One Last Ride

Sally caught her reflection in the big picture window as she stood sipping her chamomile tea, pensively lost in thought, the kind of thought that reminds you of who you are. She was not young anymore but not bad for an old girl. She still looked good in these Levis and Tony Lamas, she thought as she twisted her hips slightly. Not what it used to be, but not bad. She could still turn a head or two.

She took a slow, deliberate sip and her focus turned toward the scene in front of her.

Pike’s Peak dominated her view, that majestic peak reaching fourteen thousand feet into the Colorado sky. Even in June it would have some snow above the thirteen thousand foot level. The early Spanish settlers, who had reached the area, called it “El Capitan.” It was later changed to Pike’s Peak, after Zebulon Pike Junior, and early explorer, who led an expedition to that part of Colorado in 1806.

Her gaze drifted toward the tree line that formed the border of the green meadow that stretched across the front of her property. The fence of John Gaynor’s farm cut the landscape to the right, stopping at the trees just to the right of her place. One of his horses stood just inside the pasture, and fine horseflesh it was. Sally knew horses. “Been there and skinned-um,” she used to say.

As she stood there drinking her tea, her mind drifted back to nineteen fifty-three.

“Six, seven, eight seconds. Folks, here is your winner and this year’s all around U.S. Bareback Champion, Ms. Sally Runion,” the announcer had said.

The rodeo clown held the reins. She cleared the horse and lifted her arms high in the air. The mob of cowboys lifted her up, carried her out of the arena to the cheers of thousands who were in attendance. Someone had snapped a picture of the jubilant moment, and she managed to get a copy.

A ringing brought her back to the present. She turned and reached for the beige phone on the wall.

“Your prescription is ready.”

“Ok, thanks, Paul.”

Paul ran a small pharmacy in the village just down the road.

She hung up the phone and glanced at the picture of that momentous occasion, the night she accomplished her childhood dream, the horse and her became champions. There it was in the middle of her I-love-me wall. She smiled and felt warm all over again. She was a natural on a horse, a special relationship, one that spanned her entire lifetime.

Maybe I can wait till tomorrow to get that prescription. She reached in the cupboard to check the bottle. It was empty. I have got to get down there today. Her heart wasn’t what it used to be. It needed some help.

Sally couldn’t drive any more. “Your eyes are just too bad,” the doctor had told her.

After a few calls, it was apparent that she wasn’t going to get a ride from anyone she knew. She had to have those pills.

At first, it started as a flicker, a faint thought in her mind, one of those kind that shows up at the appropriate moment. It touched something deep inside, something as familiar as the boots she was wearing.

No, I can’t do that. That wouldn’t be right, she thought to herself. Besides, I haven’t ridden in years. Dinged my leg on that fall off the horse,the year we almost lost the clown to that bull.

Yet, the pharmacy was only 3 miles away. The road followed the tree line until it opened out into the little village where the pharmacy was. If I could get back before six, I could do this. I’ve got to have those pills.

Sally didn’t mind a little hanky-panky now and then.

Everyday at six, while feeding the other animals, John would check on his horses. They would come running when he opened the barn door, giving the familiar whistle. He would make his way out to the pasture, feed bag in hand. If she was back by six, he would not miss the paint.

She glanced at her watch. It was four thirty. She had to get moving.

She grabbed an apple from the bowl and went to the shed. She found a short piece of rope, tied a noose in it, as she hurried toward the fence near the horses. She held out the apple and the paint came over to investigate. As he reached out to take a bite, she gently slipped the noose over his nose and ran the rope up close to his neck.

She climbed the fence and slid onto his back. Expertly, she maneuvered him back and then with a gentle kick to the flanks she was over a lower part of the fence and back to the tree line behind her house.

She ducked into the trees and looked down the road to see if anyone was coming. At times it was busy. She had to make sure no one saw her. Riding bareback would arouse curiosity.

She hid in the trees for a moment and then made her way along the road, being careful to duck into the trees if any cars came along.

The pharmacy was about a mile away. She tied the horse out of site, behind some bushes, and made her way to the front of the store.

She looked at her watch. It was five when she entered the store.

There were a couple of people at the window, ahead of her. She nervously tapped the counter.

“Hi Sally. How are you doing?”

“Hi Mary, How is work at the bank?”

Finally it was her turn.

“Here you go, Sally,” Paul said.

“Thanks Paul. I appreciate it,” she smiled.

Sally paid and tucked the bottle in her pocket. No time for small talk. She made her way out to the back and behind the bushes. She maneuvered the horse next to a stump and was on his back.

She glanced at her watch. It was five forty five.

She made her way up the tree line, being careful to stay out of sight. When she got to where she was to cross the road, she held up behind some bushes, as a couple of cars showed up on the road. She had to cross it to get back to John’s farm.

She was about to cross when, one of the cars stopped. The driver was on a cell phone.

Those damn cell phones, she thought. Hurry,hurry!

Finally the car left.

She was about to cross when another car came along. She held back and waited for the car to clear. With a gentle kick to the flanks, she raced across the road and along the tree line close to her place. She made her way along the edge until she got close to the fence. It was 5 minutes to six.

As she got closer to the fence, she saw a section near her that was a little lower than the others, nudge the horse, and she was inside.

Quickly, she rode next to the fence, and dismounted. She held his nose, slipped the rope off, wadded it up and dropped in the tall grass next to the fence. She climbed over the fence, and stood next to it just as John came out of the barn.

“Admiring my horse again,” he said as he approached.

“Yeah, they’re fine horses, John.”

The horse was a bit warm from the ride. She hoped he wouldn’t notice.

“Didn’t you used to ride horses,” John said?

“Yeah, I've ridden some.”

“Perhaps you can take one of these out for a ride one of these days,” he said, as he and the horses headed for the barn.

“Thanks, John. I’ll take you up on that” she said as she turned toward her house.

A faint smile crossed her lips as she felt the bottle of pills in her front pocket.

Yes, I’ll do that.

She’d get that rope later.