One of the earliest memories I have is sitting on my Nana’s lap listening to her read me stories or telling me stories about her childhood. Then Papa would carry me to my room before I fell asleep, and I would listen to Papa, Mama, Nana, and Poppop argue about me living at our farm with Mama and Papa, that’s in the middle of no where, compared to living with Nana and Poppop in the city, with civilization. When I would wake in the morning, Nana and Poppop would be gone and I would go about my chores like normal. Those are some of the worst memories I have, and every time that happens I wish it wouldn’t.
At the age of five I could rope a calf, ride a horse at a gallop, barrel race, clean all of the stalls in our barn by lunch and have them ready for the horses by suppertime. I never did understand why my Nana and Poppop wanted to have me live with them in the big city, I still don’t, other then they think that the farm wasn’t a suitable place for a five year old to live and play at.
I was considerable small for my age, even though, I was the best helper Papa had, or that’s what Sergio, our youngest hired hand said. Sergio was 16 when I was 12. He played with me when neither of us had work to do. He had bright blonde hair, with blue eyes, and he was a little shorter the Papa. Sergio was my one best friend other then my horse before Enzo came. My horse’s name is Spookey Night House, Spookey for short. Back to my height. I was short, yes, but I was stronger then most kids twice my size. Papa says I have the body of a true girl but the guts and heart of a cowboy and that’s, of course, what I plan on being.
Spookey was a pure bred Quarter horse, and he was full-grown at 17.5 hands high. I needed help putting everything on him, even getting on him, but his halter and bridal is one thing he helped me get on him, by putting his head down to my level. Sergio always helped me into the saddle. Spookey was my father’s best no rider cattle herder. Papa gave me Spookey for my Fifth birthday, Spookey then eight years old, but he was as calm as Mama with a baby that’s not hers. Spookey loved me like I was his mare or his foal and I loved him back just as much.
Our other stable hands didn’t really talk to me other then to tell me something I was doing wrong, good job, to tell me to tell Papa something, or to tell Mama that she looked really good today. Papa told me as I got older to stay away from them because of those comments about Mama. Mama said they just didn’t like me cause I can ride better then them.
Our farm, or as were classified in the book, our ranch consists of lots of horses, mostly quarters and thoroughbreds, lots and lots of cattle, sheep, and some crops. When I wasn’t at school I was out on Spookey, herding any of the three animals. I mostly work with the horses and the sheep, Papa won’t let me work with the cows cause of how mean they can be sometimes, even though I was better at herding and roping and riding then the hands (other then Sergio)
When I participate in rodeos, I win. I usually beat all of the boys in my age group. It’s one of the only times that Papa leaves our farm letting it in the hands of the Hands, but he lets Sergio come with us to help me out with Spookey, to cheer me on, and cause he taught me a lot of what I know he gets to sit with Papa and Mama in the stands and not in the dust just like the other Hands, when they do come, have to stand. All together of in and out of state rodeos I have over 150 trophies, medals, and ribbons. And for every new one I win, Sergio builds me a shadow box to put it in.
I’m not writing to tell you that kind of stuff I’m here to tell you about my life from when I was 12 to about now. I’m to tell you about my adventures with Spookey, and Sergio, and how Sergio left when I Spookey died. I’m to tell about how I met my husband and Enzo, and the adventures we had with our horses, Spookey and Wildfire.
The New Stable Hand
Part one
I met Sergio when I was twelve and a half and he was sixteen. By then I was already in competitions but not like I do now. Which now is a lot.
It was a warm Saturday afternoon I walked into the barn leading Spookey to his stall, after a nice run while herding the thoroughbreds. I saw Sergio talking to Papa so I stopped. Sergio saw me and smiled, Papa saw this and stopped talking.
“Come here Royal,” he said then turned to Sergio, “Sergio this is my only child, only daughter, the riding champion who has all the ribbons, and her horse Spookey. Honey this is our new hand Sergio”
Sergio nodded, taking his hat off slightly with it smiling, “howdy miss” I smiled at him glad that he didn’t call me “Little Lady” like the other stable hands call me.
“He’s going to be here for a while, but honey he’s also willing to take you for rides to teach you some stuff that he knows” Papa said grinning ear to ear.
“Your pa is right, I grew up riding on an English saddle I can teach you that and a whole lot more.” He smiled at me and I smiled back
“That would be cool” I looked at Papa to make sure it was all right when he nodded I smiled “well, I have to put Spookey away and Groom him”
“Will you help her Sergio? I would but I have to breed some mares,” after he said that he went to get the mares and the stallion with the other hands.
Sergio looked down at me and smiled “so, miss, where’s his stall?”
“This way” I say as I started walking to his stall, but I passed it, “it’s right there, but I’m going to put him on the cross ties to un tack him.” Sergio nodded and hooked Spookey up for me then Spookey put his head down and I took his bridle off after I put his halter on. Then he put his head back up and stood tall. I went to his stomach and un hooked the girth and Sergio grabbed my saddle and blanket for me. “Thank you” I tell him gratefully “I usually let it drop then I pick it up.”
“But that’s no way to treat your tack” Sergio looked up at me then smiled “But I know you know that but you can’t really help that…..” he trailed off and frowned.
“It’s ok I’m used to it” I grabbed Spookey’s lead and took him to his stall and let him loose I gave him his nighttime Rations of hay and grain. I stood at the stall door and watched him. Sergio came up from behind me and smiled
“He’s a beauty, isn’t he?” I nod and looked at him “when did you get him?”
“When I turned 5” I looked back at Spookey and smiled remembering getting my hyper eight year old stallion. “He was eight, now he’s fifteen, he’s getting old.” I sighed.
“He’s still a pretty stallion.” Sergio looked at me then at Spookey “he’ll be around for a while longer, Quarter horses have long life lines, and he’s pretty healthy for a horse his age”
I looked at him and gave him a weird look, “I know that but I have to sell him once I can’t use him to herd anymore” I sighed looking at Spookey hoping that day would never come
“That’s gotta suck, cause you really love him don’t you?” I nodded then closed his stall and walked to then house leaving Sergio to his work, alone.
Part two
A few weeks after Sergio started working for us was my first lesson from him. It wasn’t really a RIDING lesson it was one for me to Spookey ready for an English saddle.
“Alright get on the steps holding the Saddle pad, I’ll walk him up to you and you can rub the pad all over that side of his body. After that I’ll move him around so he’s facing the other side and you’ll do the same.”
I nodded and got on the steps then looked at him, “why am I doing this again?” I asked
“To get him used to the feel of the new pad,” I looked at him clueless but I nodded anyway, “after that we’ll put it on and walk him around with it for a bit”
“Ok” I say then he led my beautiful stallion to me and I did as he said then he led him around and did the same thing I did to his other side when I finished I put the pad on his back and, like Sergio told me, I hopped down and led him around slowly
“When do I get to jump?” I asked him while we were walking Spookey around.
He laughed, “You have a while till you can jump yet.” He looked at me and smiled his, what I learn later is his famous smile, flashy smile “but you will”
“I believe you,” I look at the sun’s position, “Mama’s a little skeptical”
He sighed, “I knew she would be, your Papa said she’s a little weary of me cause where I came from” I looked at him wondering where he did come from.
After a few minutes of silence I knew that the conversation was over by the way he was walking and looking at the grazing mares around us, us in the round sand training ring.
“Royal!” I heard Mama’s voice and sighed and looked at Sergio
“Can you put Spookey away for me?” I ask him pleadingly, he nodded and took Spookey’s lead without saying a word. I looked at him the heard Mama calling again and I ran into the house to her.
“Where were you?” she asked looking mad, I knew that face. Nana and Poppop were coming
“Working on Spookey’s training,” I say looking back at the barn seeing Sergio putting Spookey away and going into the tack room.
“Well, come in and get washed up in your Sunday dress, your grandparents are coming for a visit” I heard her sigh and as we walked inside to the washroom a thought came to my mind, that she may not like her parents that much anymore.
Part Three
When they got there I stood tall in my scratchy skirt I sighed and tried to scratch it
“Royal stop that” I heard Mama whisper; I sighed again and watched Nana get out of her car.
“Oh for once she’s clean and dressed up for us.” Nana said snootily to Mama. I wished I could have punched her right then and there, for the itchy dress and that comment to Mama.
“Well, Mother, Royal has chores to do here you know that.” I saw Nana nod staring at Sergio, who was training a colt we got a while ago.
“Where is Darren at?” Nana asked, changing the subject, still looking at Sergio.
“Papa’s out in the big pasture getting the cattle” I say “he shouldn’t be too much longer”
“Well then, I hope he doesn’t take long I’m starving for Emily’s food” Poppop said with a laugh.
I laughed as well and hugged Poppop; he was my favorite out of the two. “He told us we didn’t have to wait to eat”
“We can eat now mother.” Mama said holding my shoulders now.
“Good. Come now Warren” Nana walked inside like she owned the place.
“Martha, do you have to do this every time?” I hear Poppop ask Nana, and I could tell he was getting mad.
“Yes” that’s all Nana said.
After supper Papa came back and ate. Then we all started to talk in the family room. I sat at Mama’s side on my calves, my skirt covering my legs, I listened to them talk. Nana sat on Poppop’s ride side in Mama’s rocker, Poppop sitting on the footstool to the rocker. Papa sat at his desk chair, which he pulled closer to them. Mama sat to his right sitting on Papa’s rocker.
“Now Darren, be reasonable. Royal needs a better education” Nana said, changing the subject, again.
“Be reasonable about what?!” Papa said almost yelling “Royal is getting a great education for her being here. Martha! She loves it here she wants to stay here!” Papa got up and grabbed one of my trophies and showed it to her “see this! She loves doing this! She wouldn’t give this up for the world, hell she wouldn’t even give up her horse for all of the money in the world!”
Mama grabbed Papa’s hand “Darren, honey, please calm down.” And Papa sat down.
“Yes, Darren calm down your being bull headed” I clenched my fists and stood up “see look at the girl, standing up cause she’s had enough of the fighting. She wants you to stop and let her live with us in the city and sell her horse.” Nana said I clenched my fists harder “see?” Then I walked over to Nana and punched her in the face and walked up to my room after washing her blood off my fists.
Part Four
Not long after I punched Nana, Sergio came into my room. I looked at him tears running down my cheeks. “She said that I WANTED to sell Spookey and moved into the city with her, like she KNEW me” I said sniffling.
Sergio just looked at me, then after a few minutes he sighed, “get changed into your jeans” he then left my room while I changed. When I was ready I came out, he looked down at me and grabbed my hand and pulled me down the stairs and out to the barn. On the way out we passed Nana, Poppop and Mama in the family room. Mama was tending to Nana’s nose and Poppop was just staring at her saying something.
When we got to the barn Sergio finally talked. “That was a nice punch shot miss” I looked up at him
“Thanks?” I was confused.
“Your Pa had to leave the house cause he was laughing so hard.” Sergio didn’t take me to the tack room or Spookey’s stall, or the hayloft. He took me to the foal pasture, which was empty right now cause all of our mares are pregnant. He sat down on a straw bale; I sat down as well and watched him. He pulled out a knife and a block of wood and started whittling. “Your Pa told me to calm you down for him.”
I looked at him then turned around and looked at the tree line, and I listened to the crickets play their song, and the owls hoot to each other. I listened extra closely to the mares on the other side of us walking around in the pasture and the yearlings chasing each other.
“I can tell that your thinking, miss Royal” he looked at me still whittling. “You can tell me miss Royal, it won’t ever leave my lips.”
I looked at him “I’m just thinking….., how could my Nana act like she knows me when she barley remembers where we live!”
He looked at me “have you ever told her how you feel? Or even what your thinking about her?”
I shook my head “no, cause every time I went to she was already gone.”
Sergio laughed “I think she knows after tonight, Royal” he looked back at his block then at me “your pa’s making you a bed in one of the stalls, just for tonight, cause you grandmother’s staying the night now”
I nodded and picked at the straw bale, I got up “I’m going to be with Spookey” I didn’t even wait for his answer, I turned around and started walking. I was halfway to the barn when I turned to look around “Sergio where did you come from?”
He didn’t answer he just stared back at me “I’ll tell you tomorrow” then he went back to whittling. I sighed and went into the barn.
Part Five
I went to bed around two in the morning after being with Spookey and watching him fall asleep. When I walked into the stall that was open for my room I saw my nightclothes and some clothes for tomorrow, and a not from Mama. I picked up my nightclothes and changed into them quick in case Sergio or any of the other hands were up. Then I went to the stall door and closed the top part of it and picked up Mama’s note and laid on the cot to read it.
Royal,
You know me and your father love you all so very much, and we do know what’s best for you when it comes to your safety and health and you’re growing. But after tonight, your father and me were thinking that maybe my mother is right maybe you do need to live in the city with them. Think about it dear, you’ll get to meet new people, get a better education then what your father has and maybe even better then mine dear. Don’t think of it as your going to be just like you Nana think of it as your going to be just like your Mama. Girl you did something that I’ve wanted to do for a while but never had the guts to do it. I love you.
Mama Then Papa wrote something. Papa’s handwriting may not have been the best and it was hard for me to read when I wasn’t crying. I was already crying and what he wrote made me cry even harder.
Royal,
I don’t want to agree with your Nana and Poppop but I have to now that your mother has seen what you can do. I know that if you go to the city you may be a problem child with your attitude the way it is and well, how much your like me in a lot of things, baby girl we love you and you’ll be able to visit us during the holidays just like Nana and Poppop does now. I know it’s going to be hard but remember your Mama and I love you honey. When you go I will have to sell Spookey. I know you love him dearly but love it’s what we have to do I’m sorry.
PapaWhen I finished reading it I whipped my eyes. I got out of the stall taking the clothes for tomorrow with me and went into the house. I knew that they were all asleep by now, so I snuck into my room and grabbed a bag and lots of my clothes and things including my cowboy hat that Papa gave me this Christmas. I put it on my head and then went down to the kitchen and grabbed some food that I knew I could make over a fire myself. I grabbed some other stuff I knew I would need and then I went back out to the barn and tacked up Spookey myself after getting a few bags of feed for him.
“It’s gonna to be ok boy I’m not letting them sell ya.” I got on him and turned him towards the mountains and trotted into the woods.
Spookey was kind of jumpy this morning and I could feel it. I knew he could since that I was upset and a wreak. I patted him on his shoulder and in a hushed voice I calmed him down “it’s ok boy I love you and that’s why were doing this.” I looked behind us cause I thought I heard someone calling my name I didn’t stop but kept going. When I first saw sight of the inclining rocks I stoped Spookey and got off I walked him to a hang over that deepened into a cave. I led Spookey in and took his tack off and fed him his morning rations and then went to making a fire. The ground was nice and dry where I was at and so was the wood I made the fire with two tries that had failed, and warmed up some chicken corn soup from supper last night and ate it for breakfast. I looked at Spookey who was looking at me while I ate
“Were gonna be ok Spookey, I’ll take care of us.” I smiled for him and he walked over to me and lay down behind me. I leaned on him and closed my eyes feeling very tired.
When I woke up I was swaying I opened my eyes farther and noticed I was on Spookey, who was saddled and being led by Sergio on foot. Sergio was leading his assigned horse Jumps. He must have heard me wake, or the fact that Spookey stoped to look at me, made him look at me. I saw in his face fear, anger, sadness, and happiness. I mostly saw that I was doomed when I got home.
“Miss Royal, your mother fainted when your Pa told her you and Spookey were missing, your grandmother started to cry which made her nose bleed again, and your Pa went nuts yelling’ at your grandmother” he turned back around and started walking again “did you even think it through this morning when you left?”
I was looking down and sighed “no.”
“Well you should have! Before your Pa even knew you were gone I was saddling up Jumps to come find you. Hell girl, I was worried sick about ya” He looked back at me quick and then back to where he was walking.
“I didn’t know Sergio…”
“That’s cause you never stoped to care” Sergio said that coldly which made me frown and almost cry.
“But they said that I am moving and selling Spookey!” I yelled at him making Spookey jump a tad.
“Didn’t you think that you could have taken him with you and boarded him somewhere outside the city and ride him?” he asked me I shook my head
“I never thought of that.” I whispered
“That’s cause you acted on impulse you didn’t think about what you were doing Miss Royal I should know I’ve been there” he stoped talking and after a few minutes of silence I looked at him
“It’s tomorrow you have to tell me where your from and what you meant by your last comment” I say taking Spookey’s reins from him after we stoped as he got on Jumps.
“Alright I’ll tell you, but you can’t tell your Pa or mother that I told you” he looked at me with serious eyes.
Part Six
As we walked the horses through the woods I realized just how far I rode Spookey early this morning. Even though that’s not what was on the top of my mind. I waited for Sergio to start talking about where he came from after I agreed not to tell Mama or Papa. I heard him sigh and I looked up from the trail.
“I grew up in a small town, I didn’t live on a ranch like you do now, I lived over the barber with my Ma and five sisters. I was the oldest and the only boy.” He played with his reins as he talked. “When my Ma lost her job and my sisters all got sick I ran away. I went back a few years later looking for them and I was told by the Sheriff that all my sisters died a week after I left and Ma got sick after I left and died not even a day after my last sister died. He told me that Ma’s cause of death was the shock of all of a sudden being all alone.” He looked at me then a Spookey and smiled “the only thing I had to keep me alive was the fact that I had…” he trailed off and looked down “you know that doesn’t matter”
I looked at Spookey and hugged him then looked around and noticed we were back at the farm. I sighed and looked at Spookey “I’m gonna be in some trouble boy just be ready for it” I started to walk him to the barn but Sergio stoped me.
“to the house” he pointed to the house. I looked over at it and sighed and trotted Spookey over to it.
