Jason finds Bob Kerry in the barn tightening a horse’s shoe. Bob asks Jason how he liked his horse. “Ah reckon he’s the best damn horse Ah ever seen, let alone owned. Ah just couldn’t be no happier with him.”
“He’s a fine animal alright, best Appaloosa I’ve had on this ranch in years, That’s, why I couldn’t let him go cheap. So, what brings you out here this afternoon - with it about to rain?” He adds.
“Well, Ah’m kind of interested in, maybe a appaloosa mare. You got any o’ them?”
“Got three. One I think you’d like. Looks a little like yours. Got a smaller blanket, and a lot more white on her, but she’s a chestnut with a gray blanket. She’s a little smaller than yours, but mares usually run a little smaller. She’s not broke at all. Never been rode.”
“She a good sound horse?”
Bob nodded, “Oh yea, - good lookin’ filly, bout year an’a half, I’d say. Judging from her teeth, ain’t got but ‘half a mouth.”
“Well, can Ah have a look at her?”
Bob looked out at the Northwest sky and said, “You got a ‘slicker’, looks like we might get wet before long.”
“Naw, Ah reckon that’s something Ah forgot to buy the other day.”
“There’s a couple of them in the tack room yonder, grab yourself one, an lets go have a look.
Bob bridled the horse on which he was working. He slips onto her bare back in smooth fluid movement. On the way, Jason says, “Keepin’ in mind that this mare ain’t broke at all, an probably ain’t got no shoes on her, how much you reckon you have to have for her?”
“Oh, since you just bought one horse from me, I guess I could give you a good deal on her. Give her to you for $50.00.” When they get out into the field Bob spots the filly and points her out to Jason. “Don’t try to get too close to her, she’ll spook.” Jason digs into his saddle bag and comes out with his telescope. He focuses it on the filly and likes what he sees.
“Bob, we’ve done dealt before, so why don’t we just do this: You just tell me the best price you can give me on this here mare an Ah’ll tell you if Ah can pay that or not.”
“Alright, I’ll take $45.00 for her as she stands, not broke, and no shoes.” Jason said, “$42.50 an you got a deal.”
Bob busts out laughing, “Hell no, you ain’t gonna pull that on me. You asked for my bottom dollar, that’s what you got. Take it or go home, and I hope you get wet.”
Jason laughs, “Ah reckon Ah’ll take it. How much you charge to ‘green brake’ her?”
Bob says, “I don’t do that anymore, but I got a man that does it for me. He charges me $8.00, I’ll charge You $10.00. I got to make a commission. He’ll ride her to ‘calm’ three times after that you’re on your own. I can give you the name of a girl in town that trains horses once their green broke, does a great job too, She, trained that Appy of yours, but you’ll have to make your own deal with her.”
Jason said grinning, “Ah don’t reckon that’ll be a problem, if you’re talkin ’about Myla Walls. That’s who this horse is for.”
Bob’s eyebrows raise about half inch, “Uh-ha, so that’s how it is. I thought you was headed out West?” They make it back to the barn just as the rain starts to fall.
When Bob gets into the barn, he digs out the whisky jug and he and Jason have the deal closing drink. Bob said, “So, you’re sparkin' Myla. You ain’t goin’ out West?”
Jason said, “Well, Ah reckon Ah changed my mind bout that, Ah’m workin’ for Al Wagoner, in his gun shop. Ah’m gonna learn to be a gunsmith. An yes, Ah been seein’ Myla some, --- Ah like her a lot.”
“I do too. She’s a fine young lady, in spite of what a lot of the town’s women think. She and my son, Bobby, stepped out for a good while, a few years ago. Then he went and did something stupid that broke them up. Truth told, I always hoped he’d come back from the war, settled some, and they would get back together. I always liked the idea of having her for a daughter. I guess that’s not in the cards now.”
Jason tells him, “Myla’s talked to me some about Bobby, an Ah don’t reckon she wants anything to do with him no more. That were a fact before Ah come to town. Myla and I are just real good friends now, so if Bobby were to come home and she said, she wanted him, well, Ah’d dance at her wedding.” Then his voice became serious, “Ah don’t reckon Ah could tolerate nobody hurtin’ her though.”
Bob doesn’t say anything, he just nods his head, but he is thinking, “I can see why Myla is attracted to this boy. He has a lot of character. I wish to hell Bobby had more of that.” They walk to the barn door to watch the rain that is coming down so hard they can barely see the corral fence.