THE LONE OLD TIMER 4

buck had caught a sorrel stocking leged horse that was born from the same mother and father as baldy. buck called this good young hore LITTLE BROTHER. but he wasnt little, he stood a full hand higher than baldy. he took lots of rideing, he was tough and long winded. buck got around the cattle on the road and got them lined out to the corral. but as he rode along it became clear that there was two more cows than calves, the cows without calves had full, tight bags. buck hadnt had a problem with preditors the four legged kind or the two legged.the first he could deal with, the second cound get dicey. he would hold these cattle in the corral over night and call the brand inspecter. he didnt think there was any thing to be done but at least it would be on record. after brand in the calves in the bunch buck got in his truck and went to the closest phone and called the local brand inspecter who said he would be out the next morning. a lot of the folks who had moved into the area wernt the best at keeping their places clean and respectable. as he was driveing by one such place with a number of junk cars scattered around and trash in the yard he heard a calf bawl.backing his truck up to the drive way he turned in and drove to a spot to one side of the house. the calf was still bawling. walking toward the sound he found two baby black calves locked in a corral mad from shipping pallets and tee posts. he turned to go back to his truck when he was met by a woman with tatoos running up her neck " what are you doing here?"she demanded. " just looking at those calves. where did you get them?" buck asked trying to be frienndly. "thats none of your business! now git off this place." the woman demanded. buck looked her over, hair matted and dirty, a tank top advertiseing a rock band and a pair of dirty ill fitting shorts. "ok thank you." buck knew now what the brand inspecter had to deal with.

THE LONE OLD TIMER 3

buck drove up to cleos little half ton pick up truck parked in the lot at the bar.when she got out she said" why dont you follow me home, its not to much out of the way we can have lunch later. you got nother else to do today." buck thought a moment the nodded ok. a few minutes later they pulled up to a little frame house on a tree lined street. buck parked in the street. when in the house cleo found a couple of cold sodas and they sat down at the kitchen table. cleo smiled" now this is a way to spend a sunday". buck looked at her and made a mentel desion.he took a swallow of his soda then looked at her" let me tell you something, i find you very attractive, ime not as old as i look. ime not much older than you. but years ago i was married with a small child. there was a house fire, they were trapped. i tried to get to them. a beam fell hit me. i woke in the hospital two days later. my leg in a cast half my hair burned off and my face scared from burns. when i got well the young people started calling me the old timer. i took the insurence money and bouht the ranch, something we had always planed on haveing. now you know why i stay to my self as far as women are concerned. my only vice is i like to rope.other than that i live at and take care of my ranch. ime a pretty boering person." cleo sat there listening totaly engaged with the story." ok you told your story, you want to hear mine? its not as intresting as yours but you ought to know who i am." buck sat there a minute" i suppose so but only if you want to." i was raised right here. never left this town until i turned 18. then i got a job at the state capitol as a receptionist for a state senate. after a couple of months we became romanticly involved. he was cheating on his wife but i didnt care. then we got caught together in a motel. he went back to his familyy and i came back here. disgraced. i got a job at the hardware store as their book keeper. ive had a long string of boy friends but no one serious. every one thinks ime easy." cleo ducked her head. " well we both got some history huh? i dont think its enough to kill us tho. whats for lunch? all these confessions made me hungry." buck smiled at her. later that afternoon buck was driveing back to the ranch. his mind was cluttered with cloe and all she had told him. it had made him like her even more. when he left he told her he waould be back in town the following saturday to rope in the jackpot roping out at the rodeo grounds, but he still made no commitment. he had to thhink on this deal ever since the loss of his family hehadnt even thought about another woman. as he drove along the road to his house he passed ten cows and calves walking single file along the road he noticed two of the calves wernt braanded. he decided to go home and get a horse aand bring these cattle to the corrals at the house and brand the calves.