Cowboy on the Corner
A Vignette
By Maryanne Peters

I pulled over when I saw him standing on the corner. It was Trent Mulligan, a man I knew well although quite some time had passed since we had spoken. Unlike some, he had never showed me any ill will, and so if I was going to stop to talk to anybody it might as well be him. But that was not why I pulled over – it was because I had never realized before what an exceedingly handsome man Trent Mulligan was.

Growing up I would never have been attracted to him. In fact, we did grow up together and I was never attracted to him. But now everything seemed different. My jeans only had my legs and my fulsome butt in them now, and my plaid shirt contained a large pair of cupped boobies now perfectly formed. I was a woman at last, and by God he looked good.

“Hi Trent – just doing nothing … as usual?”

“Just watching the world turn, Missy … as usual,” he said with a smile. It was more a manly grin. It seemed clear to me that surgery had confirmed a new preference and I enjoyed that thought. Women should be attracted to men. That is nature at work.

“I try to stay in the shade these days, on account of my skin,” I said. “I have to stay pretty these days, just because it’s expected.”

“You are that, for sure,” he said. “And you’re going by the name Mia these days, as I understand it?”

“That right. It’s Mia, and You-a.” An attempt at humor.

“You sure are looking mighty good, but don’t look for a job in comedy,” he grinned. “You’re not herding cattle these days then?”

“No, I am breeding and training horses on Daddy’s farm, working out of the yards and cottage on Collins Flat,” I told him. “Daddy has finally come to terms with everything. In fact, he sort of likes having a daughter. You know, fathers are always disappointed by their sons, but not by their daughters.”

“So you turned out all right, then?”

“I like to think so. What do you think?”

“I think that you were always good with horses,” he said. “I don’t ride much these days, what with the ATRs we have these days. But maybe I will pay you a visit soon? I noticed that you haven't been around for a while. You left town earlier this year and only got back last month.”

“Well I never, Trent Mulligan, are you spying on me?” It was mock dismay.

“I don’t just watch the cows and clouds,” he said.

“You’re right. I had to go into hospital for some surgery. but I’m all healed up now.”

“Like I said, I may be in need of a ride, should my vehicle break down, if you don’t mind me callin’ on you, Mia?”

“I’ll look forward to it,” I said, putting the truck into gear. “Maybe pack a toothbrush.”

I drove off with a smile.

It feels good to be complete at last.

The End

The Image is from Robyn2801 of Deviant Art, and I think she called it “Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona”, so I guess we all know the song. I thought it was a great image, as some of those that seem to drop from AI image generators that stand out from the dross, and I just felt that it told a story. What do you think?
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