Grandpa loved to get his lariat out and rope random things, and you'd think that I'd know what he was up to when he'd tell me to take off running....but I didn't! I'd take off running as fast as I could. Within seconds I'd feel a tug and be sitting in the dirt with Grandpa's lariat around me!
And did you know that when I was little I had quarters hidden behind my ears! I could pull and pull and pull on my ears and never seem to find those quarters. But whenever Grandpa tugged om my ear....BOOM there was a quarter behind each ear! That was good enough to buy 50 tootsie rolls at the Egin Merc! Which by the way was Grandpa's second home.
Speaking of candy....Grandpa had magic pockets on his shirts. There was a never ending supply of peppermint or butterscotch candies in those pockets , and he was always quick to share. He also had a magic hat. After putting in his days' work of riding out on the desert he'd stop in to see us kids, only to surprise us with a horny toad riding under his hat. I think there was an endless supply of horny toads too! It's a good thing they were so small, he'd probably try to rope them too!
I learned quick to never pick a feather up out of the sand. Grandpa always said, "Be careful, there might be an Indian on the other end of that feather!" So if I ever see a feather stuck in the sand, I think I'll just let it stand!
Grandpa must have made friends with some Indians at one time or another because whenever I was having troubles getting my colt to cooperate while breaking her, Grandpa always fixed the problem. And when I'd ask how he did it...his reply, "Oh just an old Indian trick!"
I also learned how to saddle a horse just right. Grandpa could spot a flaw 2 miles away. The easiest thing to do was go riding when you knew Grandpa wasn't around. Then you wouldn't have to worry about getting a saddle inspection!
And if by chance you ever got thrown off your horse, just hurry up and dust yourself off and get your butt back up there before Grandpa saw you....show that horse whose boss! Even if you still can't catch your breath and your back feels as if it's broken! Grandpa was not only the greatest grandpa in the world or my greatest teacher...he was my hero!
