Chapter VI

Big City, Small Country Girl

We made several stops before we reached Atlanta. After the plane pulled up to the terminal, I put my hat on and dragged my suitcase down from the overhead. I was walking out of the off boarding tunnel when I saw a tall skinny guy holding up a sign with Cat McDonald on it. I waved in his direction. "I'm Katrina McDonald."

He took my suitcase for which I was very thankful. "So you're the famous horse person. Funny, but you don't look anything like I thought you would."

I was hurrying to stay up with those long legs of his. "What am I supposed to look like and who said I was a famous horse person?

He took a quick look in my direction. "Oh, I don't know. Tall, squinty eyed from looking into the sun too much. Older for sure. More cowboyish or something. Where's your spurs?"

Laughing, it took me a second to respond. "I don't wear spurs except for show. I never use them on a horse. Horses don't care how big you are or how small you are. They only care whether you are smarter than them or dumber then them."

We were in the parking lot and he dropped my suitcase in the backseat of an Explorer. "You have some papers for me?"

"What kind of papers?" I didn't know what I was supposed to hand him.

"Papers you were supposed to fill out on the flight. Papers to get your passport." He held out his hand expectantly.

"Oh, yes." Lifting my jacket I pulled an envelope out of my belt. I handed him the papers I had filled out on the plane. There was also my birth certificate mom handed me before I left home.

He checked them over. "Okay, they look good. We will drive by the office. They will take your picture and send everything down to the passport people. You should be ready to take that devil down to Brazil the day after tomorrow."

"What devil?"

Backing the car up he pulled out into traffic. "They handed you a shitty job Miss McDonald. You have to get Heater ready for the flight down to Brazil. He's crazy. He has already put four people in the hospital. He will kill you if you give him a chance."

He looked in my direction. "They didn't tell you did they? Nobody would get on the plane with that wild horse. He's mean, evil, and wicked. He likes to hurt people and tear up things. Every one of Kevin's handlers told him they wouldn't ship him. I thought you knew. I don't know what you know about horses but it better be a hell of a lot more than any of them other guys."

The ride down to the office he mentioned was pretty short. I found out my driver's name was Leonard LeBo. He had been working for Valley Downs Farms for eleven years. He was kind of an all purpose person. He took up the slack whenever someone didn't do their job or needed off.

We pulled into an underground garage and took the elevator up to the eighteenth floor. As we stepped off the elevator Leonard took my arm and led me over in front of a desk. The lady behind it was dressed really attractive. She was a pretty woman and she was well put together. Leonard dropped my papers on her desk. "Sharon, this is our horse wrangler."

She looked up and smiled. "Pleased to meet you son. My name is Sharon Thurmond. What's your name?"

Leonard got tickled and burst out laughing. "HER name is Katrina McDonald. SHE, is Montana's state champion roper for the past three years. SHE needs a passport by tomorrow. She's supposed to be able to get Heater loaded on a plane and fly him down to Brazil two days from now."

Leonard pointed at the papers he dropped on Sharon's desk. "All the paper work is there. Can you pull the rabbit out of the hat for us?"

Sharon was studying me trying to figure out if Leonard was pulling a fast one on her about the gender thing. She picked up the forms I had filled out for the passport application before she answered. "I'll need a reasonable photo. Take her down to Anna's on first floor and get her some decent clothes. She can look like a boy three hundred and sixty four days out of the year but today for that passport photo she's going to look like a lady."

Pulling on my arm, Leonard led me out the door and back to the elevator. "Let's go change you into a girl."

I was getting annoyed with the way he was leading me around. I wasn't a little child to be led by the hand. We were on the elevator headed down. I collected my thoughts. "Leonard, as much help as you've been. As much as I need your advice. As much as I need you to tell me what my job is. You grab me by the arm one more time and lead me around like one of your horses and I'm going to deck you."

I turned to look at him. His eyes registered shock, amusement, and then they spread into silent laughter. "I guess I have been taking the lead just a little here. I'm sorry. I have never met a real cowboy before Katrina. I kind of figured you were about as bright as one of them horses. Too many old cowboy films on the mind I guess."

The elevator stopped at the first floor. Leonard automatically reached out his hand to grab my arm again. He was standing on my left and I doubled up my right fist. He noticed. His right hand brushed my sleeve as he pointed toward the open door. "This way, please, Miss McDonald."

In the lobby he started to do it again. Grab my arm. I side stepped him before he got a hold. He shook his head laughing. "Please forgive me. It's not intentional. I'm so used to grabbing someone or something and leading them to where I want them to go, I can't help myself."

I nodded. "I do understand. You understand this. It's going to hurt you a lot worse then it hurts me if you don't get a handle on that habit of yours."

He stopped and looked at me kind of funny. "You're all barbwire aren't you Katrina? I think I'm finally beginning to understand what a real cowboy is."

Pointing toward a ladies shop he motioned I should go in. "This is Anna's. She is the resident wizard of Atlanta. All of the women swear by her."

We walked into Anna's. Leonard held out his arm to an attractive lady standing off to one side talking to a customer. "Hi beautiful."

I thought she was pretty but a little over done in makeup and dress. I mean she looked like she should have stepped out of a movie magazine or a makeup ad rather than real life.

She was eyeing me suspiciously as she gave Leonard a peck on the check. "Hello, Leo. Sharon called. Is this her?"

He turned around and pointed. "Yes, how much time do you need?"

I thought she was going to cry as she shook her head. "A couple years but you aren't going to let me have her that long are you?"

Laughing, Leonard shook his head. "Anna, my love, she's a cowgirl, not one of your debutantes. Change her into a woman for a passport picture. She takes Heater out the day after tomorrow. I'm sure she isn't going to be wearing a dress for that."

Anna sighed. "So much potential, so little time."

She waved me toward the back room. "Come my dear. We must get started immediately if I am to accomplish the impossible by six o' clock. They will want you up in personnel for pictures no later."

Leonard shouted as I was walking into the back with Anna. "HEY COWGIRL, I have things I have to do. I'll meet you out at the farm. Call me when you're done with the photos and I'll have someone pick you up."

Turning to look back I nodded. "Thanks Leonard."

Anna took my arm to lead me into the back. What was it about these city people and grabbing someone by the arm?

Two and a half hours later they had finished with me. I felt like one of those rodeo clowns. You know, all made up and not really what you were looking at. Anna was directing me as she handed me a sack with my old clothes in it. "Our photo department closed up thirty minutes ago. Ken said he had another engagement this evening and couldn't wait on you. I called a taxi. You are to go over to Eversteins and get your photo taken."

She handed me a note as she urged me toward the front door. "Give this to the driver and he will take you there."

It was really nieve of me to not ask more questions. Everyone thought I was city wise I guess. There is a lot of difference between the parts of the big city I saw on the rodeo circuit and the parts of the city I was looking at now. Besides, all those other times I had Bill Randall to chaperone me and keep me from doing something stupid.

There was a taxi waiting out front. I walked out and slid into the back seat. "Are you my taxi?"

The driver turned around in the seat to take a look. "I'm anyone's taxi. Where we going?"

I handed him the instructions Anna handed to me.

He settled back into the seat, glanced over his left shoulder, and the car jumped out into a hole in the traffic with car horns blaring from everyone around us. He kept looking in his rearview mirror at me. I was wondering what he thought he was looking at?

Thirty minutes later he pulled up in front of a large building. I waited, he waited. Finally he turned around in the seat again. "We're here. This is the address you gave me. You going to get out or what? I don't care because I still charge the same whether you sit in the car or whether you don't sit in the car."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know." I started to get out.

"Lady, I like looking at you but it's gonna cost you just the same. It's fifty six dollars and forty five cents for the fare." He held out his hand.

It embarrassed me to realize I should have paid him. I knew better. Pulling my jeans out of the sack I took my billfold out of the back pocket and took out a fifty and a ten. I handed the money to him and waited.

He waited.

I held out my hand. "I think you owe me three dollars and fifty five cents in change. As much as I appreciate the ride over here, you charge a heck of a lot of money for that. I don't think I should be giving you any more than what you deemed was a fair price. My change if you please."

Smiling he handed me my change. "Where you from? You don't talk southern. You from Kansas, Iowa, or Wisconsin?"

"Montana." I put the change in my billfold.

“What do you do besides model?"

"What? Oh no, I'm not a model. I'm a roper. I rope calves and steers in the rodeo." I opened the door to get out.

He blinked a couple times. "Yeah, and I'm the president of the United States. Get out of my cab lady. I have other fares to go pickup."

He almost didn't let me get out of the cab before he was gone. I never had a chance to tell him I really was a roper.

Walking into the building I was met by a lady with several small chains and straps around her neck. There was a watch on the end of one, a small calculator on one, and other instruments of one kind or another hanging on the others.

She picked up her watch and looked at it. "You're late. Down the hall third door on your left."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep anyone waiting." I was trying to apologize.

"It makes no difference. Get down there now." She pointed down the hall.

At least she didn't grab my arm and lead me. "Yes ma’am."

If I had been wearing my boots I would have ran. Those three inch heels Anna put on me weren't for running. I tried my best and counted doors as I did an almost run down the hall. It was a good thing I wasn't bulldogging calves. I wouldn't have ever caught one in those heels. The third door on my left I turned the knob and hit it with my shoulder at the same time.

It swung open, all the way back to the wall with a loud thud. It rattled the whole room. I was standing there looking at a sea of faces. The man straight in front of me looked down at one of those watches on a string around his neck before he threw up his hands and shouted. "Places, people. Places. Let's get this over with."

He pointed at me. "YOU ARE LATE!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be." I was sure these people hated me for making them wait to take a photo of me. That passport photo was turning out to be a real pain emotionally.

He pointed across the room. There were a bunch of lights and cameras. "Over there."

I hurried across the room and stopped. Turning around I saw a startled expression on his face. He blinked as he stared at me. "Linda, LINDA! She needs position. Position! I need position!"

A lady stepped out from the crowd behind the cameras. "Get in front of the cameras. Smile, wave, give us a little movement."

I did as I was directed. I smiled, waved and stepped over to the side wondering what kind of photo had to be in that passport?

"The bag. What's she doing holding onto the bag. Get rid of that bag. LINDA! WHAT IS SHE DOING WITH A BAG?" The man was yelling again.

The lady stepped up and held out her hand. "Here let me take care of that for you."

I held back. It had all my money in it. "My personal things are in there."

"I'll make sure it's okay. Let me have the bag."

Handing the sack to her I wondered if I had done the right thing. Who would I call if I lost all my money and had no way of getting home?

"Position. I need position. Linda, we need something happening here. I don't feel anything from her. TALK TO HER!" The man was yelling again.

Linda stepped up in front of me again. "Okay, take your skirt and swing for us. Smile, toss your hair over to the side, give us some action."

The purple dress Anna had put on me had a full skirt. I swung my hand down and collected some material in my hand as it went past the skirt. I swept it up as I tossed my head over to the side and smiled.

"Great! I love it. Now spin and do it again. Linda, we need some action." He had finally stopped yelling. Cameras were flashing and I was wondering what they did with those passport photos?

Linda gave a little twirling motion with her right hand. I spun as the skirt swept out. Again I caught it with a sweep of my hand as I smiled and laughed. I had no idea what a passport photo looked like. If it was this hard to get one, I was surprised anyone would have one.

Ten spins later I was so dizzy I fell down on my butt. The cameras were still clicking. I felt pretty stupid.

"That's a take. Let's get the car."

I was sitting on the floor when a couple dozen people marched by me. All the props and everything around me disappeared off to the side with the people. They pushed a car up behind me.

"Okay, can she stand beside the car? Linda?"

Linda stepped in and helped me up off the floor. "Stand beside the car. Smile. Sit on the hood. Open the door and stand beside it. Sit in the car with the door open. Last, close the door and buckle in like you were driving it."

Damn funny passport pictures? I walked up beside the car. The illuminescent purple dress I was wearing was in distinct contrast to the shinny silver car they wanted me to pose with. I looked that car over. It had to be brand new. Someone had spent a lot of time making it shine like that. Feeling mischievous, I spun around, ducked my head, and glared at the cameras out of the side of my eye.

After the initial rash of clicks it became so quite you could have heard a cow eating grass on the other side of the barn. I looked out past the lights wondering how much trouble I had got into by not following orders?

"linda?" It was his voice, soft and quite behind the lights.

There was a cough and Linda walked over to me. "I imagine that was the one but let's finish up just in case."

I tried to sit on the hood but I kept sliding off. Between that soft polyester dress I was wearing and that slick car hood there wasn't any way I was going to stay on that car.

Linda took my arm and led me back around to the car door. "Okay, let's do the side shot. I'll have them drop a cloth on the hood later."

She backed up. I smiled, tossed my head, put my hand up on the car, did everything they asked. Finally it was inside the car and they took several dozen more pictures. Then it was back to that hood. A man dropped a small rubber mat on the hood. I jumped up and stayed for a few seconds. Between my pantyhose and that slippery dress, I slid off again. It was a good thing I was wearing a full skirt or I would have exposed a lot more than intended.

"Linda?"

"I think I got it." She walked out from behind the lights. Before I knew what she was doing she reached down and lifted my skirt up to my shoulders.

"Up on the car."

It was an automatic response to do what I was told. I hopped up and plopped my butt down on the rubber pad on the hood. Linda took my full skirt and arranged it across the hood of the car letting it drape off the side.

She backed up and cameras clicked. "Motion, we need motion."

I smiled, tossed my head, leaned down across the hood and stretched out. Again it got quite. I sit up knowing I had messed up again. Those damn passport photos were a pain for sure.

Linda walked out again. "Maybe we didn't have it that first time. It's going to be tough with two good ones."

"LET'S GO PEOPLE! TIME IS MONEY! We have one more to do before we finish here tonight. Let's get it done."

Why did he have to yell all the time? I was really beginning to dislike the man I didn't know.

A sea of people crossed past me. The car was gone. A fence and backdrop of a stable was behind me. Half a dozen hay bales were scattered around. I heard a sound I recognized. The clop of horse hooves.

Linda walked up with a pinto in tow. "He's gentle so don't let him scare you. You'll be all right. We have handlers who will get him if he gets too excited."

Laughing, I looked the pinto in the eye. "She's a mare not a he."

I reached up and scratched her behind the ears. "Hello old girl. Where you been? I don't think we have met before. My name is Katrina, what's yours. You ever get out and play in the rodeo? You might know me as Jake."

The pinto snorted and her eyes glazed over. She was in horse heaven as I scratched behind her ears. Linda got a funny look on her face.

She looked around. "Where's the rope? We need rope in this shot. Where's the feed? We need the feed bag for our sponsor shot."

A guy walked up and dropped several nylon ropes on one of the hay bales. Several others set sacks of Dan's Race Horse Feed around.

"Okay, pick up one of the ropes and act like you are going to catch him…, her with it." Linda backed out of the picture.

I kicked one of the ropes with the toe of my shoe. "You couldn't catch a post with this. Much less a horse or something moving."

"What? Linda, we need a little co-operation here. GET HER TO PICK UP THAT DAMN ROPE! The voice was yelling again.

Linda stepped back up to where I was looking down at the rope. "What's the problem? All you have to do is pick up the rope and act like you were roping the horse with it."

"It's not lariat rope. It's too limber and soft. That's nylon rope. You can't toss a loop with that. It won't open and it won't throw worth a darn."

Linda nodded. "Okay, I seem to be lost here. You're telling me that isn't a throwing rope? Pick up the rope and ACT like you're tossing it. What the hell do you know about rope anyway?"

I squatted down, picked up the rope and tossed it over to the side. "I know this isn't a lariat. You get me a lariat and I'll do what you want."

Her eyes were showing fire. She had stopped being friendly and was getting hostile. "Jean, that bag of old ropes Sam dropped off? They still here?"

"Yes ma’am"

"GET THEM!"

Linda was ready to shoot me I was sure. A young girl came dragging up a canvas bag. She dropped it at my feet. I opened it up and pulled out a real lariat. I looked at the initials branded into the eye of the loop. Sc. "Big S, little C, I know this rope. Sam Chapman. Good man with a rope. He's one of the best steer ropers in the country."

I spread it out and coiled it back up in my hands. A light toss and I had the Pinto roped. Again there was that deathly quiet. Looking over at Linda should have warned me. She had a funny look on her face again.

"You're not from the modeling agency are you?"

"What modeling agency?"

"OH SHIT! BECKMAN! WE HAVE A PROBLEM!" She was looking at me like I had stolen the payroll from the bank.