I love the sound of soothing, rippling, running water. A calm seems to enfold all things around a feller when listening to that wonderful noise. I could sit beside a creek eating my lunch and feel like a wealthy man on a hot summer day, relieved of fret and worry by the bubbling music.
Well, today is a little different.
I have had the unique duty of being elected to repair the water gap at the creek. I was elected in an illegal and unkind gathering of offspring and old Dog. They professed to have some physical, obscure to be sure, problem that did not allow them to get into creek water. One of them, the older, said he had some sort of stomachmalady and was sure the ordeal would cause great misery. The younger said he had sprained his back helping his close relative retrieve some boxes in the attic. So, and because of them, there I was.
I would not allow them to be present when I went into the creek because they would hooraw me if I slipped or fell and I figured if I drowned it would serve them right! A job of water gap repair is about the most miserable little task on our rock pile. I don’t even like to do it in the heat of August, let alone January. I do have waders and, no matterhow careful I try to be, the rushing water always does a good job of filling them and they do not leak!
Slipping around and sliding on mossy rocks caused me to jerk a kink in my lower back but do you think I will let those whippersnappers know about it? Not in a million years will I give them the amusement they desire! I got the dang gap fixed and old Dog stood there on the bank whining but never even got close enough to the water to get a drink. All three of them are sissies!
My close relative boiled up a pot of coffee andput my wet, and very icy, clothes in the washing machine when I got home. I took a good long hot shower and a handful of pain medicine. Sitting in my recliner with the heating pad on my back and coffee in my cup was almost worth the ordeal. The bowl of peach cobbler with whipped cream didn’t hurt my feelings either!
My close relative’s offspring (I refused to claim them at that time) showed up and grinned around at me. I was all clean with fresh clothes on and I suspect they suspected the truth of my venturebut they also knew not to question the process of the repair.
It is my opinion, and everyone has one, age is a great teacher and some of us are just too proud and hardheaded to get the lessons! I will remember this last lesson for a long time and the offspring will be in deep water, not me! This business of being a cattleman is not easy and they are gonna get some more opportunities to add to their knowledge! I have had all I can stand!
Bill is the pen name used by the Gravette author of this weekly column.
Opinion, Pages 5 on 01/04/2012