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Post by wildthing on Feb 14, 2007 17:42:26 GMT -5
Several hours of sleep and a couple of aspirin had lessened the throbbing head of the previous night's hangover. He and his rodeo buddies had hit the bar before they left for the next town and he'd had more than a few beers. This morning he'd gotten up in time to see them all off and then had gone back to sleep. But now he was awake and somewhat coherent. After eating through a stack of his mother's blueberry pancakes, he'd saddled up his paint stud and headed down the dirt road. It had been a couple of months since he'd last been home and figured he'd drop in on his old buddy Dan. Mick stepped out at a good lope and the Blue Heeler, Skeeter, ran at his side. The blue tick dog was great with cattle and was a good companion on the long road trips from rodeo to rodeo.
About half an hour later, Andy turned down the long Y Z driveway and headed towards the stables. At this time of day, he knew he'd find Dan working somewhere. He ought to be lending his parents a hand, but there would be time for that tomorrow. He swung out of the western saddle and left Mick groundtied. The stallion was ornery as heck, but well trained. Andy headed down the aisle, noting the impressive horseflesh housed in the stalls. He might have to talk his parents into buying a couple mares if he could talk Dan into selling, but he could be pretty persuasive.
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Post by Carhartt on Feb 14, 2007 17:55:00 GMT -5
The sun was beating hard down in the middle of the afternoon as he was outside fixing the fence that was in the field where Trixie and Mat had jumped that one night on Daisy. He had his shirt off and he was sweating as he picked up a huge post and placed it sturdyly on the atop the other post. He stopped a second when he wiped his fore head with his fore arm with rancher gloves on. Cinch barked at the sight of a new comer, well only the dog. Carhartt threw his head up seeing another stud and didn't like it, could mean compition. He lowly nickered with flattened ears as Dan saw the familiar stud. [That old dog.] Was a huff of breath as he knew it was who it was. Dan took the hammer and began hammering in the nails. He thought Andy could come find him. Hell he had been the one gone to rodeos getting the money and rides, not just bulls. Dan couldn't wait to catch up on things, the Trixie case, and Carhartt, and then Kari.
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Post by wildthing on Feb 14, 2007 18:04:09 GMT -5
Familiar barking caught Andy's attention and he headed out of the stable. Looking in the direction of Skipper's pointed ears, he spotted Dan out fixing a fence. That was one part of rancing Andy never missed. He preferred to do all his work from the back of a horse. He swung back up onto Mick and trotted out to where Dan was sweating. He looped his stud's reins over one of the posts, not wanting him to cause any trouble with Dan's horse. Skipper was friendly with most dogs and wagged his tail happily when he went trotting up to greet Cinch. Andy walked over to Dan grinning. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes!"
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Post by Carhartt on Feb 14, 2007 18:09:43 GMT -5
Dan stood up as he heard what his old budy replied. Rolling his blue eyes he put the hammer down and walked to where his shirt was and put it on and replied in his deep sothern draw, [Howdy. What are you doing back so soon, you old hound.] He laughed as he walked to Carhartt and slowly easily just pulled the rein and they fell off into his rough cowboy hands. Cinch wagged his tail, well his buttt at his own old friend. He quickly began the famous game of tag and ran striaght under Mick's legs then went shooting for Carhartt's. Dan slowly took a look at Andy and replied, [Anything new with you?]
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Post by wildthing on Feb 14, 2007 18:22:36 GMT -5
Andy just leaned against a newly put in post and grinned. "Did pretty well in Cheyenne, a little extra spending money, figured I'd take a little break." Skipper yipped and took off after his pal, darting under the horses with little care to his safety. It was far from the first time they'd played this little game. "Not much, not even any new broken bones this go 'round amazingly enough. Seems like the bulls get more rank every year. Ray got tore up pretty good at some little rodeo in Kansas. Tommy Strickland got married and quit." He gave Dan a knowing grin. "And the cowgirls are still hot."
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Post by Carhartt on Feb 14, 2007 18:29:23 GMT -5
Dan rolled his amazing blue eyes at the cowgirl thing and replied with his redneck voice, [God Andy, when are you gonna grow up and actually think of settl'n down. I'm think'n I might with this sweet thing I meet. Its good to hear about teh guys. Nothing really good here. All shity stuff that's complicated like my niece which now lives with me might be pregnant and she's 17. She's in love with my ranch worker Matt, who the damn thing is older then me and you but he's ok. And um I'm taking care of a runaway little girl named Kelley. And Now I got Kari. And the Rnach is gettting tight with money ever since i stopped the rodeo.] A deep exhale was released as fast as the last year was just huffed out as he sighe looking at Andy who seemed to have life easy. Carhartt just stood there untill he saw the other stud and shrilled angerly with a low nicker to Mick and with flat ears. Dan looked at Carhartt and at Mick and replied, [Carhartt could kick Mack's little ass.] He smiled his smart ass way and laughed as he watched the two crazy dogs.
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Post by wildthing on Feb 14, 2007 18:38:03 GMT -5
Andy just laughed. "Aw come on, Im just gettin' started. There's still plenty of new broncs, bulls, and cowgirls to ride. Then again, if I had a place like this to settle down on, I might have settled down already." It was sickly sweet to hear about his best friend thinking of settling down with a woman. Boring. Andy had plenty of wild oats to sow before he settled down. And besides, he hadn't met a girl he'd want to settle down with. He raised an eyebrow at the niece story, as much because Dan had custody of a teenage girl as her being pregnant. "Sounds like a guy I'd get along with. He's got balls anyway. I wouldn't mess with any girl you were daddying." And he was taking care of another little girl? He was definitely settling into his ranch life role. "So when are you going to get the minivan and golden retriever?" He smirked. Mick pinned his ears and stamped a hind foot, replying with an irritated bugle of his own. "Yeah, maybe if you put hobbles and a muzzle on Mick. Then it MIGHT be fair."
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Post by Carhartt on Feb 14, 2007 21:50:29 GMT -5
Rolling his blue eyes he was angry a little at the Matt thing as he replied, [Yah well I aint a fan of him and if you even think about it I will hand in hand shoot your balls off.] He smirked at him then glared at Mick then laughed at the muzzle thing. Dan luaghed harder that he actually thought that, He laughed as Cinch jumped through the fence and ran into a near stream getting soaked as he barked and lightly bite Skeeter then shot off.
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Post by wildthing on Feb 14, 2007 22:01:38 GMT -5
Andy gave him a cocky grin. "All the more reason to meet him. But 17? I like a girl with a little more experience, so you're safe. He enjoyed goading his friend and Dan usually gave as good as he got. Andy glanced at Dan's stud. "Yeah, poor thing wouldn't have the stamina to beat up Mick with all that work you have him doing."
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Post by Carhartt on Feb 15, 2007 1:16:45 GMT -5
Glaring kinda getting p.issed at that he relized he needed to calm down. He was acting to much like a dad. He slowly jumped on Carhartt without struggle and turned him into a double huanch turn within a second and replied, [F.UCK YOU!! Let's REALLY find out you yellow liverd son of a bitch!] Of course Dan was saying all this in a joking matter. He then kicked Carhartt towards Andy then stopped and Carhartt slid as dust and dirt flew forward as it went all over Andy and Dan laughed as he then did another 180 double huanch and they were gone as Andy and Mick were left in the dust.
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Post by wildthing on Feb 15, 2007 11:12:27 GMT -5
When you hung out with a bunch of rodeo jocks all the time, it tended to rub off on you. In fact, Andy was one of those rodeo jocks himself. The jokes were dirty, the beer flowed free, and the job was dangerous. Andy laughed at his friend, pulling a piece of grass and chewing on one end of it while Dan showed off a little. When the dirt was done flying, Andy gave Dan a dirty look and pulled off his black Stetson, knocking the dust off of it and brushing off his shirt. Matt wasn't even going to try and catch them, they had too much of a headstart and Mick was still tied. Andy ambled over and unlooped the reins, then swung up on the big paint's back. He urged him into an easy lope in the direction Dan and Carhartt had gone.
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Post by Carhartt on Feb 15, 2007 19:09:49 GMT -5
Chuckling Dan laughed and stopped Carhartt on a dime as he slid and replied, [You know you don't wanna race me you yellow liver.] He slowly chuckled as he trotted Carhartt through a hole in the fence and they were headed on the valley sied where there was just plains not woods. To dry where he was going. If he went a little north they would hit the Y Z ranch woods. There was a 30-06 strapped to the western saddled and rugar 20/10 in his cowboy holster as he rode an easy slow trot.
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Post by wildthing on Feb 15, 2007 19:19:59 GMT -5
Andy slowed the paint to a walk as he neared the other rider. "Nah, just a lazy liver. Spent the night at the bar with a bunch of the guys, still feeling the aftereffects of a couple six packs." He was feeling a little more like himself, but there was still a buzzing in the back of his head. "So where are we headed?"
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Post by Carhartt on Feb 15, 2007 19:23:37 GMT -5
Dan replied slowly, [Well gonna head north into the Y Z's back woods and shoot what ever we see that aint a mustang. Also scare the shit out of trespassers here.] He stopped Carhartt and waited till Andy got to the piont and threw the other 30-06 he had. He had two on his saddle but gave one to him. Dan smiled and replied, He smiled and kissed Carhartt into a study lope and headed north.
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Post by wildthing on Feb 15, 2007 19:28:44 GMT -5
Andy laughed, sounded like fun. "You mean you're going to try and shoot what you see. I'll have to show you how to handle that long gun." He deftly caught the rifle that was tossed at him and checked the load before shoving it in the empty sheath strapped to his saddle. "Yeah, you'll need that many to hit anything." Andy was death with a rifle, but couldn't hit jack with a pistol. Mick pinned his ears and loped after Carhartt. Andy let him catch up to the other stallion, but kept several yards between the two.
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