Chapter III

YOU'LL NEVER BE A COMPETITIVE CALF ROPER

It was over twenty-six miles back home. Gunshy and I weren’t in any hurry, it took us most of the night to get there. Dad's pickup and the stock trailer were in the driveway. The lights were on in the house and the barn. I could see shadows on the curtains as mom and dad walked the floor in the living room.

I guess they could hear Gunshy's hooves on the driveway as we walked up to the barn. They both came out of the house. They waited until I put Gunshy up and fed him. As I was walking out of the stall, dad put his arm over my shoulder.

"Jake, I'm sorry. I wanted you to win something. I didn't think you would win the calf roping so I entered you in the barrel racing. Please forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt you. I won't do it again."

Mom walked up. She put her arms around me and dragged me into her breasts as she squeezed the life out of me. "Katrina, it's no big thing to be good if you don't like what you're doing. You showed them you could be both a cowboy and a cowgirl. Cowboys and cowgirls come and go but they will always remember you."

"Bill Randall said he wanted you riding with him. He had never seen anything like it in all his years in rodeo. He suggested you come over and talk to him sometime. He thinks you might be better off trying head and heel roping rather than calf roping. You're never going to get big enough to toss those calves like the cowboys do. In head and heel roping the horses do all the heavy work while the rider does all the trick roping."

I was feeling better. Maybe I wouldn't run away from home. "Did Bill really say he would ride with me?"

Dad reached out and put his arm around my shoulders as we walked back toward the house. "He not only said he would ride with you, he couldn't wait for you to come by and talk to him."

My head was starting to swell as I forgot about earlier this evening. 'Me' riding with the National Calf Roping Champion, Bill Randall. And he had asked for me.

Momma put a check for twenty five hundred dollars in my hand. "It's from the Rodeo Association. You made first in calf roping and first in barrel racing. They said it was the only time anyone could recollect someone had won both events. The cowboys and cowgirls won't forget you Katrina. They might not remember all the rodeos they rode in. They will always remember this one."

I turned around and held the check up so Gunshy could see it. "Look Gun, we have the down payment on that pickup."

He shook his head yes as mom and dad laughed at the both of us.

The next day after we finished the chores, dad drove Gunshy and me over to Bill's ranch. I was wondering what kind of treatment I was going to get from the cowboys now they knew I was a girl? It didn't take long to find out after I got out of the pickup. They all looked like statues as I was getting Gunshy out of the trailer.

Bill walked up and looked me over as if he had never really seen me before. Finally he spoke. "It doesn't seem right to call you Jake. It's either going to be Katrina or Cat. What will it be?"

I shook my head. "I would rather be called Jake."

A smile slowly spread across his face. "Okay, Cat it is."

He turned and looked at the other ranch hands. "Boys, you are looking at the world's top calf roper. HER name is Katrina or Cat. I catch any of you yard birds calling her anything else and you'll answer to me."

Bill pointed out toward the corral. "Cat, let's see if you can be one of the team members on a head and heel roping team."

I never did get the heels of those calves that day nor the next. The head was easy. Laying that rope down on the ground in front of the back feet of a running calf, letting him step into it, and pulling it up at the right time was a new experience. It took me two weeks before I caught my first one. It wasn't long before it was working like clockwork and I was catching every one of them. Bill said it was time to show off in the arena.

Bill taught me a lot about judging people as I rode the rodeo circuit with him that summer. He already knew most of the cowboys by name and by their nature. Most of them were good ol boys and would give you their last dime and the shirt off their back if they thought you needed it. A few were so down right mean they would go out of their way to try and pick a fight.

We had traveled all day and night to compete in the rodeo in Tucson. The prize money was over four thousand dollars for head and heel roping. There was a like amount for calf roping. I wanted to enter the calf roping along with Bill but the entry fee was too steep for me to stomach. It cost two hundred dollars to enter each event. I pooled my money with Bill for the head and heel. When it was our turn we scorched the ground with our mounts and our time. Bill's big bay mare and Gunshy were flying that night.

When Bill went to the arena for the calf roping event, I took Gunshy back to the trailer. I was going to rub him down and take my saddle off him to give him a breather. I had plenty of time to do what I wanted and make it back to the arena to watch Bill. I had dropped the saddle and bridle off Gunshy while he was still outside the trailer. My hand was resting on his flank. I felt Gunshy shiver before I heard the voices.

A couple of cowboys had walked up behind me. "Someone said you were a girl. I don't believe it. Prove to me you aren't a midget posing as a girl."

As I turned around, three of them were standing there. "You're drunk, why don't you go sleep it off."

They crowded in a little closer. The middle one was smiling. He was missing some teeth up front. "Why don't you come sleep with us if you're a girl?"

The one to my left reached out and grabbed my arm. "I want to see if he's a she."

I wasn't prepared for that. It took me a second to start my mind thinking again. "Let go of my arm, you asshole."

"Asshole huh? I'll make you think asshole." He was reaching for me with his other hand as the others closed in.

I swung as hard as I could with my right hand. I felt my fist plow into soft flesh on his cheek as his head snapped over to the side.

The one on my right lunged for me. Gunshy caught him with those powerful hind legs of his and the guy went flying six feet through the air.

The middle one had no idea what just happened. He was finally getting his alcohol soaked brain engaged and he was coming at me. Gunshy nailed him in the chest and I heard a hollow drum whump sound when he connected. The drunken cowboy went backwards about eight to ten feet before he hit the ground. The one I had socked turned and ran. I figured we were through with them.

I turned and begin scratching Gunshy behind the ears. "Thanks Gun, I don't think I could have handled three of them by myself."

I heard a shout behind us. I turned to look. The third man had returned with a policeman. "There, right there they are. That's a killer horse. He stomped my two buddies and tried to kill me but I was too fast for him. You have to put him down. He's a killer."

"What…,?" I couldn't believe what the guy was saying.

"Arrest him officer. She was the one who turned the horse lose on us. He's guilty too."

The policeman took out a pair of handcuffs. "Hold out your hands mister."

My left hand was on Gunshy's shoulder. I could feel Gunshy gathering his legs under him. "No, Gun. NO!"

The officer panicked at the mention of "gun". He pulled his from his holster. "YOU HAVE A GUN! PUT IT DOWN NOW!"

The shouting was too much for Gunshy. He only knew I was being threatened. He let loose. I heard a shot as the policeman threw his left hand up to ward off the two hooves coming at his face. Gunshy's aim was a little lower than that and he hit the policeman in the chest. There was a second shot as the man's arms went up as he went flying backwards. He hit the ground and there was a third shot as he bounced on the dirt.

The cowboy who had brought the policeman to arrest us scooped up the pistol from the stunned policeman. "I'm gonna kill that horse."

He was bringing the gun up to take aim when a lariat settled down over his shoulders. There was a shot as his arms were gathered in to his sides under the loop as it tightened. There was another shot as he was pulled over backwards. He was lying on the ground and trying to bring the gun up to take a bead on Gunshy or me. It didn't make him any difference as long as he shot one of us. The rope jerked tight and he was dragged along the ground as he shot again. I heard the bullet whiz by my left ear and rattle around in the trailer. The cowboy lost his hold on the gun as he bounced along the ground behind Bill's big bay mare.

Bill dropped out of the saddle and trussed him up like a calf in less than world record time.

The policeman was holding his chest as he tried to sit up. "oooooh!"

By now a crowd had gathered around us.

Bill walked up beside the policeman and stopped as he looked at the other two men lying on the ground. "What the hell is going on here?"

The policeman opened his shirt to examine his bullet proof vest before he pointed in my direction. "oooh, he tried to get that horse to kill me."

Bill shook his head. "Mister, if that horse wanted to kill you then you wouldn't be talking right now."

Bill glanced down at the handcuffs lying on the ground at my feet. "You tried to arrest her! Count your lucky stars you're still alive. Gunshy doesn’t let any one touch her except him."

The policeman rolled over to his hands and knees as he tried to get his breath. "Who?"

"That horse of hers, Gunshy. She belongs to him. He will make a believer out of you if you doubt it. You're fortunate he didn't come over here and stomp your head in. What were you thinking? Why in the world would you want to put handcuffs on her? What do you think she has done?"

The policeman was up to his knees and halfway up by now. He pointed over to the two men on the ground. "That horse killed them and then she turned him loose on me."

Bill was shaking his head as he walked over and grabbed one of the men by the shirt. He heaved and stood him up. The guy was wobbling around. Bill looked over at the policeman. "And you're an ass not to get all your facts straight before you go off half cocked. These cowboys are drunk."

Bill turned to look at me. "What happened here Cat?"

I pointed toward the one Bill was holding up. "They were going to undress me to see if I was a girl or not. I decked the one you trussed up and Gunshy took care of the other two. That one you caught brought the policeman back over here and was shouting Gunshy was a man killer. The policeman started to handcuff me, Gunshy started getting skitish, and I tried to calm him down. That policeman pulled his gun and Gunshy nailed him. The cowboy you stopped was going to see if he could finish us off when the policeman didn't."

Bill turned loose of the man he had been holding up. The guy wilted back down to the ground in a heap. Bill sighed as he looked at the policeman who was finally on his feet. "Don't you feel a little stupid? Why didn't you get your facts straight before you pulled that gun of yours and started trying to shoot every body?"

The policeman pointed at me. "You're under arrest allowing a dangerous animal to run lose and for resisting arrest."

Bill was silently laughing. He closed his eyes and shook his head. He looked down at the ground before he looked back up. "Mister, I've seen some dumb critters in my time but you are head of the class. I tell you what. You go get in that little buggy of yours and scat before I lose my temper."

"You can't tell me what to do. I'll arrest you too." He was reaching for the gun in his holster which wasn't there.

A group of cowboys closed in on him. They had him by the arms dragging him off. He was screaming. "All of you are under arrest. I'll haul all of you down to the jail. I'll kill that damn horse. Get your hands off me. What do you think you're doing?"

I was looking at Bill. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you in trouble. Are we going to jail? I can't let him hurt Gunshy. He didn't do anything wrong. He was only protecting me."

Bill walked over and put his arm around my shoulder. "I know Cat. No, by the time those cowboys let that idiot loose we will be long gone. I know most of the law in this neck of the woods. I'll tell them what happened and get enough of the cowboys to testify to how it was, there won't be anything come of it."

He looked back over at the guy he had wrapped up with his rope. "You loan me your lariat? I think mine is busy right now and I have a calf to rope."

I pulled it off the saddle and handed it to him. "You think you can rope with a strange lariat? All of them throw a little different."

Bill uncoiled it and coiled it back again. "Cat, you know, most cowboys never realize that fact. But yes, it feels fine. I think it feels easier than my own rope. If I set a record tonight you going to let me use it from now on?"

I nodded. "As long as I'm not using it. Anytime for you."

We left Tucson behind us right after Bill roped his calf. We found out later Bill didn't set a record that night but he did turn in the highest score. Never did hear what happened to that policeman who wanted to shoot everyone. But then, it was a year before we went back to Tucson. I looked Gunshy over for bullet holes but he didn't have any. Bill told me later that he had three bullet holes in his horse trailer. He thought they were kinda neat. He never had a shot up horse trailer before. Said he might just shoot up any new trailers he bought just for the heck of it. He told the other cowboys who asked about the holes, his trailer was shot up in a running gun battle with some horse thieves. Made a good horse story. Bill might have never lied but he sure could stretch the truth until it squealed.

Fall came along with school and I had to quit ridding with Bill. It was back to chores every morning and night. I also quit roping calves until the next spring. When spring came Bill asked me if I would ride team with him again. I asked dad if it was okay. Dad agreed to a limited extent. I had to help with the planting. So again, Bill and I ran the rodeo circuit as a head and heel roping team. I won't say we always came in with top honors but we did a whole lot better than our fair share. I tried some calf roping at a few of the little county fairs where they only charge fifty dollars for entry fee. I should have saved my money. Gunshy would get me out there in record time. I always caught my calf but I never could get them laid down to tie their feet. I didn't have enough weight to throw them like Bill did.

It was our third year and I was going to be a senior come fall. Bill brought the subject up while we were waiting our turn in the Cheyenne rodeo arena. "Cat, what's your plans after you graduate?"

"I guess I'll help dad on the farm. I have six thousand saved up in the bank thanks to you but that isn't going to get me through college." I was checking my lariat and scratching Gunshy on the neck.

Bill nodded as he looked across the bleachers where all the rodeo fans were seated. "You want to make enough money to go to college? What do you think you want to be?"

"A veterinarian. I want to work with animals. I guess after I get out of school, if you let me ride with you, we could team all year. I might make enough to go to college for a year."

"That would work but it's not good enough. I know a guy who ships horses all over the world. He's looking for a horse wrangler. I happened to mention your name and he was interested. He's heard of you Cat. Of course that's not saying a whole lot. Everyone around the rodeo circuit has heard about you." Bill was watching me to see how I would react.

"I don't know. I've never been anywhere except with you. It takes a lot of money to be on the road away from home. Would it eat up my paycheck trying to survive all that traveling?" I had no idea what it cost to live in some of the foreign countries but I had heard it was expensive.

"Kevin said he would pay for room along with your meals when you were escorting his horses. He offered forty thousand and I told him you wouldn't even consider it for less than eighty." Bill looked to see if he had my attention.

He did. "Eighty? You mean eighty thousand? You're pulling my leg? Aren't you?"

"Well, I didn't get your eighty thousand but Kevin said he would think about it. I told him not to think too long because you had an offer where you could make twice that working with Phoenix Corporation."

"What's Phoenix Corporation?" I wasn't holding onto all the pieces in this conversation.

The team we were behind stepped up into the chute for their turn. Bill shook his lariat out. "They do the same thing as Kevin. They ship horses all over the world. I only told Kevin that so he wouldn't wait to long to make a decent offer."

The other team was out of the arena and it was our turn into the chutes. Gunshy and Bill's mare walked in and waited. "So what did he offer?"

The gate flew open as Bill answered. I didn't hear what he said as Gunshy and I flew out of that chute. I was running on pure instinct because I sure didn't have my mind on the head and heel roping. Bill let his lariat fly as I dropped my rope under the belly of the steer. We had him as Gunshy and Bill's mare tightened up the ropes. It was over and I was coiling up my lariat never thinking about what we had done. I was dying to hear what I missed as we rode out of the chute.

I rode up beside Bill as he walked his mare out of the arena. "What did he say?"

Bill looked around. "What did who say?"

"The guy that ships horses all over the world. What did he say?" I wasn't getting the proper response from Bill.

We were out of the chute and past the arena, Bill turned his mare away. His back was to me when he mumbled something.

"Wait, I didn't hear that again. Did you just answer me? Repeat that. What did he say about the salary?" I turned Gunshy and sprinted up beside Bill.

Bill shrugged his huge shoulders. "I told you twice now. I usually don't repeat myself more than once and never three times. I guess you will have to wait and ask him personally."

"BILL! That's not fair. What did he offer? Tell me." I was dying of curiosity.