THE JACKASS ROPERS 18

DAN WALLOWED AROUND IN HIS BED ROLL. HE WAS GETTING HOT. HE THREW THE TARP AND QUILTS BACK FROM HIS BODY AND REALIZED THE SUN WAS HIGH IN THE MORNING SKY. he sat up and the smell of cooking coffee hit his nostrils. his eyes squinted toward the bright sun light. he yawned and stretched and the slight head ach he felt reminded him of the night before. after the deputy had left with the wild horse annies bundle of rags he and his crew had gone to town. he had gone to the bank and cashed the BLM check takeing the tellers by surprise. . then it had been a great supper at a steak house and drinks afterward at a local honkey tonk. now he was trying to clear his head of the celebration. he was struggling with pulling on his second boot when travis stepped up and set a steaming cup of coffee next to his bed. dan looked at the coffee and then at travis" thank you.".was all he could muster. travis grinned at him. a good hour later the stock truck pulled in followed by the deputys again. the wild horse annies wernt in sight. the cowboys loaded the thirty head of donkey on the truck includeing the old battle scared jack.as he went up the ramnp into the truck dan commented" i almost dont want ship the old man. i would rather turn him loose but rules are rules i guess." travis and dusty stood to one side in agreenment. the truck and the deputys rolled back onto the highway and all was quiet at lake pleasent camp ground. the three went back to the fire and poured another cup of the strong black coffee. dan went to his truck and came back with a zippered bank bag. he plopped down cross legged and opened the bag. it was bulging with bank notes. from his shirt pocket he pulled a weathered note book and thumbed through it then started counting out cash when he had a substanstial pile he picked it up and handed it to dusty. when dusty took it dan smiled and said a simple THANK YOU, YOUR A HAND." then he started counting again. when he reached a certain spot he stopped for a moment then added some more to the pile. he picked it and handed it to travis" THANK YOU. I COULDNT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU." " i dont believe theres any jack asses left here do you?" dan asked. the duo both shook their heads in unison. " we got jobs waitting up at the diamond a but didnt have enough to get there. you made it possible and then some. its been a hoot. that yesterday was the cherry on top. ill never forget it."travis start chuckling at the thought of the annie raceing for her car with her butt shinning to the world." what about the mavericks? you gonna leave them?" " ime going home for a few days and rest my ponys. i wanna see the ranch and my folks there. the BLM is bringing a little more hay here and going to leave the corrals up until i get them caught. there might be another jack ass or two out there so we will let the dust settle. ime pulling up stakes in a bit but you boys can camp here as long as you want before you head north." dan sounded for sure home sick. travis thought to himself it must be good to have some where or some one to be sick over. his only anchor in life was his son. the boys mother haveing gone missing years ago. dusty got up and went to the horse corral and started catching dans horses while travis and dan hooked up dans trailer and started loading dans gear and camp equipment. when travis started boxing up the kitchen supplys dan waved him off, " bonus" was all he said. when dan pulled out of the camp ground travis and dusty stood together waveing. they would leave early the next morning. when dan turned his rig toward wickenburg from behind a palo verde tree rolled a ford car. it fell to following him at a distance but keeping him in sight. the wild haired brunet behind the wheel was muttering curses and her eyes flashing fire behind the big lenses of her sun glasses.