Stop me if this sounds familiar…
Jake
had some trouble with his folks. So to keep peace in the family he let
the ranch and headed east where his reputation hadn’t preceded him. He
wound up at his uncle’s place and promptly fell in love with his uncle’s
daughter. Uncle was a mediocre stockman but a sharp judge of character.
He could see Jake moonin’ around his daughter, Rachael, so he offered
him a proposition. “Work for me seven years and I’ll approve the
marriage.”
Jake buckled down and
busted his hiney. Uncle had no mercy and, no doubt, gave him all the
hard jobs, calvin’ the heifers, britchin’ the ewes and milkin’ the goat.
Seven
years slid by and, true to his promise, Uncle threw a big wedding party
for Jake and his daughter. After celebrating all day, they led Jake,
who I suspect was three sheets to the wind, to the Bridal Suite. Jake
woke up the next morning to discover that his new bride was not Rachael,
but her older sister!
Jake was mad!
The sister was a nice girl, played the piano and sewed her own clothes,
but Rachael was built like a brick BBQ pit! He complained. The smooth
talkin’ uncle swore he’d make it right. He could marry Rachael, too, if
he’d stick around another seven years.
Jake grudgingly agreed. He was a good stockman but, apparently simple-minded in the ways of love.
He
put in his time, managing his father-in-law’s herd and mindin’ after
his two wives. Finally the time came to take his family back home. The
father-in-law said, “Listen, Jake, the ranch is doin’ real good, thanks
to you. What would it take to get you to stay another seven years?”
Jake said, “If I stay, I want all the spotted stock that are in the herd when my time’s up.”
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