PICKUP MAN 20

kent and terrie were sitting at a tble in a local resteraunt haveing supper after the rodeo, one more day and they could start home. the wear and tear of the rodeos one after another in a short time was showing through on kent. hayden walked up to their table a worn bronc halter in his hand. the nose band was engraved with a different stock contracters brand. " can i sit down?" hayden asked. kent was chewing a mouth ful but he motioned to a empty chair. when the waitress approached hayden ordered a soft drink only. it didnt take but a moment and kent swallowed his mouth ful and pointed to the worn halter and asked" whats up with that?" " i made a deal this afternoon, i think you will like it."hayden held up the halter "dillon brothers just bought rattler. they take him after the performance tomorrow. the kicker is they want this on him when you turn him out into the arena."he held up the halter. " well ime glad to see him go, but that halter is pretty sad shape. you would think they would have sent a new one." kent was beaming. " the price they paid for him ide put a johnson halter on him for them>heres your percentage." hayden handed a folded check to kent. kent didnt even open the check or look at it , he just passed it on to terrie. " arnt you gonna see what he brought?"hayden was surprised. "it dont matter, i just gotta pick up that ole sucker one more time. then some one else can make excuses to the bronc riders who have to get on him.i think you sold him at just the right time. he will go some place else and a new set of contestants. adios bronc!" kent waved his fork in the air in salute.every one at the table had a laugh. the next day before the last performance kent ran rattler into the chute and took haydens halter from him then put dillon brothers worn out halter on him. it just barely fit. kent saw where it had worn thin around the nose band rings. " hope this holds together one more trip."kent said unser his breath, neither of the carbonetti brothers won the ride on rattler that day this was a rider that kent had never seen before. dureing the performance the man had been aggresive and spurred him self to a high eighty point dide to win that days event and the shot at rattler. while this man was setting his saddle the announcer was extolling the skills of the rider, the rankness of the horse and the fact the animal was going to a new home out of state. the rider settled in the saddle and found his stirrups. kent had ridden his good gray pick up horse up close top the chute. when he saw the rider wasnt a kid but a man probably in his thirtys with some hard lines creasing his mouth and jaw. the rider picked up the buck rein and held it up in front of his face. his spurs on the crease of the broncs shoulder he nodded to the gate man who swung the gate wide. for a milisecond rattler stood like a statue, then shot straight up in the air. he slung his head back down and to the left. but the rider was stuck to him , his spurs still in the horses shoulder. when rattler hit the ground the rider picked up the rythem of the bucking bronc and was rakeing the bronc in time to his bucking. the crowd were on their feet a roar comming from under the grande stands where they were cheering on the rider and the bronc in the arena, when rarrler reached the fence in front of the grand stands instead of turning along the fence he swapped ends in mid jump starting back into the arena. the bronc rider was still there, pulled up against the front of his saddle spurring with every jump rattler made. the old bronc let out a bawl as he backed back acrss the arena. tanner moved in just as the wistle went off at eight seconds. kent sandwiched the bronc as the rider slid off behind tanner.rattlers head came up when the rider left and the loose buck rein was in reach for kent. he leaned over and scooped it up. when he did rattle quit bucking and tanner had reached over and pulled the flank strap loose and let it fall. this routine had been many times on rattle kent dallyed the buck rein to his saddle horn and started to the out gate. at that point the rodeo clown and bull fighter was rolling his barrel into the arena in preperation for the bull rideing event. it made rarrler set back and when he did the worn halter gave way with pop.rattler reared and pawed the air comming down with his pie plate feet in the saddle with kent. his right front foot had hit kent in the back of his head on its way down. kent slumped forward over his saddle horn. blood streaming down his neck in back. the gate man had the out gate open and out of habit rattler ran into the unsaddling chute. tanner rode up next to kent and grabbed his bridle rein. kent looked over at him and in a soft voice said" get me outta here tanner." tanner led the gray horse with kents bleeding head straight to the ambulance. in short order kent and terrie were in the ambulance roaring out of the rodeo grounds.