The Montana Kid

The Montana Kid always wanted to be a Cowboy, but for some reason1

He never quite measured up.2

When he was 13, he paid his entry fee at the Roundup Rodeo3

and rode a two year old cow. He lasted about 4 seconds. There was no4

applause from the audience, but he did hear a few chuckles. He liked that!5

His friend, Ross, did much better even though he had had an ingrown toe6

nail cut out that morning.7

The Montana kid did do some trail driving though, on a big old8

Appaloosa guilding named Chief. 'Just give him free rein. He knows what9

to do', his Aunt Betty told him. He found out Betty was right.10

A couple years later, after he had moved to Spokane, Mr. Dean11

took the Montana Kid to Canada and they climbed Mt.Loki.12

across Kootnai Lake from Kaslo, B.C.13

Mr. Dean didn't choose the easy way up the ridge, but followed14

the creek bed up through the brush because he wanted to see some15

Grizzly bears. Mr. Dean loved Grizzly bears. 'They heard us coming.16

You might as well have a cowbell around your neck'. This was what17

Mr. Dean told The Montana Kid. But the bears were there though.18

We could see their trails through the mashed down Huckleberry vines 19

and other bushes20

That night they slept on beds of pine boughs on the top of Mt.21

Loki, and in the morning the Montana Kid turned owly. Mr. Dean just22

laughed and said, 'How can you appreciate the good things in life if you23

don't know what it is like to do without them?' This made the Montana24

Kid stop and think.25

Many years have passed and Mr. Dean, past Eighty now,26

still goes up to Canada and stays out all night in the27

mountains, sometimes28

in the cold rain, without even a sleeping bag. He has by29

now, no doubt, seen many Grizzly Bears. I guess they recognize one30

of their own, which is not to say Mr. Dean is not a very wise and31

thoughtful gentleman. He certainly made me think.32

The Montana Kid writes poetry now, and when he gets into a 33

jam he hears his late great old Aunt Betty with his mind's eye, telling him 34

what to do.35

This has been the story of The Montana Kid. 36

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