The Bluff
It
was a clear day on the ranch as an Audi A6 sped up the trail leading to the
coral. The Audi came to a dusty stop just outside of the fence as Jessie and
Earl were tending to their horses. An edgy but confidant young man exited the
vehicle and walked over to the horsemen. Earl secured Tego and walked towards
the young man. Breaking the silence Earl spoke first “Hello there stranger…you
lost?”
“No no, I’m not lost—the Widow sent me”
said the young man while extending his hand “The names Carraway.”
Earl knew something wasn’t right about
this; the Widow wouldn’t send anyone up here without telling him first. Earl
refused his hand “So—Mr. Carraway.” Asked Earl “What’s the nature of your
business?”
The young man replied “I’m an efficiency
expert—I’ve been sent to help you streamline the ranch.”
“Partner”
said Earl “We don’t need help streamlining the ranch—me and Jessie got that
figured out.” Earl walked past the young man and over to the Audi “I’ll say
this Carraway, this is sure a good looking A6” The young man was beaming with
pride as Earl pointed off toward the barn “but I’m partial to my XC90—it’s
safe.”
“Maybe so” replied the young man “but I
enjoy the sportiness of my A6.”
Earl was getting agitated “You’ll think
sporty after you wrap that thing around a tree” Earl looked him square in his
eyes “I suppose now you’ll tell me about the Quatro suspension but I’m telling
you it won’t do you no good unless you know what you’re doing.” The young man
stood his ground. Earl moved in “So, was it the Widows son who put you up to
this?”
“Well-well” stammered the young man “we
knew each other back in college.”
“I see” said Earl “So he either owes you a
favor or you got something on him”
“I wouldn’t put it like that”
Earl’s face took on a scowl “I’ll tell you
how I put it—you got something on him and got him to convince his momma to go
along with this—didn’t you.” The young man just stood there not saying
anything. Earl continued “Now I got something on him too—though it will break
his momma’s heart, it will blow the lid off of this whole thing—now you
probably don’t want to hear this Carroway, the Widow is a generous woman but she
won’t take kindly to being grifted—she’s got a cage full of lawyers shell turn
loose on you—they’ll rip you apart lie a pack of wild dogs.” Earl ran out of
material and let up. He hoped that would be enough.
Carroway stood frustrated; he was boxed in
“Ok then, what should I do..I’ve got this contract and all?” he asked.
“I suggest you tear up that contract and drive
up to the mansion and tell the Widow that everything looks good down here on
the ranch.” Earl continued “And Mr. Carroway, I think it would be a good idea
to refuse payment.”
The young man got in the A6 and sped off
toward the Mansion.
Jessie walked over to Earl “Earl, what do
you have on the Widow’s son.”
Earl shook his head “I don’t have anything
Jessie I was bluffing.”
“Bluffing” asked Jessie “what are we going
to do when word gets back to him?”
“Were not going to do anything—we won’t
have to.”
“What do you mean?”
Earl couldn’t wait to throw out the next
bit; he knew it would blow Jessie away “He’s a human being ain’t he?”
“Well yea—of course” replied Jessie.
Earl reluctantly paused for affect “Then
he’s done something he shouldn’t have.”
Jessie knew to downplay this as it would
only encourage Earl “I suppose you’re right Earl.”
Earl was still basking in his own
cleverness and didn’t acknowledge Jessie.
*
* *
Without much fanfare, the two cowboys went
back to tending to their horses and after about 30 minutes Earl turned to
Jessie “Jess, I’m starved. Why don’t we saddle up the horses and head into the Sonic.”
Jessie remembered the last time and was
surprised by Earl’s idea “What about the last time we went to Sonic Earl—you
remember that don’t you?”
“Of course I do Jessie—that’s why I want
to go” confessed Earl “I mean—every man deserves a shot at redemption—right?”
Jessie nodded his head in agreement. The
two cowboys saddled up and rode into Sonic. Earl had high hopes and led the
way.
The End.
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