Sunday 12 November 2017

Possible Mistake

When I got home I immediately noticed Sarah's truck parked in front of the house. This whole not having a cell phone was starting to get old. I really didn't want to talk to Sarah yet. I parked my Jeep and slowly made my way into the house already dreading the gossip and drama I was about to walk in to.

"Josie! I have been waiting here for you forever! Please tell me what happened. When I got to work this afternoon Glenda told me you quit. But everyone else is saying that can't be true. Ed even said to me she phoned here and fired you. You know she can't do that right?"The words flew out of Sarah's mouth like word vomit.

"Slow down, I did not quit she phoned and fired me. Yes I understand she can't do that and I don't really care. I can't work with her anymore. I also have a new job and I start tomorrow."

"I knew she wasn't telling the truth. Please come back I don't want to work with the new girl she's a cow. Wait.... New job? Already? Where?"

" I got a job working for one of the Chuckwagon drivers. I start tomorrow."

"Well damn. I guess we should go out tonight and celebrate."

"You know what I'd rather just go to bed. It's been a rough day."

"Okay then. Come by tomorrow night after your done work? I'll have the wine."

"I'll see what time I get off."


The next morning I was up way earlier than normal. I slowly got dressed and did my normal morning routine. I even had time to make myself breakfast, which never happens. I am one of those people that gives themselves ten minutes to get ready and rush out the door. I got into my Jeep and started my drive to work. I made it there really early. There wasn't anyone at the barn yet so I stayed in my jeep for a little while longer.

The peace and quiet was great, I don't think I had had a moment since I moved here that I could just sit back and enjoy a moment. So I finally took the time to enjoy it. The barn was surrounded in a misty fog that gave it an almost eerie look. The horses all had their heads hanging out of the stalls and I could see their breath. I could hear them shifting their weight here and there some kicking at the stall doors, some even tossing their buckets to try and search for more gain. I had forgotten how peaceful mornings with horses could be.

The peace was suddenly broken by a loud older Chevy pickup. The truck backed into the trees further down from me. An old man got out and immediately whipped it all out and took a pee right out in the open. I sat in the jeep in shock, I knew he couldn't see me where I was parked. Eventually the old man made his way to the barn. I assumed this was the other person who worked for the Little Grizzly. I got out of my Jeep and made my way slowly over to the barn.

"Good Morning, I am Josie. I am supposed to start this morning."

The man turned to look at me and that is when I noticed he had a port in his neck. He pushed on this port and then started talking to me.

"The Grizzly told me you were starting today." There was a pause for the man to catch his breath. "My name is Larry."

Larry proceeded to feed the horses and tell me all the details on all thirty horses. He told me about all their quirks and where they all came from. We turned all the horses out and started cleaning stalls. it was then that Larry and I chatted a little bit and I started to think I had maybe made a mistake.

"What brought you to come work for Grizzly?" Larry had to pause lots to breathe.

" One of the girls at the main barn suggested I come down here so I did and now here I am." I shrugged.

"Well hopefully you can stick it out. The Grizzly is hard to work for. I am just here for spring training. I won't be going on the road this year. It was too hard on me." 

Larry rested his pitchfork in the bed of the truck, that we had been slowly filling with the soiled bedding. We had done all thirty stalls in an hour and now I found out we needed to hand fork it out of the back of the truck!

"Larry how do you still do all this at your age?" Larry had to be well into his 60's. This job was very labour intensive and I didn't yet know what had led to him having the port in his neck, but I could already see this job took a toll on him.

" I love the horses. I love being around them and I am usually the only help here. If I didn't do it who would?"

This statement made me immediately quiet. I wasn't sure what to take from what he said. Had I made a mistake by taking this job? Was I about to waste my time to ultimately have to find another job?