Snip was sweating, Dog’s tongue was hanging out and I was soaked to the hide. The humidity around the three of us was a hot and miserable 100 percent! August was on us in full force and I guess it was the worst one I have ever lived through. We, Snip, Dog and I, were trying to keep the hungry dry yearling bulls fenced in. You fellers know the grass always looks greener on the other side.

I had grown up in dry country and thought the dry days were over when I met and married my close relative. We decided to move to this old rock pile and try to make a living raising cattle. The grass was green and tall in June of that year and it looked downright luscious to this poor boy. Today it was just as parched as it could be without catching afire.

I could smell smoke from some grass fire to the south and it made the hair on my neck stand at attention. There wasn’t enough water within a hundred miles to put out a trash fire, let alone a grass fire smacking and leaping across acres and acres of paper-dry pasture. I continued to mend the fence, and as we moved toward the gate, Snip sorta picked up speed. He was ready for the shade of the walnut tree next to his barn.

My close relative was emptying the watering can on one of her bedraggled flower beds. She saved bath water to use in the flower beds that summer and put it out real sparingly close to dark. The sun had burned up the plants but she was trying to save them with a sprinkle of water. I knew I wasn’t gonna be asking for a cup of coffee this evening and iced tea sure would hit the spot.

I pulled the saddle off Snip, wiped him down and before I could get out of the barn door he was rolling in the dust. He got up, shook off real professionally, likea real show horse, and proceeded to stick both front feet into the water tank. I just let him be. Why would anyone deny him that little pleasure?

Dog was wanting to lay under the cedar tree where the AC hose runs water. He was having a hard time due to the wasps and other insectous critters wanting to water there. Yes, I made that word up; insectous is not in Mr. Webster’s book of proper word ages.

My boots were so full of heat and sweat that I wondered if I would ever get them off without cutting them. My Levis were damp with salt marks down both legs. My close relative came in with sweat dripping off her nose. We sure were looking forward to when this day was gonna be over and that ball of fire would go down in the west.

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, the heat and other factors of the dry and hot weather had made my brain swell. There I was trying to conjure up some cold. I was at that day and time sorta looking forward to a good February snow and trying to remember what it might feel like to step out into a frosty world. Yep, fried brain cells and swelling in all four lobes, diagnosis was final, crazy man walking!

Remember the days and keep your gloves dry and handy!

Bill is the pen name used by a local writer and longtime resident of the Gravette area.

Opinion, Pages 8 on 02/16/2011