Thursday, August 19, 2004
Fascinating Conversation - Part 2
"You ever do any ropin', boy?"
"No, sir."
"When I first came here, I was about the only one that could do it. Used to make some money now and again, when someone had an animal they needed to get a rope on."
"Where did you learn to rope?"
"My daddy taught me. In Amarillo. You ever been in Amarillo?" He looked at me with a hopeful expression. "That's in Texas. You ever worked any spreads out there?"
"When I was in Texas, I was just passing through. I never worked in Texas."
"I taught David to ride and rope. He wasn't that good at ropin', but he did alright. Rode pretty good. I started him out riding at 6 weeks old. Still had to hold on to him then, though."
"In Texas, the ones that was the best would have schools on ridin' and ropin'. That's the way to learn it, from them's that's best at it. They'll have something to show you."
"I used to be pretty good at it. Used to compete in rodeos, in the SRA and all. Got to bother me when they'a announce, 'and now the oldest competitor.' I was still competing when I was 71. I'm 80-something now." He gave me an appraising glance, apparently thinking that a boy this size must have done something worthwhile. "You ever wrestle any steers?"
"No, sir, I never did."
"You grab ahold of some of them steers, it doesn't shake them up at all. You can get your boot heels drug a long ways."
At this point I realize that I abandoned my lunch at the communal table some time ago, but this is a conversation I don't get to have every day.
(e-mailed again to beat the system timing out, more installments later)
"No, sir."
"When I first came here, I was about the only one that could do it. Used to make some money now and again, when someone had an animal they needed to get a rope on."
"Where did you learn to rope?"
"My daddy taught me. In Amarillo. You ever been in Amarillo?" He looked at me with a hopeful expression. "That's in Texas. You ever worked any spreads out there?"
"When I was in Texas, I was just passing through. I never worked in Texas."
"I taught David to ride and rope. He wasn't that good at ropin', but he did alright. Rode pretty good. I started him out riding at 6 weeks old. Still had to hold on to him then, though."
"In Texas, the ones that was the best would have schools on ridin' and ropin'. That's the way to learn it, from them's that's best at it. They'll have something to show you."
"I used to be pretty good at it. Used to compete in rodeos, in the SRA and all. Got to bother me when they'a announce, 'and now the oldest competitor.' I was still competing when I was 71. I'm 80-something now." He gave me an appraising glance, apparently thinking that a boy this size must have done something worthwhile. "You ever wrestle any steers?"
"No, sir, I never did."
"You grab ahold of some of them steers, it doesn't shake them up at all. You can get your boot heels drug a long ways."
At this point I realize that I abandoned my lunch at the communal table some time ago, but this is a conversation I don't get to have every day.
(e-mailed again to beat the system timing out, more installments later)
