In the line of duty
by Julie Carter
Score:
Gate - 1 Ranch wife - 0 And the town folk likely wanted to call authorities to
report a beating when they saw her in town a few days later.
Anyone
with any knowledge about ranch wives knew exactly what had happened when she
said the words "gate and cow." With a shiner that sent black and blue
over most of one side of her face, an eye that peeked through a narrow slit in
the swelling, and bruises that obviously weren't leaving anytime soon, she
laughed and said, "You should have seen it yesterday, it was a lot
worse."
It's
an old story and this tough little woman proved that it's still an ongoing
hazard for the ranch wife when a husband says, "Hold that gate and don't
let her by."
In
a hundred years of cattle ranching, the bovine species has never gotten the
memo about that particular plan. At something maybe close to 5 feet tall, this
little gal grew up holding her own in the corrals sorting and working cattle.
Gender has never required allowances for special treatment when it comes to
ranch work.
When
the operation is a "mom and pop" deal, mom has to pull her share of
the duty without regard to stature, age or necessary domestic duties.
As
a thousand pounds of cow steam rolls toward a gate with an obvious
determination to exit through it, and the little woman holding said gate knows
"this is going to hurt," there is a flash of mental calculating that
determines what happens next.
With
Herculean strength, at least in her mind, she more often than not will try to
hold her own, ergo hold the gate, against the cow, steer or even a freshly
weaned 500-pound calf. With a hope of the odds and perhaps angels on her side,
she prefers that option to the likely hollering or maybe even a cussing from
the "boss."
Or
worse yet, the thought that she "can't do this job." She knows from
experience there are consequences if she decides to pitch the gate away and
run. With any luck at all, the results won't require a wild and bumpy pickup
ride to the "local" hospital emergency room a couple hours away. That
would really mess up a well-planned afternoon of getting some cattle sorted and
tended to before dark.
But
sometimes, the cow wins. Odds are she'll be a favorite cow, one that's raised
5-6 good calves. And although she's a little on the cranky side even on a good
day, her production stats determine that she be given dispensation for her
attitude and grievances against the little missus.
And
the missus? Well according to the head cowboy, she needs to get a bag of ice on
that eye because she's got a job in town that she needs to tend to on Monday.
Have to keep the priorities in order so as to make a living.
There
are a few tough gals who have learned that quitting is sometimes a temporary
option. Nothing taxes a good ranch marriage like working cattle together in the
corral. Sign language and hollering are a given, as are threats of cold meals
or worse yet, a week of Spam sandwiches.
Worth
remembering is the story about the cowboy who, in his anger at his non-compliant
help in the corral, told his wife to "just go on to the house. I'll finish
up by myself."
Obediently
she got in the pickup and drove home. However, in his tempered state, he had
forgotten that they'd come to the pens together. That pickup she drove off in
was the only vehicle at the corrals.
It
was an eight-mile walk back to the house.
Julie,
a purple-heart veteran of the cow and gate wars, can be reached for comment at jcarternm@gmail.com
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