This one was just TOO MUCH FUN!! So fer all you cowpokes out there (and I do mean you TC): Head em up -- move em out!



DRIVING SNAKES

“Pay attention now,” Zeke told the kid. “If you don’t get them harnesses on just right this rig don’t move.”

The kid stood respectively next to the rig, holding his straw hat in his hands. Everybody knew that Zeke was the best snake wrangler in the state. He could make them big old boys do bout near anything. And though some folks still whispered that Zeke had made a deal with the devil, Lil Bill didn’t believe it. He’d seen Zeke work the snakes too many times to buy that old yarn.

“Walk with me now boy,” Zeke said quietly, “You know the drill.” They started with the lead pair, holding out a hand for the snake to flick his tongue on, then keeping that hand on the snake’s skin, talking quiet all the while – eyeballin’ every square inch of the gear to make sure they was no kinks in the lines or buckles without a pad under em.

“Zeke? Big Red’s harness got a twist in it again,” Lil Bill said.

“It’s okay kid, he knows you now, he’ll let you fix it.” And by golly, he did.

“Time to roll.” Zeke stepped up onto the sled and picked up the reins. “Well, you comin or not kid?”

Lil Bill gulped, said, “Yes Sir,” and got up in the shotgun position.

Zeke flicked the reins on the snakes backs and hollered, “Hee yup, boys, lets get er done!” And as they slid out onto the track down the mountain, them six big snakes pulling that load a trees as slick as a whistle, Lil Bill thought maybe someday Zeke might let him drive.

Golly whiz!