Riding with Los Caracolleros
Category: Just Plain Silly... Science, Nature & Medicine...
Posted Wednesday, April 26, 2006 at 10:01 AM [GMT-6]

Scene: Somewhere out west, a goldarn ways from anywhere on the map...

Tom guided his horse up next to where Chaco sat astride his pony, his dark eyes squinting towards a still-brilliant setting sun whose rays were tempered by the first signs of a thunderstorm beginning to boil up from the horizon.

"Dang, hombre, that don't look good, do it?" Tom muttered, as much to himself as to Chaco, who slowly shook his head.

"No, it don't, amigo, and that's the last thing we need, what with a herd already half loco from the heat."

They sat silently for a few moments, recalling the last time a lightning strike spooked the herd. It was like trying to rope a whirlwind, bringing those stampeding animals back under control. For sure, once they got moving, neither heaven nor hell could convince 'em to settle back down...but that's exactly what Tom and Chaco and the rest of their compadres were paid to do. Those critters weren't the fastest on God's green earth, but they were without a doubt the most stubborn, and Lord help the poor wrangler who got in the way of a spooked herd.

"Well, there's aught we can do but cinch the saddle a tad tighter, and hope that ol' storm decides to move elsewhere."

"Si, amigo. I just wish el jefe would think a little harder next time he buys a herd. Muerté!"

With that, Chaco and Tom brought their horses around, heading back to the camp for a last cup of stale coffee. It was going to be another long night on the range...nothing new, however, for the brave caracolleros and the herd of animals that provided their livelihood.

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