Howdy Friends,
Grandpop is a series
of stories I started in June of 2013, based loosely on my Uncle Ed, a WWII Vet,
and real life cowboy. He grew up cowboyin’ on the famous XIT ranch in Texas
until he left to join the war with a few of his range riding buddies. His daddy
ran one of the general stores on the ranch. I never knew my Uncle until I
graduated High School, the folks who had me on the farm allowed no outside
contact, but when I met him I was immediately hooked on his quiet ways, wisdom
and kindness toward all, animal and human. Uncle Ed is the personification of the
Cowboy Code. I never had a father figure until I met Uncle Ed, and our visits
over the years have served as guideposts to me. Our visits with Grandpop here
in the Coffee Clutch are based sometimes on the chats he and I had on his farm
in PA, and other times on chats as I imagined we would have them if we’d had
the chance. Uncle Ed moved back to Texas, about 10 years ago, onto a little spread
only a few miles from the Canadian River Breaks he cowboyed in his youth. His
wisdom, it seems, is even more important now. You can have a read of our first
ever visit with Grandpop HERE (with links to go on)
– I hope you’ll enjoy our visits with Grandpop.
 |
| Kessy, Saturday and me writin' a story |
“There’s a difference between gettin’ and earnin’”
His friendly smiles always took charge of the moment, times
and situations I knew I’d handle differently, most certainly with less effect
and understanding. Grandpop always knew how to make things understandable, on a
higher level. Sometimes with just that smile of his. And a twinkle in his eyes.
I could see the lad was still frustrated, perhaps even angry, but Grandpop’s
smile, and purposeful hesitation, had the young fella thinking.
“You can get all the tangles out without cutting,” Grandpop
encouraged from his seat on a straw bale. He sent me a silly grin. He’d been coaching
the boy on the fine art of horse grooming but the tangled wind-braids in the
mane looked to be more than the youngster wanted to deal with. “Take a few
strands and pull ‘em up through one at a time, and little by little you’ll get ‘er.
Then you’ll have a clean beautiful thick mane all wavy and plush, much better
than just choppin’ it off to get done. You’ll feel better about it too.”
The glare the boy shot Grandpop telegraphed his disbelief
and perhaps disinterest. “I wanna get done, you said if I clean him up we’d get
to go riding. I’m at this ten minutes already and I want to get to ride before
I go home.”
Grandpop’s soft chuckle always disarmed and didn’t fail this
time.
“What? I just want to get to ride!” The boy tugged harder
than necessary on a tangle. The patient horse leaned into the tug.
“Yup, I hear that.” Grandpop braced on his cane, stood and
eased to the horse. With weathered fingers grown unsteady with age, he gently
pulled a few strands free from tangle. He gave the boy a knowing smile. “See it’s
really that easy. I’ll just sit on my straw throne and watch you finish up."
Some fifteen minutes later the boy beamed as he ran a brush through
the tangle free, glossy white mane of Grandpop’s second favorite horse. The
pride of a job well done painted on the young man’s face. “Looks pretty good
doesn’t it?” He ran his fingers through the blonde hair. I’m ready to ride, I
earned it!”
“You sure 'nough did!”
As they saddled Grandpop asked the boy about riding, and a
bit about his life at home. I was busy tacking up my own mare, and missed some
of it, but heard enough to know the lad a rough road at home. “I wish I could
stay here.” I heard his voice trail away.
“I know young fella, and I wish I could keep all the young ‘ins
like you who visit.” They stopped at the mounting block. “Take this with you
when you head for home, it’ll help ya. There’s a difference between gettin’
something and earnin’ it. Ya see, when you just get something ‘cause you just
reach out and get it, or can borrow enough money to buy it, the satisfaction is
fleeting, unfulfilling and you need to run out to get the next thing you want,
always not quite satisfied, because it means nothing. But if you work to earn
it, put the time into truly possess it; it’ll have a lasting value. It’ll mean
something. It’ll always give you a true sense of lasting satisfaction.”
Grandpop boosted the boy into the saddle. “That’s a problem with
a lot of folks today. They just want to get, don’t even ever have the chance to
feel the joy, the power of earning what they want. Don’t let that be you.”
We rode toward the mountain, I trailed a bit behind, but
could see the boy sitting tall, happy and proud.
Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry
