JD arrived back at the ½ ton carrying a number, a receipt, a waver and a scowl on his face that would wilt a cornflower. He jumped on the tailgate and started pulling out his gear from the green tack box marked STRUTHERS, in large white letters.
Cody Brooks was laying on the bench seat of the crew cab with his boots hanging out the window and his hat low on his brow covering his eyes. “Who did you draw”?
"Why in God’s good name am I still doing this? I’m getting too old for this shit. I should be at home mending fences”.
"Who did you draw?"
"That’s it. This is and my last Rodeo. I’m retiring while I can still walk without the aid of a stick and piss on the prairie grass instead of in a bag."
"Who did you draw?"
""I drew that red dunne witch that nearly killed that kid up in Pincer Creek last year."
"What Stars and Stripes?... You drew Stars and Stripes!"
"Yeah, that’s the one."
"She’s not that big but she has more twist and turns then a mountain road. You remember how high she jumped? She’s meaner then a bag of rattlers and she likes to bite. She’s a fantastic ride though and you could score in the high 80’s if you stay the eight seconds. That would put you in the prize zone."
"Hell! I guess your right and it’s probably better to ride her now then later. JD threw the saddle over a bale of straw, sat down and began swinging his legs up high. I could win this thing;" he shouted.
Cody shouted back from the truck; “Are you going to the dance tonight”?
“Hell Yes…providing I’m still walking without a stick”.
