The Story of Zack and Jim

It was just west of the Pecos when I first met Jim. I didn't have a very great deal to do at the time; I had just finished herdin' some longhorns down to the Missouri deepot, along the Sante Fe trail - must have been a thousand head of beef we marshalled up. I got my pay from the boss, and was stood off like. Some of the hands got frisky in the Bar, and a fight broke out; a few smashed tables later, me and the local Sheriff didn't see eye to eye none, and I found myself next, boardin' a freight train, truckin' down all the way to Phoenix and Tucson. I was still in my high heeled boots and had my squirrel lined chaps on as well, and was getting kinda sore on my behind from all that sittin' down. Well it was somewhere in the distance down the line like, when I spotted a smoke plume, and knew some-one was tending a fire, and most likely cooking some bacon and beans an' a billy can of cawfee. You folks don't need me a tellin' of you, that I was not needing any invitation like, to join in the proceedings. The truck slowed down some, round a bend, and I just jumped off, carrying my gear. Sure enough, a guy was on his lonesome, over a camp fire, and a swillin' down a mug, looked like real coffee, the ginuine stuff. I kinda moseyed over and said, "Howdy, Pardner, got some of that stuff to spare?" "Help yersel', friend," was his cordial reply, and I didn't need no further appreciatin' I just got stuck in like.

The moon came up real purty like, and we undid our roll and spread our blankets down, nice and tidy. After a bit of talkin', my new-found hobo said his name was Jim, and he had just left the Panhandle scrub, and a nice li'l gal too, so I heard. He was fresh out of money, and had been headin' to Texas, hopin' to find more cow-punchin', or a job on a Ranch. He wanted to ride with me where I was a-goin' and I said, "O.K. fella, you're on!" My plan was to buy up a trio of nice-lookin' bred-good horses, and take some greenhorns across the Monument Valley, just roughin' it up for a week or two, show 'em how real cow-punchers lived in the rough, see.

I had a kinda suspicion a Wells Fargo Stage would arrive in the late afternoon, in the little old town of Seminole Creek, a coupla hours ride away. They dudes on board that stage would sure welcome a little rough ridin' I reckoned. Later on, we bought a nice little bunch of roans and headed on our way, Jim trailin' me nice and easy on his mighty fine pony. We headed into Seminole Creek, and I parleyed with some promisin' young tenderfoots. They sure was rarin' to go, when I 'splained to 'em where we was headin'. Jim was kinda pleased with that, and pulled his hat down low over his brow - guess the sun was hot.

It turned out Seminole Creek had a Rancher eager to get a head of greenhorns to Bakersville just across the Monument Valley, over in the East. We spat on our hands, to make the deal. The following day, we was up and headin' on out 50 head of beef, Jim, me and the old Chisum Trail cross Monument Valley. Jim was kinda quiet, but with a cheery grin and a quick pace.

Three days in and we were camped up for the night, sittin' round the fire, swillin' cawfee and eatin' beans. Suddenly I noticed a rattler right by Jim, just about to strike; quick as a flash I picked up my gun and fired it at Jim. For a moment I thought I had killed him, but next minute, Jim just looked at me, and hollered, "Pretty handy with that gun, mister, aint you?" Then he noticed that snake dead beside him, and went white as a ghost, and thanked me for saving his life.

We got quite pally after that of sorts, but I had Jim figgered as the strong silent type. Six days later we had crossed that Valley and rode into Bakersville. After the greenhorns had been penned in, Jim and I headed on to the Saloon - couple of whiskeys later and Jim said to me, "Well, Zack, you sure was pretty handy wiv' a gun back there; reckon I could use someone like you on my Ranch! Seems it turned out Jim was travelin' on his way back to his Ranch from Connecticut when I stopped by. I looked him in the eye and said, "Sure thing, Boss!"

Rosemary Goulding