Oley
has always referred to himself as a cow disturber. I think that is an
accurate description of what cowboys do. The definition of disturb is:
to annoy or disrupt.
“Where ya goin’, Bill?”
“I’m gonna go check the cows.” Which really means, “I’m gonna ride into
the bunch, git’em all up, turn’em around and just generally annoy and
disrupt them.”
I grant there are
occasions when we have a certain definite task in mind; i.e. “I’m gonna
bring in that cow with the arrow in her side.” Or, “Saddle up, we’re
pushin’ 2600 head of Longhorns to the sale barn in Bloomfield.”
But
most of the time we’re just disturbing them. Like doting parents or cat
fanciers, we take any excuse to fuss over the critters in our care.
It’s a wonder whitetail deer or jackrabbits aren’t extinct with no one
to molest them regularly.
If we were
honest with ourselves, our language would be more forthright. The cattle
foreman in the feedlot might give his instructions like this… “Jason, I
want you to enter the first pen in the north alley. Unsettle the steers
by sitting quietly for a moment. Next upset them by approaching.
Confuse them by weaving back and forth, agitating and irritating them
constantly. Badger each one until they’ve all gotten up and milled
around. Once you’re convinced you’ve stirred them up sufficiently, you
may go disturb the next pen.”
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