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 on Monday.
Anyone with any knowledge about ranch wives knew exactly what had happened when she said the words "a gate and a 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 - a husband that says, "Hold that
gate and don't let her (the cow) 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 gonna 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 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.
12/05/2010
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