The First Bull Ride

THE FIRST BULL RIDE”
Chuck Martin

My friend Bobbie interduced me to “T-Bone” Bill Roberts
in back of the buckin’ shutes at the fair.
We weren’t there to ride a bronk,or rope a steer
we just took up a friends dare.
To sneek in, an’ not pay, we climbed over a 10 foot fence
with rolled barb wire and fell into some hay.
“Hey you two boys, what ya’ think yer doin’,”
We heard a gruff voice say.
We skiddadled outta’ there as fast as we could
and found ourselves behind the bullriding’ chutes.
That’s when Bobbie spied ol’ T-Bone an interduced me.
He asked if I could ride an I said “bet Yer Boots”
“Next Saturday we’re headin’ fer Denver
to try out some new bulls. They let ya ride fer 5 bucks.”
Did he mean ride’um like in Bull Ride!
I’d never done it, and didn’t want to press my luck.
We’ll be there,” Bobbie says, “We don’t want ta miss the fun.’
I elbows him in the ribs.
“Ya know we never rode no bull before,” I whispers.
“An’ it aint no use ta fib!”
Just then from outta’ the shut next to us a rider an’ bull
come dancin’ out into the arena in the dirt.
The bull flew up in the air and turned completely ‘round.
The cowboy kissed the sky; his chaps hung on a horn by it’s skirt.
With a quick jerk of the bulls head the yahoo was thrown thirty feet
an’ landed on a fence post.
Wow,” I said with a wince, “ that could be us on Saturday.
Man we could end up like burnt toast.”
That Saturday, Bobby an’I hitched a ride to Denver
in the back of a pickup loaded with chickens to sell.
We both had scrapped up enough change ta make 5 bucks
for the entry fee an’ borrowed one bull rope & bell.
We climed off at the fair an’ we were left standin’ there
In the dert and chicken feathers dust.
We sauntered on in like we knew what we was doin’ an’ paid the 5 bucks
in nichles, dimes & quarters, leaving us both bust.
T-Bone spotted us and sauntered on over shoved his hat back, smiled an’
shook our hands.
You boys ready fer some ecitement?” he asked, noddin’ toward the
grandstands.
“We sure are, T-Bone. Me an’ ol’ Chuck’s ready ta’ ride,”
Bobbie says a little quiver in his voice, “Yes sir’ee, you bet.”
“Then let’s get ready to ride.” T-Bone states, as he heads
up the midway to the shuts.