He stood wide eyed and nervously expectant, waiting for a reply. With out eye contact the old man responded,

"Rebel's been up to his tricks again?"

Tricks? No, I just wanna know what you’d take fer em?

"Oh you mean he hasn’t broke down no fences ner run your cows down ner bit nobody? Now that’s a real improvement. You know Rebel is the talk of these parts?"

"Well no, we’re new to the mountain and..."

"Oh, where’s my manners, come right in. We’ll talk ‘bout ol’ Rebel to your hearts content... Mama!. come in here,. We got the new feller from the west face here. It’s them what’s bought the Ferguson place .This here’s my wife and best half, Norah. Don’t believe I caught your name."

"Fred, Fred Maxwell with an x and two l’s."

With his best straight face for which he had become locally famous in the poker circles Howard glibly chided:

"Fred, well most folks call me Howard to my face.... last names Abba...with an A, two b’s and a little a."

The man called Fred seemed transfixed, he passed over the barb without comment and Howard continued shakily after a silent laugh pause although a bit embarrassed.

"We did hear tell of you being’ blessed with a passel of youngsters over there. Best keep them children away from Rebel, bites ya know."

"Howard, speaking of Rebel, would you consider tradin ’ fer ‘im?

That high kickin’, keg-a-stout is by far the most beautiful, freest, spirited animal we have encountered. Looks to be a Belgian, Appaloosa cross.

"I see you know your horses, Fred. The parentage on Rebel is some questionable though his dam was a blooded Belgian, and the Appaloosa is sure one who could have serviced her. Before you make any offers you need to know Rebel’s history. He’s a three year old gelding who is known to be un-trainable. Me, nor three other handlers, could tame that specter. He won’t take saddle, bit, yoke or encouragement. We even had one of them whisperin’ witches try ‘is hand." He just up and walked off didn’t send me a bill for that nasty bite, could a blinded em but he just walked off with out an understandable word."

Fred seemed unmoved by the disclaimers and then, seeking to explain, he took a long breath and with eyes narrowing, began.....

"Well our oldest boy, Zak has just come so attached to him. Takes carrots sugar, never passes the field but he tears some grass loose and tempts him close. Seems they have a lot in common them two, cept Zak’s bite’s words mostly. Zac would be ever grateful to own that steed."

Seeking to be unto this neighbor as he would have him be, Howard, quite unaccustomed to full disclosure, particularly in business dealings, interrupted apologetically...

"Fred let me level with ya, that beast is nothin’ but a candidate for the glue factory. They would give, maybe thirty cents a pound, on a good day and Rebel would go maybe 1500 lb. If my cipherin’ is up to snuff that would bring near $450.00 but that glue factory is clear up

in K.C. and... well I would have to have $400.00 and that’s a lot to pay fer a big fella like him. Eats proverbially you know. Oh here’s Ma with fresh coffee. Norah, you can brew a pot of hearty Joe faster than a coon can shred a carrot. Fred you want cream, it’s this morning’s and we use honey, some don’t cotton to it much but the diabetes keeps the store bought sugar out of this house, ya know."

"Well 400 seems right to me would you have any hay haulin’ that he could do to pay for the beast?"

"Loads of Hay work come summer.

But, now don’t forget the other expenses of keeping that out law,

their’s fences and out buildings and food, Rebel loves to annihilate bales of hay then lean out buildings down. There is one thing Fred, I really don’t understand why you would want this worthless brute for your Zac."

"Well, Howard, like I said, these two got a lot in common."

Fred’s face grew taunt and his chin quivered almost imperceptibly, he took a short breath steeling himself to continue :

"Zac just may come to learn about the baffling dance that beauty and futility can wreak. This gelding of yours may teach him better than I’ve been able. He has given his word to be responsible for the beast in every way, purchase price food and what ever extra costs might be incurred."

"Fred Maxwell, with x and two l's, you are delightfully auspicious and a father of undeniable worth ...You take that wild apostate and then me and that Zak of yours will sweat hay this summer."

Fred took the last sip from the cup and smiling he looked whole again, saying;

"Thanks Howard, and Norah, Big A two b’s and an a little a, 

you make a darn good cup of java."

by Yeri BenA ©1-18-2002