He was born in Texas in 1923. He joined the Army and they put him in the Rangers Special Unit. He could shoot better than anyone in his troop. He served four years in combat as a sniper. After the war he came back to Texas and went to work on the 6666's cattle ranch. He broke horses for 10 years and got hurt pretty bad one spring morning. The foreman's daughter was a red headed beauty and D.B. had his eye on her. She would come out and watch him break horses and would sometimes bring him something to eat and drink. It was a beautiful May morning and he had just sacked out a sorrel colt who was fairly calm. He placed the saddle on the horse and began to tighten the girt; as he did, Sheila came up to the round pen with a tray of coffee and buscuits. She must have tripped over something in the dawn light. The coffee pot fell off the tray and hit the ground and then the tin cups fell and hit the coffee pot. The noise was sudden and it pierced the air. The horse spooked. D.B. had his left hand in the cinch as the horse took off running and bucking. By the time Sheila could get the horse to stop, his left shoulder had been seperated and had torn the major ligaments in his arm and wrist. He would always smile at this point of the story and say, "I would do it again if that's what it'd took to break Sheila!" For the next four months Sheila took care of him. They were married within a year. D.B. continued working with horses, but he mostly 'finished' them out after someone else broke them. He trained four world champion cutting horses in the mid sixties. They moved to Mississippi in 1963 when he was offered the Foreman/Head trainer of a big quarter horse ranch just north of Oxford.
Chapter 5 "Unsweet Tea and Jesus" The Beacon is one of the oldest establishments in town. D.B. has been coming here since he moved to town. His friends still call him Texas when he walks in. Not much has changed in this old place. The waitresses have hardly changed. Betty and June are the two with seniority. They started a week apart in 1968. Betty still holds it over June that she has seniority. "Good morning Texas, morning Steve, y'all need a menu?" "No maam", says Steve as he and his grandfather remove their cowboy hats at the same time. D.B. makes the drinking motion with his right hand, tilting his hand to his mouth with an imaginary cup to June who is standing near the rear wall by the coffee maker. She makes the 'OK' sign. The rain stops soon after they sit down. The sun comes out and steam rises from the parking lot full of pick-up trucks. "It'll be 90 plus by 2:00.", Steve says as he motions for June to come over to the table. "Wucha ya need honey?", she says as she puts her hand on D.B.'s shoulder. "I think I'll have some unsweet tea if you got any made. I'm about coffeed out." June tells him she will check and see if it's finished brewing. She comes back to the table in a few minutes with a large glass of tea and another glass full of crushed ice. "It's still hot honey, you gonna need some more ice in a minute." "Thank you Miss June." She turns to D.B. "Texas, you need anything?" He looks up into her weathered face and hazel colored eyes, "I might as well get this here cup topped off, thank you maam." She comes back with a pot of coffee and fills his cup. Black, no cream. How's the horse breaking business these days? Well, it's a bit dry lately, sir. You been saying your prayers? Well, not as much as I should be sir. D.B. reaches into the pocket of his faded denim shirt. The shirt is blue with pearl snaps. He pulls out a beautiful rosary the color of ebony. He hands it across the table. Steve looks slightly to his left and right before taking the prayer beads from his grandfather. "You want me to pray it now?", he asks with a grin. D.B. grins back and says it wouldn't hurt these folks in here to learn something about their mother. "Why are you giving me your rosary paw paw?" "I want you to have it, I been meaning to give it you for some time now." Steve opens his fist clutching the beads and notices how worn they are. "Your grandmother gave me this in 1973 when I became Catholic. She prayed the rosary every day her whole life. I wish I could say the same. All I know is, it won't hurt nothin for you to spend more time with Jesus and his mother." "Goodness paw paw, I know how much this means to you, are you sure about this?" D.B. reaches across the table and gently pounds his fist on Steve's closed hand holding the rosary, " I'm sure son, just don't let a bit of dust gather on it, comprende'?"
Chapter 6 " A Paint Horse" Steve took his grandfather home. He sat at the end of the gravel drive and rolled a cigarette. He lit it and cracked the window in his truck. He turned the radio off. The digital clock on the dash read 11:30, he killed the engine. He reached into his front shirt pocket and pulled out the rosary. The day had blossomed. The sky was bluer than a robins egg with not a cloud to be seen. The warmth was a welcome thing. It had been cool for a May morning, cooler than he could remember; but now, it was starting to feel like Mississippi. He sat and looked at the rosary trying to remember the beginning; 'In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen'. He crossed himself with the cigarette hand. A car raced past and he sunk down a bit in the seat. 'I believe in God the Father almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only son our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit...... Our Father WHo Art in heaven......Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee...' It all came back to him vividly. He sat there for fifteen minutes and prayed this way for the first time in years. He felt peaceful; a peacefulness that he had forgot about. He felt a sense of hope rise up within him. He felt something stir in his heart that he had ignored. He started the truck and put it in drive. He drove to Yocona in silence. No radio, no cell phone. He started to put the rosary back in his pocket, but instead, he hung it on the rear view mirror. As he drove, he prayed for his wife. He asked God to give her peace in the midst of their financially trying times. He prayed for his grandfather. He prayed for Joe. He hadn't done this in a while. It felt good to be thinking of others instead of just his own problems. As he was turning onto the 334 he saw a man trying to load a Paint horse onto a trailer at the B.P. The horse did not want to load. Steve pulled in and parked. He watched the man for a few minutes. The horse would rare up and paw the back of the trailer whenever he would get close. A couple of teenagers with skateboards watched from inside the store. After a few minutes, Steve walked over to the guy and asked if he needed some help. The man ignored Steve at first. He was hitting the horse trying to force him on. After another failed attempt he turned to Steve and said, "Buddy, if you got any ideas how to get this son of a bitch onto this trailer, I'm all ears!" Steve walked over and took the reins from him. The man had on slacks and penny loafers. He wore a mustard colored polo shirt. Steve didn't say anything to the man. He walked the horse away from the trailer. He rubbed it on the forehead. He led it onto some grass nearby and let it eat a bit. He spoke in soft, low tones, "Easy boy, easy.." The man stood with his hands on his hips as if to say, "WELL?!" Steve ignored the man completely. His focus was on the horse. He lead the horse toward the trailer but then stopped about 10 feet from it. He then turned and went away again, back to the grass. Each time he would rub the horse on its withers and speak in a low, comforting tone. Each time he would get closer. Each time he would repeat the rubbing. Finally he and the horse stood at the back of the trailer. The man had gone inside. It was just Steve, the Paint horse, and now the skateboarders had come out to get a closer look. With much care Steve finally loaded the horse onto the trailer. He then unloaded him and repeated everything two more times. The man came out with a bag of Lays potato chips and a Dr. Pepper. "How the hell did you do that?" Steve finally looked at the man for the first time, "I just treated him like I would want to be treated is all." The man offered Steve some money but Steve refused. He got back in his truck and headed down the road.
Chapter 7 "Spring Tomatoes" The Sirius radio in his truck is tuned to a blues station. Old blues, north Mississippi blues. Steve knew some of these old blues men. As a kid his dad would take him on Sunday afternoons to Mr. Guthries place to eat fried chicken, watermelon, and listen to some of the old men sing. Junior Kimbrough would show up with R.L. Burnside and then things would really get rolling. And now just imagine, Steve thinks, people in Japan and Amsterdam are hearing these old dudes. "It's a crazy deal", he says out loud. He passes by the firehouse in Yocona and slows down to turn in to his gravel road. Mr. Ratliff waves from his front porch swing for Steve to come over. Steve turns in. "Afternoon Steve, it's shore nuff a hot one today ain't it" Steve gets out of the truck and closes the door, "Yes sir, it may get up to 90 they're saying." Steve reaches out and shakes his hand. Hens and roosters circle Steve's truck, clucking and staring at it as if they are planning some kind of attack. How's D.B. these days? He's good. I just left him. We had coffee at the Beacon. His shoulder still giving him fits? Every time it rains. Well. How you doing, you been over to the V.A. lately? Yea, they had to remove a little cancer from my neck. Ain't no big deal though. When you get as old as me ain't too much can get you worried. Why worry? You know how it's gonna end. I turned 88 last week. Well happy belated birthday. Thank you. What you got goin' today? Mostly cleaning up around the barn and I got a couple of young horses I'm working with. Just the usual. Well. You got any tomatoes yet? I was just fixin to put you some in a bucket. Heck, that's why I waved you over. Steve pulls on up the driveway to his place. The strong earthy smell of the tomatoes fills the cab of his truck. He drives past the house to his barn out back. He carries the bucket of tomatoes over to the water faucet and turns it on. He washes the reddest one he can find and takes a bite like you would eating an apple. Red juice squirts out and gets on his shirt. He pulls out a green bandana and wipes it off. Spring tomatoes taste different than summer ones. They have a little more crunch to them, a little less sweet, but good and flavorful in their own way. Some folks like them best in spring.
Spring Tomatoes Chapter 8 "Mad Cow" "Hello this is Steve,....Yes sir,.... I can,....Yes sir, I know where it is......I charge 150 dollars,....It won't take me long......yes sir,......I just have to saddle and load my horse and should be there in about 30 minutes.....Ok, see you in a bit." He scrolls through his numbers on his phone and calls his wife...."Hey honey, what y'all up to?......Well I just got a call from a fella that needs me to catch a cow,....yea,....I just wanted to let you know that I may be out of pocket for a couple of hours,....I'm not sure........He said the cow has been sold and he can't get her up in the pen to ship her.....I will...ok,.. y'all be careful too." He catches the big bay gelding from the field and walks him to the barn. He uses this horse for just about everything. He even uses him for training other horses. He ponies the young horses with Buck. "Pony" means you ride the horse and train from the saddle sometimes roping the young horse and leading it with the horse you are on. Buck is a ranch horse. He is not bothered by much and loves to work. He can hardly wait to get on the trailer and nudges Steve with his nose to hurry and open the metal door. He loads him and within 10 minutes they are on their way. The cow's horns are uncut, sharp, and tilted forward. She is a cross of some kind of beef cow and Mexican breed. She is a ghostly grey/brindle color. She is thin and deer-like. With a wild look in her eyes, she stands on the tree-line of the property watching Steve and Buck as they head her way. They move slow and easy trying not to put too much pressure on her. Steve doesn't want her going into the woods. The brush is thick with briars and fallen trees. It will be a mess if they have to chase her in there. As they ease closer, she puts her head down and begins to paw the ground like a bull in a ring ready to charge the matador. Steve whoas Buck and they wait to see what the cow will do. Suddenly, with the speed of a deer, she turns and leaps into the woods. "She's pretty swooft ain't she Buck." The woods are thicker than he had imagined. The briars too. He keeps one eye on the cow and another on the terrain. He doesn't want Buck stepping in a hole and breaking a leg. The cow glides through the thicket without much effort. "She knows these woods well", Steve says as he notices a clearing about 100 yards to the right. As they get closer he sees that it is an opening into another pasture. "Let's get her out in the open boy." He puts pressure on the bovine and she jumps like a rabbit through the clearing into the field. Steve has his rope coiled in his right hand and quickly grows the loop while Buck is tracking the cow. All of this is taking place at break-neck speed. Buck knows what to do and within seconds they are on top of her. Steve releases the loop and it lands perfectly over the cow's crooked horns. He dallies to the saddle horn and Buck puts on the brakes. It jerks the cow around to where she is facing them. She pulls hard against the rope and tries to back away. Buck backs also and the cow is no match for his strength. They pull her around the woods back to the barn. The owner is sitting on his tailgate waiting. When he sees Steve coming he breaks into a big grin. "Heck, I didn't think you would catch her. You're the third person I have had up here trying." Steve removes the rope after they get her in the paddock. "Here's your money, I sure do appreciate it." "Thank you sir, if you ever need anything just give me a call." Steve loads Buck and soon they are back home. He unsaddles him and brushes him down. He puts him in the stall and pours some sweet grain in the trough. Steve sits down in a chair in the hallway of the barn and listens to Buck eating. It's one of his favorite sounds in the world.
Chapter 9 "Buck's Dream"
The fans in the barn lull Steve to sleep. He keeps the fans going to keep flies off the horses. His head is dropped forward and his hat brim rests along his chest. Buck cocks his back left leg and falls asleep in his stall. It's a peaceful moment you can't explain. Its depth is eternal. Its solace ancient. Something from another time and spirit. Steve often talks about moving out west and working on a cattle ranch. He is dreaming about it now. He rides the left flank over hundreds of bawling momma cows and their calves. The air is cool and the breeze is constant. He is riding Buck. He rolls a cigarette in the saddle and watches a beautiful orange sun setting over the green and fertile plains of his dreams.
THE END