There I was, mindin' my own bid'ness. I had finished my work for the week, everyone else had gone home, so I plugged in my grinder to the air hose and began working Special K over with a wire cup. Naturally, with the shrieking of the grinder and the Mickey Mouse ears on, I didn't hear him come in...
"Hello, Cappy!"
"Jehosephat!" I nearly jumped outta my skin!
"Damn it, Duke, don't sneak up on me like that! You nearly gave me a clock-stopper! And don't call me Cappy! I hate that...Besides,
you ain't supposed to be here. This is 'work'..."
He gave a little nod to Special K;
"And he is?"
Ouch. "OK, ya got me there..."
"You're thinking of mebbe getting some more work done in your lifetime?" He pushed his hat back and his eyes widened as did his grin, and his voice grew soft;
"Forty years IS a long time for a man to wait, Pilgrim"...
Ouch again. "Now just a damn minute, Duke! You know all the crap I've gone through, and it ain't been easy with..."
"Cappy, there's those that get it done, those that fail, and those that die trying. Which one are you?"
"Ummm, well...." suddenly struck speechless at the sting and obvious truth of his words, I pointed soundlessly at the now half-naked Special K. He nodded silently, then in that quiet voice added;
"Cappy, you and I rode the range together. Those were good years, and I'm looking forward to ridin' with you some more. A LOT more But it's up to YOU to decide if it's gonna be you or someone else sittin' in that saddle."
"Duke, I..." I turned to point at Special K again, trying to form a feeble excuse, and when I turned back, I was alone again. But his words still linger.
photo credit Google Images