“Truly a beautiful day to be movin’ cows to summer pasture,” observed
Steve’s boss. Satisfaction wafted off him in gently rising curls. Steve
wiped a streak of green off his pant leg with a flat stick.
They’d
loaded the cows in a hired semi and the calves into a converted hay
wagon. This wagon had rubber tires, a long tongue and 12-foot homemade
side boards. There was enough wire at the corners to run transatlantic
cable from New York to the Canary Islands.
“I’ll take the calves and lead the way. You ride with the driver,” instructed the boss.
The
road picked up incline as the procession wound its way into the hills
above Ellensburg. The trailer tracked as well as a camel draggin’ a
unicycle through a fresh-plowed field against the rows. The driver
grumbled, but Steve kept an eye on the swaying trailer ahead. He noticed
the right rear tire go from low to flat.
The semi pulled alongside the boss’ pickup to alert him. “Just keep goin’,” shouted the boss, “We’re almost there!”
Smoke began to roll out of the tortured tire. Soon, sparks were flyin’! Steve was the first to spot flames.
They pulled over as the pickup and trailer ground to a halt. The rear
of the trailer was burning like an old apple crate. They cut through
the wire and pried the backboards off.
The calves were smashin’
themselves to the front, as Steve fought his way through the smoke and
fire and began pushing and throwing the 200 pound calves out onto the
highway. They’ll find ’em, thought Steve, That’s what cowboys are for!
Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship.
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