Flashback .. Fast Forward

Uncle Max's Ranch Is A Pretty Cool Place To Visit

i'd no idea little, short Uncle Jimmy was a street fighter

all of 5'2" .. he kicked 6'4" Jerry's tall ass up and down the concrete driveway

he ripped Jerry's detective badge from inside of his suit pocket

snatched his snubnosed .38 special .. pistol whipped him with it

pointed it at his head .. related it's a damn good thing I like you

he let the hammer slowly nestle back in it's groove

marched into his house .. slammed Jerry's gun and  badge on the table

screamed at Aunt Edna .. how do you like your big cop boyfriend now

while we were driving away .. little, short Uncle Jimmy ran back outside

we turned the corner as Jerry rose .. Uncle Jimmy kneed him hard in the face

then kicked him in the head .. Jerry's pummeled face bounced on the driveway

thinking back .. Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Edna divorced .. remarried three times

we made it back to Louisiana about three o'clock in the morning

damn .. we felt as if we'd been beaten to hell and back

the week rolled by fast .. friday we loaded up

drove an hour north to Uncle Max .. Aunt Myrl's ranch in Crossett, Arkansas

arrived before dark .. cowboys .. horses .. were everywhere about the place

last month lightning had struck .. burned Uncle Max's barn to the ground

he'd called on his neighbor farmers .. ranchers .. they came over in force

already they'd put up a new end wall for the barn

it was a rare time in a rare era i'll never forget

it got along to be suppertime .. we felt starved

Aunt Myrl was a highly particular sort

she'd started for her China Cabinet .. then she said no

hell no .. she wasn't going to allow her house to get messed up

paper plates .. plastic forks .. us kids sat on the kitchen floor

about that time Uncle Max stomped into the kitchen

raising all kinds of hell .. he was hungry and wanted cold beer

Aunt Myrl was pissed .. ripped his shirt off .. demanded he remove his boots

Uncle Max boisterously laughed .. winked .. stamped his boots on the floor

he ground in dirt .. mud .. with the heels of his boots .. giggled like a lunatic

that was the straw that broke the fabled camel's back

Aunt Myrl went to screaming .. crying .. grabbing ceramic plates

broke them all .. across Uncle Max's wide redneck shoulders

ran us all out of her kitchen  before we'd even finished eating

back outside .. all the neighbor ranchers .. farmers .. were taking a break

sitting under trees .. scattered all over the ranch

eating what looked like trail grub .. from a bygone era

a neighbor farmer's son sat alone under a giant oak tree

strumming Led Zeppelin songs .. not missing a chord

Uncle Max's ranch is a pretty cool place to visit

Copyright @ June 2014

StandingBear