A GOOD MOMMA

IN honor of mothers day i will tell this  story on myself.  at the 76 ranch there was a good brangas cow who did not like cowboys messin with her baby. now keep in mind i had been there a year or so and was still learning to pick out different cows from one another.  when you got 500 black , brangas cows it just takes a while.  these cows calved year round. the bulls were out year round because the country was just rough enough, the pastures just big enough, and my attitude was any calf any time was better than no calf at all.  my friend kelly was outa work and needing some day work. i knew him to be a top hand, being raised in a cow family of pioneer porportions.  i got him to come give me a hand one day. we gathered the corner of the west pasture and  penned this little bunch of cows and calves in a net wire set of corrals. this was late in the fall and the days were still warm but the early mornins were cold. by the time we penned these cows the day had warmed and we were shedding our coats. we hung them on the fence, built a fire and warmed up our irons in preparation of brandinf 10 little fall calves. i had stashed some vaccine and wormer for the cows earlier. we were ready to go. i told kelly to rope the calves and i would flank and tie them down. he could do 5 and i would do 5. i had my piggen string ready as kelly came draggen the first calf by his heels. easy work for a old man to tie him down, brand him, and ear mark, casterate and vaccinate. turned him up and moved to the corner of the corral while i waitted for the next one. here comes kelly with another one, momma is trotten along behind bawlin and snuffin at the calf. as they got close to the fire i moved in, swatted mamma in the face with my piggen string and promply got run over! i got up and dived behind kelly s horse. mamma came lookin for me UNDER KELLY S HORSES BELLY!   i ran to the fence but the net wire wouldnt let me climb it. i just slide down until that old blister butted me in the hip pockets of my wranglers! over the fence i sailed like a big ass bird! as i got back up i could see kelly coiling his rope and laughing hystericaly!  i got my horse, and we cut the cow out the gate, leaving baby in the corral to be branded.  to this day when i mention it kelly starts laughin!