Will Gunderson was a good boy, as boys go. He grew up in the high plains of Colorado where cattle bellowed and grazed, and cowboys rode through his small town, donned with spurs, chaps, and big wide hats. He was full of dreams, fed by the white billowing clouds that danced in the bright blue sky above his house, and he spent his days riding his pony over the big meadows near the edge of town, and as he rode across the meadow, he was anywhere, but, home.
William lived in a parsonage with his father who was the preacher, the only ‘man of the cloth’ in his town. His father was Norwegian, from the old country, and had standards which he required William to adhere to…prayer, hard work, and more prayer. His mother was also from the old country, …show more content…
Pikes Peak miners needed beef, and the drovers made the drive from Texas to the Rockies every summer right through the town...or at least close to going right through it on their way to Pikes Peak. William could see their dust miles before they got there, anticipating their arrival as any child before Christmas would a tree full of gifts. He would sit on the highest hill above town, and listen for the bellowing of the cattle, and the riders yelling out, pushing their herd ever closer to …show more content…
“You want to be a cowboy?”
A very tall Mexican with a fancy sombrero ask as he rode up behind William, catching him quite by surprise.
“Why do you follow this dirty herd every summer? I’ve been watching you for the last two drives and you always follow us out of town.”
William was dwarfed by the man’s tall stature, and felt even more so as he man reached out to shake hands, while smiling down at him.
“I mean, my friend, there are better things to do than to ride five hundred lonely miles through dust storms and lightning strikes just to get a bunch of cows to their destination.” He said, as he looked down at the scrawny kid who wore a torn straw hat and ran thin fingers through his matted yellow hair.
William wanted so much to impress the man that he leaned his head up, and with a voice of youthful confidence, said. “I would like it more than spending my whole life going nowhere.”
The man, with the fancy sombrero, yelled out as he rode away, “You may want to think more about that, mi hijo. All you will find out on the prairie are buzzards, coyotes, and rattlesnakes.”
Will rode back to town, somewhat deflated, mumbling to himself, “What does he know,
William lived in a parsonage with his father who was the preacher, the only ‘man of the cloth’ in his town. His father was Norwegian, from the old country, and had standards which he required William to adhere to…prayer, hard work, and more prayer. His mother was also from the old country, …show more content…
Pikes Peak miners needed beef, and the drovers made the drive from Texas to the Rockies every summer right through the town...or at least close to going right through it on their way to Pikes Peak. William could see their dust miles before they got there, anticipating their arrival as any child before Christmas would a tree full of gifts. He would sit on the highest hill above town, and listen for the bellowing of the cattle, and the riders yelling out, pushing their herd ever closer to …show more content…
“You want to be a cowboy?”
A very tall Mexican with a fancy sombrero ask as he rode up behind William, catching him quite by surprise.
“Why do you follow this dirty herd every summer? I’ve been watching you for the last two drives and you always follow us out of town.”
William was dwarfed by the man’s tall stature, and felt even more so as he man reached out to shake hands, while smiling down at him.
“I mean, my friend, there are better things to do than to ride five hundred lonely miles through dust storms and lightning strikes just to get a bunch of cows to their destination.” He said, as he looked down at the scrawny kid who wore a torn straw hat and ran thin fingers through his matted yellow hair.
William wanted so much to impress the man that he leaned his head up, and with a voice of youthful confidence, said. “I would like it more than spending my whole life going nowhere.”
The man, with the fancy sombrero, yelled out as he rode away, “You may want to think more about that, mi hijo. All you will find out on the prairie are buzzards, coyotes, and rattlesnakes.”
Will rode back to town, somewhat deflated, mumbling to himself, “What does he know,