A Short Story on the Website of
the Red Dirt Writers Society

Billy, Dusty, and Tex
by Gordon Eskridge (Jul 2013)
 

“Hey, Dusty, where are we going? Oh! Now I see him. It’s that old mossy horn breaking from the herd and headed for the brush again. I am glad you spotted him, while I was daydreaming. He is headed for that patch of Mesquite and Prickly Pear Cactus. Dusty is the best cutting horse I have ever had. He can out think any old cow alive. These longhorns can run like a deer, but Dusty is already catching up. I can almost hear what that cow critter is thinking.”

“Well, I caught those cowboys flat footed and once I make it to that patch of mesquite they will never get me out again. Hey! what is that shadow that is moving up on my right? It’s that darn fool kid Billy and he is riding Dusty. Would you look at that, they are catching up. Come on legs let’s move.”

“Tex is breaking for the brush again. It took Billy and me almost a full day to dig him out of that mesquite south of Abilene last week. I am not going to let him get in that brush again. Hang on Billy we’ll catch him,” Dusty exclaimed.

“Ok, Dusty I got your message, I’ll lean forward so you can run faster.”

“Hey Tex! Where do you think you are going?”

 “Well, Dusty, I am going to make it to the brush before you and Billy can catch up. Say, how did you all get so close?”

“Dusty let’s give him a little nudge and we can get him to turn in a circle.”

 “I got you, Billy and when Tex stops, I will stare him down.”

 “Hey, you two, who do you, think you are shoving, you almost made me fall.”

“Ok, Tex, pull in your horns and return to the herd.” “Dusty, we got him stopped; now watch out for those long horns of his.”

“We got you Tex, now turn around and go back to the herd,” said Dusty.”

“Dusty, you and Billy just got lucky, but with one quick swipe of my magnificent horns will be your undoing.”

 “Watch it, Billy! He is going to charge.”

“Got you Dusty, you move left and I’ll drop this lasso loop to the right and he will run right into it. We got him! Dusty I’ll dally the lasso around the saddle horn and we will dump him on his keaster.”

 “Hey! Where did they go? Where did that lasso come from? Ouch! that hurts.”

“Boy, he hit the end of that lasso like a freight train Dusty, but now he is down.”

Tex exclaims,” Ok, you and Billy got the best of me today; now let me up and I will go back to the herd.”

 “Dusty, you move forward, I think he has had enough and I will shake the lasso off.”

With Tex’s head hung low he mumbles, “They got me today but tomorrow is another day.”