ENNIS
By
Tom Forster
Chapter
8
Over the next
few weeks the work around the ranch increased significantly.
Preparations had to be made to bring the cattle down from the summer
grazing lands by the end of August. Ennis would have to oversee
the selection process for deciding which head would be sold and which
would be driven to the South range to winter over. Fall lasts only a
couple of weeks in the mountains and high plains of Wyoming. Some
locals say there’s no autumn season at all, it goes directly from
summer to winter.
“It’s a hunnert’
degrees one day then thirty below the next.” Timing was important.
Ennis was
thankful to be busy again. He avoided Billy as much as he could,
but when he couldn’t, he kept his hat down and his responses single
worded. Ennis still couldn’t figure out how he’d missed the mark
so badly, but what happened at the lake was totally unplanned,— spur of
the moment. When Ennis saw Billy looking him over, a sudden urge
overcame him and he gave in to it.
Ennis tried to
remember what it was like before he and Jack finally came
together. Of course, with Jack the signals were unmistakable.
Ennis was just too damn naïve to see them the first couple of
weeks on the mountain, but when a guy grabs your hand and places it on
his privates, that’s a pretty good sign he’s interested in more than a
game of cards. Nope,— Jack made it easy for him, and he was
grateful for that. Ennis couldn’t believe Billy would
intentionally lead him on. The guy was much too good hearted to do
that. Ennis just chalked it up to bad judgement on his
part. He had no hard feelings about it at all, but he was
embarrassed and ashamed.
Ennis figured
this season would be his last on the Barker place. He couldn’t
stay around with this thing hanging over his head, especially since
Billy was going to be taking charge of the operation. Ennis would
never walk out and leave the old man in a lurch. He’d just have
to do his job and lay low until the season was over. He figured
he’d pull out by mid-October.
One evening,
about a week after the incident at the lake, Ennis was stowing away
some gear in the barn when Chet walked in. He had a big chaw of
tobacco in his cheek.
“Ennis, when you
finish up, come over to my office, I need to talk to you about
something,” he walked out abruptly.
Ennis took his
time completing his work, he even went to double check on the horses
even though he’d just done it,— Chet could wait.
Chet’s office
door was open. He was behind his desk talking on the phone.
Ennis stood in the door way. Chet motioned him in, hung up the
phone, got up and closed the door. Ennis sat awkwardly in the
chair. He didn’t bother to take off his hat.
“Del Mar, I’m
gonna tell you something I think you need to know, even though it’s
against my better judgement.” Chet sat back down behind his desk
again.
Ennis shifted in
the hard wooden chair, it squeaked.
“Mr. Barker
ain’t doing too well, he wouldn’t want me telling you this but under
the circumstances…”
“What
circumstances would those be, Chet?” Ennis wasn’t about to kowtow
to this little bastard.
“There ain’t
nobody in line to take over the ranch. Vernon Jr. is gone, and
the old man made sure he can’t ever come back here. Nope, there’s
nobody, at least not anybody I think is capable of doing it by
themselves.”
Ennis knew his
remark was aimed at Billy,— he let it pass.
“I been working
for Mr Barker for a long time.” Chet continued, “I know the
finances and I know how to get the best deal for the cattle in the
market.” Chet stood up and walked to the front of his desk and
leaned on it, he was right in front of Ennis. “You know how to get a
days work outta’ them ranch hands. As I see it, you and me is the
only ones who can keep this place goin’ proper.” Chet lifted up
the pickle jar off the desk and spit. “I know you don’t care for
me, Del Mar, but I’m askin’ you to go to the old man with me and have a
good hard talk with him about the future of this place. I ain’t
sayin’ I want him to just hand it over to us, but there’s legal ways to
set things up so’s you and me can continue the operation without
bringing in any outsiders. Hell,— that Texas nephew of his would
run this place into the ground inside a year!”
Ennis took off
his hat and looked straight the little rooster.
“Chet, Mr.
Barker’s been real good to me over the years. I don’t wanna’ see
a hundred years of work go down the drain, but you’re crazy if you
think I’d ever partner up with the likes of you.”
He put his hat
back on his head and turned to leave. Chet’s face turned a bright
red.
“Shit, I’d be
the one lowerin’ myself to work with you. I used to work for Joe
Aguirre back in the 70’s. He told me all about what you and that
other boy was doin’ up on Brokeback when you was supposed to be looking
out for his sheep.”
Ennis turned to
face Chet, his hands were clenched, his face hard.
“You don’t know
what the hell you’re talking about.” Ennis made a step toward the
little man, then stopped. “Billy Barker’s gonna’ take on the
ranch when the old man decides it’s time and there ain’t nothin’ you
can do about it.”
Chet backed up
behind his desk again.
“Well,— it’s
gonna be soon Del Mar! Those weren’t business trips he’s been
takin’ down to Colorado. The old man’s got cancer and the
doctors can’t do nothin for him. He ain’t got long to go.”
Ennis stood for
another moment, then he walked out. Ennis hopped in his truck and
floored it all the way back to his trailer, he was angry but mostly he
felt a deep sense of shame creeping up his back, bending over his
shoulders. His face was still flush. How could Aguirre have
known about him and Jack? They were alone on that mountain that
whole summer. Aguirre rode up only one time. Then Ennis
remembered the way Aguirre sneered at him when he went to pick up his
pay the last day. Now Ennis knew why Aguirre pulled them off the
mountain three weeks early. How could he have known, and who else knew?
Billy couldn’t
understand why he pulled away from Ennis at the lake. Wasn’t that
what he’d been wanting all along without really knowing or
understanding it? He knew he had hurt Ennis badly, but
Billy did his best to act as if everything was still the same.
Ennis would have none of it. Billy knew Ennis was avoiding him so
he decided to let some time pass before trying to talk with Ennis about
it. Days turned into weeks and the work days were longer than they’d
been all summer. After a while it just became too difficult to
broach the subject,— not that Billy saw Ennis much any more.
Billy felt he
was a failure at the ranch and over the next few weeks he decided he
wouldn’t accept his uncle’s offer. Wyoming was beautiful.
He learned a lot and felt he accomplished a lot, too, but it was like a
foreign country to him. Billy made up his mind that he would
return to Texas after the cattle drive was over. He dreaded
telling his uncle and hated letting him down, but Billy just couldn’t
see any way around it.
The Barker
family went back four generations in north central Wyoming.
Vernon Barker’s great grandfather came to the territory when there were
still Indians roaming the mountains and his grandfather was the first
to set up a ranching operation on the slopes north of Riverton.
Vernon Barker was a proud man and well respected throughout the
community. He served as president of the Wyoming Cattlemen’s
Association for most of the 1970’s and was even considered a good
candidate for the state legislature in his early days,— though he never
had any interest in politics.
Vernon’s passion
was for the land. He grew up on the ranch and he married his high
school sweetheart, Rita Powell. They had two son’s, Vernon Jr.
and Robert. Robert died in a car crash in the summer of 1963 on
the road between Riverton and the ranch. It was a brutal loss for
Vernon and Rita, only to be exceeded by their estrangement from Vernon
Jr. a decade later.
Any other man
might have turn bitter, but Vernon Barker accepted the blows as they
came,— always trying learn something from them. He was the first
to admit that in his younger days he was a hard man. The profit was
foremost among his priorities and ranch hands were a commodity that
could easily be replaced. The years had mellowed him, but the
land was still his passion and he desperately wanted a Barker to
oversee the ranch into the next century.
Billy was his
savior. He exceeded the old man’s expectations. Vernon observed
the young man at work and how he interacted with the hired help.
Vernon felt he was a natural. During the past few months he elt a
peace of mind that alluded him for years. The diagnosis of an
inoperable lung tumor the year before was just another obstacle to him,
one that he felt he could beat.
He went through
the radiation and chemotherapy treatments with few side affects, but
during his most recent visit to the hospital, the doctor made it clear
that the cancer was going to take him soon, within a couple of months.
Billy sat down
at the kitchen table with his uncle. He could tell the old man
was not feeling well, but had no idea of how sick he really was.
The old man spoke first.
“Billy, I’m real
happy with what you’ve done this summer. When we talked last time
you were still not sure. I need to know, Son, have you made a
decision?”
Billy looked
down at the pattern on the oil cloth covering the kitchen table.
It reminded him of an apron his mom used to wear.
“Yes, Sir, I’ve
pretty much made up my mind.” There was a silence. “I ain’t
the man for the job Uncle Vernon, I’m sorry, I know you was countin’ on
me, it just wouldn’t work. I’m plannin’ to finish out the summer,
then I’ll head on back down to Weatherford. I’m real sorry, sir.”
The old man
looked as tired as Billy had ever seen him. He stood up and
extended his hand to Billy.
“I understand
son. Nothing to be sorry about, you’ve done a great job this
summer. I know you’ll do well at whatever you decide to do.
Hell,— I’ll work something out. Don’t you worry about it now.”
Billy shook his
uncle’s hand, and they walked out onto the back porch together.
“Take a look at
that moon, Billy. Ain’t nothing prettier than a full moon rising
up over the mountains.”
“Naw, Sir,— I
ain’t never seen anything as purdy.”
Billy walked
back to the bunkhouse.
Instead of
heading straight to his trailer, Ennis decided to take a detour to the
Riverton bar. He hadn’t been there in a long time, though it used
to be one of his regular haunts in the years after Jack's death.
It was Alma Jr. who’d put a stop to it. Ennis couldn't say ‘no’
to that girl on much of anything.
Ennis decided he
would get good and drunk. He felt he was entitled to it.
Before he entered the bar, he pulled down the front of his hat to
shield his eyes; not that he was ashamed to been seen in a bar, but
after what Chet said to him he felt like everybody knew. It was a
Thursday night and Ennis was glad there weren't too many people
inside. He went up to the bar and ordered a bottle of whiskey. He
paid for it and took it to a table in the darkest corner of the place.
He proceeded to consume the entire bottle,— one glass at a time.
Billy returned
to the bunkhouse. One of the Mexicans was in the shower;
otherwise, it was empty. He sat on the edge of his bunk looking
at the splintered wood floor. He felt so bad for doing that to
the old man, and what was worse, his uncle took it so well. A few
minutes later he heard raised voices coming out of Chet's office.
He recognized Ennis's voice right off but couldn't make out what was
being said, or shouted. Billy walked to the bunkhouse entrance
and peered out into the darkness. He saw Ennis storm out of
Chet's office and speed off in his truck. Billy figured Chet was
ragging Ennis about ordering too many supplies. From the
beginning Billy could tell Chet had it in for Ennis.
After Ennis
left, Billy decided to walk over to Chet's office. He stuck his head in
the door.
"Evenin', Chet."
Chet was behind
his desk, he glared up at Billy not saying anything.
"Anything the
matter? I just saw Ennis stormin outta’ here"
Chet stood and
said with a sneer, "Nothing that's any of your business, Son.
It’s a matter I'll take up with your uncle. There’s some things
he needs to know about the kind of men he's got workin’ around here."
Billy didn't say
anything. Chet walked over and shut the door in BIlly's
face. What could Ennis have done to make Chet so mad, and what
was he gonna say to Uncle Vernon?
Billy decided
now was as good a time as any to clear the air with Ennis. He
went back to the bunkhouse to get his hat and took the work truck keys
that were hanging on a nail by the door. The night was warm and
clear. He'd never been to Ennis' place, but he knew it was just
south of town. Billy headed ten miles down the dirt track that
lead to the main road into Riverton, and he turned South. The
road was dark and straight as an arrow. It reminded him of the
night of the accident. He turned on the radio to clear the
thoughts from his head and listened to music the rest of the way.
He didn’t see Ennis' truck parked outside the bar as he drove through
town, so he continued on to the trailer.
Billy pulled up
in front of Ennis' trailer. It was dark and he could see that
Ennis' truck was not there. He parked in front of the trailer and
sat in the truck for a few minutes. Then he got out and walked
around. The trailer was small with rust stains running down the
metal roof, but everything was neat and tidy. Tools were stored
in a small shed next to the trailer. A clothes line had been run
from the trailer roof to a light pole some ten yards away. Billy
noticed a little garden around back. There was even a flower pot
on the front door stoop. Billy felt pangs of guilt about what happened
at the lake. Ennis was the most decent, kindest man he ever met
and he couldn’t bear the thought he hurt him. Billy got back into
the truck and reclined the seat back a bit. He'd wait here all
night if he had to.
Ennis finished
the bottle of whiskey; however, he didn't feel any better than when
he'd started. He sure as hell didn't feel drunk. It was
getting late and some of the locals already left the bar. A
Waylon Jennings song was playing on the juke box and two guys were
throwing darts at the end of the bar. The bar maid stopped by his
table.
"You be
needin’ anything else, sugar?" Ennis looked up at the middle aged
woman. She had large breasts, teased hair and too much make up.
"No, I'm right fine."
Close to
midnight Ennis decided to head home. He had to be back at the
ranch by five A.M. He got up from the table and went to the
bathroom to piss, as he was standing at the urinal looking at the wall,
he saw where somebody scratched over some writing, it was a name and
phone number he couldn't make out. He shook his penis and stuffed it
back into his jeans and zipped them up.
Ennis pulled up
to his trailer and almost rammed into the back of the ranch work
truck. At first he thought maybe Chet sent somebody down to tell
him he was fired. Then, he saw Billy getting out of the driver's
side. Ennis got out of his truck and walked straight to the
trailer door. He never locked it. No need to in this
town. He didn't have anything anybody would want to steal
anyway. Billy stood quietly behind him. Ennis turned to
look at him.
"What the hell
you doin out here in the middle of the night? Your uncle send you
out here to fire me?"
Billy could tell
Ennis had been drinking. He never saw him like this before.
"No, Ennis, I
came to talk to you. I want to clear the air between us."
Ennis opened the
trailer door and stepped up inside. He turned on a little lamp on
the kitchen counter then sat down on the couch and started taking off
his boots. Billy stood for a moment in the open door. Ennis
slurred his words,
"You better
close that door. You don't won’t nobody seein’ you, do you?"
"I'm always
right proud to be seen with you, Ennis." Billy felt his face
redden.
Billy closed the
door and sat in a wooden chair facing the couch. A coffee table
was between him and Ennis. He looked around the trailer.
There was a small sitting area with an old couch, end table, lamp and a
small TV on a table next to the door. The floor was covered with
a thin carpet. The kitchen had mismatched appliances, and Billy
could see down the little hall to the bedroom. The door to the
little hall closet was slightly opened. Billy could see some
shirts hanging inside. The place was neat as a pin. A stack
of folded clothes was on one end of the couch. Billy recognized
some of the faded shirts that Ennis always wore.
Ennis was having
some trouble removing his boots, but Billy waited ‘til he got them
off. Ennis sat on the couch in his socks facing Billy.
Billy finally asked,
"What happened
with Chet tonight? I heard you two arguing."
Ennis didn’t
answer. Billy got up and went over and stood at the end of the
couch.
"Ennis,
you're the best friend I ever had. I want us to be friends
again. The thing that happened up at the lake, it don't make no
difference between us."
Ennis laid back
on the couch, his legs spread wide. He put the palms of his hands
to his eyes and rubbed them.
"I talked with
Uncle Vernon tonight. I told him I'd be headin’ back to Texas
after the season's over.”
Billy continued
standing, looking down at Ennis. Ennis took his hands down from
his eyes and looked at Billy.
"You can't do
that to the old man, Billy! He's countin on you, you're the
only one! H’it ain't fair for a man to put his whole life into a
place only to see it sold off at the end.”
"He can keep
lookin after it for a few more years. He told me he'd work
some’um out"
Ennis leaned
forward.
"He ain't got no
more time Billy! The man's dyin’!"
Even in his
drunken state Ennis wished he could take back those words. Billy
looked stricken.
"What the hell
you talkin’ about Ennis! I just talked to the man not more’n a
couple hours ago." Billy thought about how tired his uncle looked
when he told him he wasn't going to stay. "Is that what you and
Chet was arguin’ about?"
Ennis pulled
himself up from the couch and faced Billy, "I'm sorry buddy, it ain't
none a my business. It wasn't my place to tell you."
Then the
realization of what he had done to his uncle hit Billy. The old
man placed all his hopes on his shoulders and Billy let him down. He
felt sick and his blue eyes filled with tears. Ennis stepped
forward and wrapped his arms around Billy. Billy moved into
Ennis' embrace and put his head on his shouder. Ennis spoke
softly. "It's all right little darlin,’— it's all gonna work out
okay."
Ennis could feel
Billy trembling. He held him and placed his hand on the back of
Billy's head and stroked his hair. Billy wrapped his arms tighter
around Ennis. It had been so long since Ennis felt the strong,
warm, comforting embrace of another man. The last time was
when he and Jack argued up in the mountains because Ennis was
postponing their next trip. He became very upset with the things
Jack told him that day. Even though it was all true, he knew in
his heart it was terribly wrong to expect Jack to do without something
he needed so badly. The tears flowed freely that day and Ennis
spilled out feelings and emotions that terrified him. When he
collapsed into Jack's arms, he held on tightly. Jack comforted
him with gentle words and stroked his hair. That was the last
time Ennis ever saw him.
Billy whispered
into Ennis's ear, "I want to..." Then he moved his head from
Ennis' shoulder and kissed him full on the mouth. Ennis pressed
Billy into him even harder and slipped his tongue slowly between
Billy's lips,— the taste of whiskey mingling with their spit.
Billy gently
pulled away from Ennis and started unbuttoning his shirt. Ennis
watched shyly, admiring his smooth body, as Billy undressed.
Billy stood in the middle of the room in his under shorts. Ennis led
him into the bedroom, it was dark except for light filtering from the
other room. Billy sat on the bed. With his back to Billy,
Ennis took off the rest of his clothes. When he turned around,
Billy stood and they embraced again. As they kissed deeply, Ennis
moved his rough hands down Billy's back and slid his fingers under the
waistband of his boxers, cupping and squeezing his butt. He could
feel Billy's erect penis pressing against him. Ennis slid down
Billy's underwear and Billy sat on the bed to take them off the rest of
the way. Ennis was standing in front of him.
Ennis tried not
to think of anything. He just wanted to empty his head of all the
things that had happened. He closed his eyes and let himself just
feel. Billy gently grasped Ennis's erect penis at the base and
slid the skin back from the head. He moved forward and licked the tip,
tasting the saltiness. Billy was nervous, but his desire for
Ennis was overpowering. He slowly began to suck, letting it slide
in and out of his mouth, a little deeper each time, trying not to gag
when it slid back into his throat. Ennis let out a deep breath
and placed his hands on Billy's head, his fingers grasping his thick
hair,— gently urging him on. After several minutes BIlly pulled
back and looked up at Ennis.
"I ain't never
done this afore."
Ennis pulled
Billy up and they lay down together on the bed next to one
another. Billy was on his back and Ennis lay on his side, facing
Billy.
“Close your
eyes."
Ennis moved his
right hand over Billy's brow and cheek, then a finger across his
lips. He caressed his neck and gently rubbed his hand over his
smooth chest, lingering at the nipples,— then down Billy's
stomach. Billy was breathing deeply, eyes closed. Ennis
whispered,
“I'm sorry I
hurt you little darlin,’— I never meant to."
Copyright 2006
Tom Forster