HARLEY
&
MUTT
By
Waddie
Greywolf
Chapter
3
Flashback:
The jungle was
hot, deathly hot. It was summer in Vietnam and it was like being
steamed alive in a rice cooker; a very stinking, rotten smelling rice
cooker. The pack C.C. carried was heavy to begin with, but today
it weighed a ton. His buddy Olef Beergan was walking point in front of
him. His platoon walked at least thirty miles in country and were
lost. They were tired and mentally exhausted watching for any and
every sign that would tell them if Charlie was around. Beergan
was from a small town in New Mexico. He was raised on a ranch
like his buddy C.C. and was a buckaroo. He and C.C. had a lot in
common. They could talk with each other in cowboy lingo and be at
peace for a while with their common bond. They spoke the same
language and lived for the same purposes in life. They lived and
loved by the cowboy code. Neither Olef nor his buddy C.C. was
ever away from home before being drafted and sent to Nam.
C.C. whose
initials were C.C.C. for Cassidy Crandel Crenshaw was known by
everyone in the platoon
as C.C. Rider. Most of his buddies just called him Rider.
His closest buddy, Beergan, called him by his given name, Cassidy or
Cass. Cassidy was also a cowboy and grew up on a ranch in
Southwest Texas. He was one of fifteen boys his mom and dad
raised and to hear tell was a pretty damn good cowpoke. His older
brother was in another platoon. He would see him from time to
time, but he hadn’t seen or heard from him in a while. Hell, he
and his platoon were in country now for almost six weeks. They weren’t
suppose to be out that long, but ran into several fights. Their
numbers were dwindling. They were fatigued and anxious.
They were getting nervous and sloppy in their defense. They were
making mistakes they ordinarily wouldn't make.
Cass saw the
mine before his buddy stepped on it. He was about ten paces
behind him. He opened his mouth to yell at his friend when he saw the
flash--- an explosion--- he could feel the heat as something slammed
into the side of his face knocking him backward. He was hit in
the gut by some large object he thought was a ball of some kind.
Years of football conditioning taught him instinctively to grab hold
and not let go. He grabbed the object and fell with his face in
pain. He pulled it up to him so his one good eye might see what
it was. He looked and couldn’t believe what he was holding
in his hands. It was his buddy Beergan’s head, his eyes still
open, functioning, and his lips moved but no words came out. The
horror of it all was Cass could make out the words, “I love you,
Cass.” Then Cassidy Crenshaw passed out.
He drifted in
limbo; in a fog. He couldn’t find his way, his bearings. There
was fog everywhere and as he walked it moved and swirled up around
him. He saw a figure and walked toward it. It was his buddy
Ole standing alone with a sad look on his face. Beergan opened
his arms for his cowboy buddy to come to him. Cass didn’t
hesitate. He was once again safe within the big man’s arms.
He cried his heart out as Ole kissed and comforted him. “Beergan,
I’m so damn glad to see you. I had a terrible dream. It was
so horrible I can’t even tell you about it. Ole, we have to get
out of here— together. Look man, I don’t care if we desert, we’ll
find a way. I can’t take anymore a’ this. Please, Beergan,
say you’ll run with me,” Cass pleaded.
“It weren't no
dream, Cass. I’m dead, but you're still alive— if that’s what you
wanna’ call it. You dreamed you caught my head after it was blown
off, right?” Olef asked.
“Oh, God,
no! Ole, tell me it didn’t happen. I love you, man.
You mean the world to me. I can’t go on without you by my side,
brother. I ain't never told you this, Ole, but I’m a coward, a
yellow bellied son of a bitch. I got a yellow stripe up my back
wider’n the ones on the interstate. You always was the tough one
and my strong right arm. I wouldn’t a’ made it this far without
you. I won’t last another day without you by my side.
Besides, who else will love me and take care of me like you done.
I never knew what love was until you showed me. I’d played around
some, I loved my brothers, but nothing like I love you Beergan.”
“Hesh up that
kind of talk, Cass. Y’ain’t no Goddamn coward. You saved my
damn life three fuck’n times and pulled me to safety when you could a’
run the other way and saved yourself. I’ll admit, I ain’t never
seen no men more afraid than us at times. Just, ‘cause you’s
afraid, don’t make you no Goddamn coward. Hell, I was, too!
Most times I’d be a’ shake’n in my damn boots, but you done what you
had to do for your buddy to get him out of harms way. Don’t you
never go tellin’ me you’re a damn coward again. Hell, man, you
don’t know the times I been walkin’ point I unloaded in my pants ‘cause
I though we was walk’n into a trap. I’d have’ta get away and
rinse out my fatigues ‘for I got to smelling too bad,” Olef said.
Cass cried in
his buddies arms until he couldn’t cry any more. “What happens
now, Ole?” Cass asked his big Swede buddy.
“I’m a’ gonna’
make love to you one last time, cowboy, afore I gotta' go and leave
you. They wanted to take me across right away, but I told ‘em I
had to come and make love to my buddy one last time to let him know I
love him. I couldn’t just go down the trail, Cass, without let’n
you know how much I loved and appreciated you being my friend and
mate. We didn’t just use each other, you know. I fell
deeply in love with you, ya' little shit. I never got to try a
woman. Don’t knows I could a' given you up if’n I’d made it
through and did get to try one. Wouldn’t a’ wanted to,
really. I’s so in love with you I would a’ been proud to ride by
your side for the rest of our lives, cowboy. Ain’t never found
nobody what made me feel the way you do, Cass.” The big man held Cass
gently in his arms and began to kiss his tears away.
Cass didn’t care
if it was real or not. For some reason, God gave him this chance
to be with his love, one last time and he was neither going to question
nor fight it. It was real to him. He could feel, taste, and
smell his beloved cowboy buddy holding him in his arms one last
time. He was going to make it as good for his buddy as he knew
Ole would make it for him. Beergan always was a thoughtful,
caring lover. He never took what he needed without making damn
sure his buddy, Cass, drank deeply from him as well. He and Cass
made love so many times it became second nature to the big Swede what
buttons to push and when, to make every sexual experience the two
men shared one of uncompromising joy and release. Olef passed his
hand in front of Cass and his ragged, torn clothes were gone. He
told Cass to do the same to him. Cass watched as Beergan’s
fatigues disappeared. He stood before him in the glory of his
youthful manhood ready for his buddy to drink deeply from him once
again. Without a word they moved into each other’s arms and began
their passionate dance they accomplished so many times together.
They made love,
tasted and touched every spot they knew would send the other into
sexual ecstasy. Finally, Beergan mounted his smaller buddy and
began to fuck him with all the strength, passion, and love in his
body. He knew it was the last time he’d get to fuck his mate in
this frame of existence, and he was going to make it one they both
could dream about for years afterward no matter where they were.
Cass felt it and it was like no other time Olef fucked him.
Riding Olef’s big cock was the only thing on either side of heaven or
Earth Cass could imagine was the closest thing to a perfect
feeling. He worked with his cowboy buddy with every ounce of his
being knowing the better he made it for Beergan the better it would be
for him.
Olef let out a
buckaroo whoop and yelled to his little buddy to come with him.
He would fuck him until he felt his ass try to chew his cock off.
Rider could feel the big Swede emptying his load deep into his gut and
it was enough to trip Cass’s come trigger. He shot several full
loads onto Beergan’s and his own stomach. Beergan collapsed on
top of his mate, holding his big cowboy cock way up inside of Cass, and
began to make the sweetest love to his beloved buddy. They
continued to drink their fill until Beergan withdrew. They lay
for a while not saying a word until Cass became aware there were four
cowboys standing looking down smiling at them.
“Shee-it, Cass,
“ the smallest one said, “I’d say you stayed in the saddle longer than
any damn eight seconds. Didn’t wanna' jump down off’n that pony,
huh, Son?” the cowboy kidded him. Cass blushed.
“Leave my mate
be, White. He’s a good man, and I love him,” Beergan
sternly rebuked the young man.
“Weren’t no
doubt in our minds, bubba. Hell, we’s just jealous--- ain’t we,
guys?” White said. The rest held up their hands in
agreement. "You 'bout ready, cowboy?" White asked Olef.
“Yeah, thanks
for letting me make love to my buddy one more time. He needed it,
and to tell the truth, so did I. I’m ready to go now.
Gimme’ another kiss, Darlin,’” Olef said to Cass.
Cass kissed his
buddy and mate one last time. “Oh, God. Don’t go,
Olef. You know what this’ll do to me. I love you, Beergan,”
Cass called after him.
“Not a whit
more’n I love you, cowboy, but you have to live. You got one hell
of a man to live for back home. These old boys showed him to
me. He’s one hell of a fine looking hombre. He don’t know
it yet, ‘cause he fancies himself a straight man. He is, but once
you come into his life, he won’t never be happy until he makes you his
slave. He’s a good man and you deserve each other. He needs
you, cowboy. Go, live, and love, Cass. I’ll be with you
when you need me. All you gotta' do is just call out my name, and
I’ll come a’ running,” Olef said, smiled, and waved to Cass. The
small cowboy took Olef Beergan’s hand and led him away with his buddies
into the mist. They disappeared. Cass couldn’t feel them
anymore. He knew they were gone.
Cass woke up in
a hospital with his head and most of his body covered in
bandages. Half his face was blown away and he had burns over
fifty percent of his body. He was in agony but they kept him
sedated most of the time. He would pass into and out of
reality. Several times he met and talked with folks he loved who
already passed over. He met and talked with his beloved brothers,
Thane, Clyde, and Gip. He spent one afternoon in a beautiful
garden with folks he loved. He cried in Mr. and Mrs. Dobbs arms
and laughed with his Uncle Buck’s granddad and grandma. Then one
afternoon as he lay there his older brother JR came to him to hold
him. “I know enough to know this ain’t no dream, is it, brother?”
Cassidy asked him.
“No, Cass,
I’m dead. I was shot and died before they could get me back to
the hospital. Our brother Waddie found me and did ever’ damn
thing he could for me. I died in his arms in the chopper on the
way back. He’s really upset, little brother. I’m just
before crossing over but our brother’s Thane, Gip, and Clyde are here
to lead me across. You remember Waddie lost his brother Gip and
Clyde several years ago. There’s gonna’ be a mixup and our
family’s gonna’ get a report you’re missing in action. They’ll
find out I’m dead. My body’s already on its way back. After
you get out of the hospital, if you don’t feel like going home for a
while, don’t. You’re face is in bad shape, brother, and it may
take you a while to get used to it. I know you lost Olef and that
was tough. He was a good man, Cass. I’m sorry for you,
brother.
"I know losing
me ain’t gonna’ be easy for you neither ‘cause we loved each other more
than brothers usually do. Hell, we slept in the same bed all our
lives; even when we's in college. I can’t remember spending a
night apart from you until we got sent to basic. I missed the
hell out of my little brother, Cass. We grew up together being
cowboys and rope’n partners. We got pretty damn good together,
too, didn’t we? Don’t get much closer'n 'nat, brother. I
loved you more than you’ll ever know, little brother, and I want you to
carry that thought with you through life. I know you loved
me. Hell, seems like all our brothers are the same way.
Hold your head up, Cassidy. You been handed a hard time in life
because of your wound. When the going gets tough remember your
bother loves you and is doing his best to look out for you.
"Don’t let them
send you back in-country, Cass. Fight them, brother, make ‘em
send you home. I’ll help you all I can. Talk to God, Cass.
What Waddie and Gip told us weren’t wrong. He does hear and he
does care, but the way I understand it we gotta' go through some bad
times or else we won’t really appreciate the good times. Tap into
the goodness and voices of the universe. They got somebody
wonderful for you to love. I talked to our brothers' Waddie and
Gip’s angel a while ago and he’s look’n out for you. You’re
gonna’ have it rough for a while, but if you just hang in there,
brother, no matter how dark it gets, he’ll lead you to the light.
Talk to the Old Man. Let him know how you feel and what you’re
thinking. Ask him for anything, don’t be afraid.
"Find our
brother Waddie. He’ll help get you through this. He’s gonna’ need
your help as well. You ain’t even gotta' tell him who you are.
He’ll recognize your soul, I promise. I gotta’ go now, my beloved
brother. I had to come to you to tell you how much I love you and
to tell you I’ll see you on the other side— on down the trail,
cowboy.” Cass watched as his brothers Thane, Gip, and Clyde
waved, took his brother JR’s hand and disappeared. Cassidy saw
his departure as another love gone. It was like his life was
being taken away from him one love at a time. He forgot about Gip
being dead. How that must have hurt his brother Waddie. He
suddenly felt worse for his brother Waddie than he did himself.
He knew the love Waddie and Gip shared and the talent for roping they
reveled in together. How he and Gip selflessly shared their
knowledge with him, his dad, and all their brothers; especially his
younger brothers. His dad welcomed the boys into their family and
he felt Waddie, Gip, Clyde, Oatie, and Little Gip were as much his
brothers as any of the others.
Cass
recovered somewhat or at least well enough to be sent back to Hawaii
for recuperation. They patched him up a little, fixed his face a
bit, saved his eye, then decided they were going to send him back to
active duty. At first he just accepted it and thought, ‘What the
hell, it would be better to get shot and killed than to have to go
though life with no face.’ He grew more and more depressed but
remembered his brother’s words, stood up, and told the army ‘no’ he
wouldn’t let them send him back. He figured he’d given his three
brothers, JR, Gip, and Clyde, half his damn face and his mate for their
stupid war effort. No one would tell him what he was fighting for
or why. Until they did he decided he’d done enough. He told
the army to go fuck themselves, he wasn’t going back to that stinking
shit hole. He’d done his part. The army was going to court
marshal him but he got a civilian attorney who made quick work of the
army’s pompous lawyers.
The way the army
looked at it, he had six months left on his hitch. He wasn’t too
pretty with half his face blown away but, what the hell, he could still
carry and shoot a gun. The army was only interested in numbers, men,
for gun fodder. They probably thought, ‘We may as well finish
this one off since he’s going to have a rough go back home with a face
like that.’ They didn’t want to spend the money for the
reconstructive surgery it would take to make the man halfway decent to
look at or they would’ve already started surgeries and given him some
hope. They just didn’t bother. They left him like he was with
half a face. Cassidy Crandle Crenshaw came home a defeated
man. He didn’t contact his family because he was ashamed he
didn’t go back to fight. Even though he came home with a couple of
medals he still felt like he was a coward and a deserter. That’s
the way the army wanted him to feel and he did. His little lady
attorney tried to assure him he was neither a deserter nor a coward and
not to feel that way. She fought for him, got him all his
benefits, but still he felt like a failure. Many men came home
from Nam feeling the same way.
He kept in touch
with a little girl from Austin he’d met while attending U.T. They
fell in love before he left for Nam. He asked her to wait for him
until he returned and they would marry. She wrote to him all
through Nam and assured him she didn’t care what his face looked like,
she wasn’t that kind of woman. She loved him for who he
was. He didn’t notify anyone he was home; not even his
parents. She was the first person he went to see. When she
saw him she ran screaming out of the room and never wanted to see him
again. If she felt that way, he knew he couldn’t go home to his
family in Bandera. He knew they loved him and he loved them but
he couldn’t take their pity. Besides, they still thought he was
missing in action. Better, he thought, for them to think he was
dead.
He tried to get
jobs but an employer would take one look at him and tell him the job
was filled. No one would consider hiring him even when he told
them he was a Vietnam veteran. He was like a lot of Nam vets who
returned and couldn’t fit in. The only place he could find peace
was running from the rain. His heart was broken, and he was less
than a shell of a man. He didn't consider himself a man. He
was never allowed to grow up. He was still a young boy in a
mature body. The experience in Nam didn’t make boys into
men. It took boys away from their homes at as young an age as
they could get them and kept them that age from the senseless stupidity
and everyday horror they witnessed. Most just didn’t want to grow
up and face the realities of the horror around them. Afterward
they were stunted in their emotional development. Many who
returned never grew up, lived their tragic lives, and died as
undeveloped adolescents.
The little lady
attorney who took Cassidy's case pro-bono against the military got him
a better than decent settlement and severance pay from the army.
Cass had money in his pocket. He bought himself a big Harley,
taught himself to ride, and hit the road. Cassidy didn’t have a
friend to his name. He didn’t know anyone beyond his immediate
family and his brothers. There were a couple of men, Gip and
Waddie’s dads, he loved dearly. He thought of them as his uncles
and other dads. Waddie’s dad in particular always had an arm open
for him. Then there was Bubba, who was like an older brother to
all the Crenshaw boys. He never forgot a birthday or Christmas
and always had time to listen. He made his home in the same small
West Texas town of Chapel Creek. He didn’t know if he wanted to
see them. They would remember him as a fine, strapping, young, good
looking cowboy, and now here he was, a man with half a face. The
worst of it was the part which was left was almost
unrecognizable. He came back to find himself very much alone, a
stranger in a strange land.
* * * * * * *
The trip to Las
Vegas
Master Ben,
Harry, and his staff flew to Las Vegas early the next morning.
Mutt spent the night serving his friend and master, Master Beryl.
Beryl was impressed with the young man and found himself being drawn
into Mutt’s affections. Their relationship definitely reached a
new plateau. It was evident to their traveling companions the
next morning. The men went to settle up with Mr. Clark for their
charges for their rooms, but he told them Ben took care of it.
They owed him nothing. That impressed his companions and Mutt,
but it didn’t surprise Beryl. He was used to Ben’s generosity and
accepted it graciously. He never took it for granted and always
allowed Ben room to be himself. In his own way, he was as
gracious with Ben as he was with the big man. Rondo Cabasian and
Banger Deets were enthused about being Master Ben’s guest for several
days. They needed a small vacation away from their family of
bikers anyway. They had seconds in command who stepped in and led
the group. They were headed North for the Calgary Stampede.
They said their 'goodbyes' and told their family clan they would catch
up with them in a week or so.
The ride to
Vegas was wonderful. There wasn’t a large group of bikers to keep
up with or for which to slow down. Since he was the elder
statesman, Beryl set the pace and if you rode with Beryl you
learned to keep up. The big man knew how to ride a bike and
didn’t spare the horses. It was fine with Harley and Mutt.
They were used to riding with Beryl, but Rondo and Banger were having
some problems. They muddled along and Beryl would raise his hand
for Harley and Mutt to slow down for a couple of miles. Rondo and
Banger would catch up. They arrived early afternoon and parked in
the new underground bike parking area. Beryl lead the way to the
check in desk. The man behind the counter couldn’t do enough for
Mr. McInnis. He was well acquainted with the big man and actually
developed an honest admiration for him and his family. He
couldn’t have been more helpful. By the time they got to their
rooms it was late afternoon. The phone in Beryl and Mutt’s room
rang the minute they walked in the door. It was Harry.
“Yes, Harry, and
how was the flight down?” Beryl asked.
“Uneventful, but
that’s good. Uneventful is always good,” Harry replied.
“I can
imagine. We made good time when we could get Banger and Rondo to
take their foot off the brake and taught them what their throttles were
for. Damn, them two boys are slow,” Beryl said, threw back
his head and laughed.
“Boss Ben would
like your party to join him for dinner in the main dining room in about
an hour. Can you folks be ready in an hour or should we give you
more time?” Harry asked.
“No, that should
be fine. A shower and change of clothes won’t take us long.
Maybe for Janice, but I don’t know, it’s been so long since I had one
of them for a pet, I wouldn’t know,” Beryl said and laughed again,
“Tell, Ben we’ll see you guys in an hour,” he added and hung up the
phone. Beryl asked Mutt to tell Harley and Janice and then Rondo
and Banger.
Ben was waiting
for them in the dining room. It was a much nicer dining area than
the coffee shop and served decent food. They had a wonderful
dinner and Ben got to know Rondo and Banger a little better. Ben
set between Mutt and Beryl and would, every now and then, touch Mutt or
put his arm around him. Beryl thought it was strange because he
could see Harley’s reaction was not what he thought it might be.
While Harley was pleased for his buddy because he now had a couple of
major new friends, Beryl could tell somehow it was disconcerting or
disquieting to him. Even Rondo and Banger included Mutt in their
conversation more.
“Do you guys
feel up to some gambling this evening?” Ben asked over coffee.
They agreed they weren’t so tired they couldn't gamble for a
while. Beryl, Harley, and Mutt already told Rondo and Banger the
drill. Nevertheless, they couldn’t believe when Ben staked them a
thousand dollars each to gamble with. Beryl figured out a long
while ago the method in Ben’s gracious madness. To him six
thousand dollars was like six dollars to the average man. He
thought in mega-bucks and had it to spend. He knew the law of
averages and chance were such that among a group of people who were
friends and associates, having a good time and gambling together, there
would be one who would be a more substantial winner than the
others. He rarely walked away from a table when gambling with his
friends he didn’t win heavily. The hotel didn’t care because he
spent lavishly entertaining dignitaries and heads of state. They
came to know and appreciate his adopted biker family. They came
to respect their affection and loyalty to Ben. They were amazed
at their protectiveness of him. If there was the slightest
trouble in the casino, five to seven large men would stand in front of
Ben to protect him. He didn’t get that kind of protection from
his four bodyguards.
Mutt’s heart was
not really in gambling that evening. He was thinking more about
the two cowboy’s who were ropers. He didn’t know who they were,
but he had an itch in his gut to get his hands on a rope again.
Something inside him spoke to him telling him to feel a saddle beneath
him and a rope in his hands was exactly what he needed to screw his
head on straight. Then, too, the amount of money he saw being
tossed around was something he wasn’t used to. He felt no
negative thoughts about the comfort and happiness he saw money could
provide; however, he couldn’t help think about the times he had little
in life but his family. He lived his life having to do without
because one of his older or younger brothers needed something. He
never minded because he got something from them all the money in the
casino couldn’t buy. He could count on their love, respect, and
appreciation for him. He belonged to them and they to him.
To Cassidy's way of thinking, his family was priceless.
But, how much
lighter a load it would be for his dad and mom if he could somehow
manage to get some of his financial windfall to them? Mutt
thought how great it would make him feel to help his younger brothers
have some of the nicer things he and his older brothers didn’t
have. It was somewhat easier for his parents because the two
oldest boy, Billy Bob and Earl D. finished school and were successful
vets in the area. They made damn good money and helped their dad
and mom as much as they could. Mutt suddenly shifted mental gears
and began to see gambling as not a waste but an opportunity. It
was like a voice spoke to him and told him it would help him make his
dream come true; just listen to his voice. He set his mind to the
purpose of accomplishing his goal and suddenly began to not only win
again but he was betting heavily and winning. Before he placed
his bet he would quietly announce the number to come up to his
compatriots, and he was winning straight up three out of five
calls. He gave permission to anyone playing at their private
table to cover his bets. Master Beryl was on one side of him and
Ben on the other. Either one or both had their arm around him
most of the night. Ben was in his element and everyone at the
table was winning.
It was the habit
of the casinos if a table was winning heavily to make a change of the
man gaming the table. Master Ben objected and they relented to
let the same man spin for the rest of their time gambling. They
weren’t about to go against a man who gambled ten thousand per
chip. By the time Ben asked if everyone was ready to call it an
evening and join him for a drink, Mutt won at least six thousand
dollars for himself and once again felt Master Ben slip three more
white chips in the pocket of his western shirt. Ben gave Mutt a
big hug. Mutt almost started to object but saw Big Beryl’s raised
eyebrow and head shaking behind Master Ben. He thanked Ben
several times for his graciousness. Ben was thrilled because Mutt
made him a lot of extra spending money in two evenings time. Mutt
cashed in his chips and got cash for himself; however he asked the lady
cashier to make him out a cashier's check in his dad’s name.
Somehow he was going to find a way to make his dream come true.
He was going to send some of his money to his folks.
* * * * * * *
Ben invited Mutt
to stay the evening again with him. He already cleared it with
Beryl and told Mutt to be sure and get his companion-master’s
approval. Beryl smiled, and wagged his finger at Mutt, “See, I
done told you," Beryl said, "listen to old Master Beryl. You
won’t go wrong, Son.” Beryl broke into laughter. Mutt
hugged and kissed the big man on the cheek thanking him for being his
friend. Beryl got a bit misty eyed but quickly recovered.
Mutt spent another wonderful evening with his hero and new
master-friend, Master Ben. He was much more relaxed and succeeded
in serving his master even better than before. Ben couldn’t have
been more pleased with Mutt. Harry got to know Mutt that evening
and found him uncomplicated, intelligent, and seemed to have unlimited
stores of affection within him he seemed to constantly control so he
didn't overwhelm. He had the heart of a true cowboy and never
wanted to appear to push himself on anyone. He was quiet, modest,
and respectful. For Harry, those qualities only added to his
charm.
* * * * * * *
Mutt certainly
wasn’t upset the next morning when Harry waltzed in with coffee and
more Danish. He thought if was rather nice to have coffee brought
to him and his master. It was to be a big day. Master Ben
was taking them to Steve and Cal’s new hundred and fifty acre ranch
about twenty miles outside of Vegas. Everyone decided to take
their own transportation. They followed Master Ben and Harry in
the limousine. They arrived, parked, and walked toward the huge
barn. Cal walked out and motioned for them to come to the
barn. Out of the darkness of the barn came the biggest, ugliest,
brawny, tattooed, bald headed, flaming red beard, ornery looking biker
Mutt ever saw. Next to him was one of the most handsome cowboys
Mutt thought he’d ever seen as well. He instinctively knew,
without asking, they were a bonded pair. The aura of love that
surrounded the older and younger man seemed to flow from one to the
other and was palpable. How could it be, he wondered? They
looked like beauty and the beast but their love was a great equalizer.
Mutt was walking
next to Master Beryl and started to stop dead in his tracks when he saw
the cowboy who was walking behind the big ugly man and handsome
cowboy. It was his big brother Waddie. Beryl was on one
side and Ben on the other. They each put an arm around Mutt and
wouldn’t let him stop walking. Cowboy was out of the barn and in
Master Ben’s arms and then in his beloved Master Beryl’s
arms. Beryl held Mutt while Ben was meeting folks and Ben
held him while Beryl was greeting them. Years later Beryl would
laugh and tell the story they were afraid Mutt would bolt for his bike
when he saw his brother. They set a plan before they got there,
one or the other would hold him while they were meeting folks.
“I weren’t real
sure whether it was God or Allah what set the reunion up but Ben and me
were determined his will was gonna’ be done or we’d go to hell a’
try’n!” Beryl would say, then throw back his head and roar with
laughter.
Cowboy was
introducing everyone and finally came to Mutt. Master Ben
introduced him to Cowboy, Booger Red, and Waddie. Mutt shook
their hands and softly mumbled customary greetings. He shook his
brother’s hand but refused to look him in the eye. Waddie held
Mutt’s hand for a minute, cocked his head to one side then spoke to
him, “That happen to you in Nam, Son?” Waddie asked.
Mutt just nodded and turned away. Waddie didn’t pursue it further.
Cowboy
introduced Big Beryl to the big, good looking cowboy. “Have we
met before, Waddie? You look awful familiar to me,” Beryl said.
“Naw, sir, folks
tell me I got a typical cowboy face. I’d remember meet’n such a
big, fine look’n man as you, sir. Big men have always been a
weakness of mine,” Waddie replied.
“Glad to hear
it, Son,” Beryl said and his eyes lit up with interest. The two
men enjoyed a laugh together. “I swear you look exactly like an old
army buddy of mine I knew in France; loved him like ma' very own
brother, I did. His name was Buck Claymore,” Beryl said.
“He’s my dad,
sir. He’s the county sheriff of my home town of Chapel Creek in
West Texas,” Waddie replied with a big grin.
“You's Buck’s
Son? Son of a bitch, boy, gimme’ a hug!” Beryl exclaimed.
The big man enveloped Waddie and had a big grin on his face.
“Hell, I should a' put two and two together, but I thought your
last name was Lovejoy. I remember hearing about a roping team of
W.C. Lovejoy and Gip Justin,” Beryl said.
“That would be
my brother Gip and me, sir. It’s a long story about my last
name. I’ll tell you about it a little later. Cowboy here’s
a’ rare’n to do us some rope’n,” Waddie said and winked.
“I’d love to
hear about it and more about your dad. I got me a couple of
stories to tell you, too,” Beryl said.
Beryl quickly
learned Mutt’s little ways of avoiding pain and hurt for himself, and
he could tell meeting his brother unexpectedly threw his world out of
balance. He didn’t want his brother to know he was alive, but
yet, it hurt him deeply Waddie didn’t recognize him. Beryl got
Mutt off to himself. Ben knew Beryl’s strengths and let the two
men have their privacy. “You wanna’ tell your old buddy what
shook you to your core about meeting that handsome cowboy? Ju’
know him from Nam, Son?” Beryl asked. Beryl already knew Mutt's
association with Waddie. He just wanted to see if Mutt would
share with him.
“Naw, sir,
Master Beryl,” Mutt replied quietly with his head down.
“Wait a
minute. I know’d I seen his face som'ere's before, but I couldn’t
put it together. Lemme’ see that pitcher a’ yours again,” Beryl
demanded. Mutt reluctantly reached for his biker wallet, slowly
removed the picture, and handed it to Master Beryl.
“Uh-huh,
just as I figured. Son of a bitch if’n he ain’t the big’un on
your right with his arm around you a’ huggin’ you the tightest. I
know you well enough to know you won't lie to me. Waddie's yore'
big brother, ain’t he, Son?” Beryl asked. The big man watched as
one tear run down his buddy’s good cheek. He pulled Mutt to him
and held him. “Them other three men in the pitcher are your
brothers, too, ain’t they?” he asked.
“Yes, sir,
Master Beryl,” Mutt said through his tears. Beryl held him tight
as Mutt cried in his arms. Beryl tried to be strong but he
couldn’t. He shed a few with his younger biker buddy.
“Oh, dear God,
what a crazy, fucked up world we live in. There’s no consolation,
Son. It don’t never get no easier. The most we can hope for
is to laugh at the funny shit what passes our way, and hope to find a
bit of love for ourselves. Don’t worry yourself none, I ain’t a’
gonna’ say nothing, but how long you think it’s gonna’ take 'afore he
figures out who you are?” Beryl asked.
“Maybe he won’t,
Master Beryl,” Mutt said.
“I get the
feeling you two were much too close for him not to figure it out.
‘Sides, 'at man’s seen a lot in his young life. I doubt seriously
you’re gonna’ put one over on him. Now, tell me about the other
men in this pitcher,” Beryl said.
“The one on my
left, is my brother Gip, and the one next to Waddie, my brother Clyde,
are dead, Master Beryl. The other man’s my other brother,
Oatie. He didn’t have to go to Nam ‘cause he had heart
problems. He’s still at home. One more brother, not in this
pitcher, only a year older’n me, JR, he’s dead, too.”
“I can’t believe
yore' brother is W.C. Lovejoy?” Beryl said and shook his head in
disbelief.
“‘At’ud be him,
cep’n his last name is now Claymore, Master Beryl. Gip
Justin, my other brother, was my brother Waddie’s mate. He died
in Waddie’s arms in Nam,” Mutt said.
“Then this is
Gip Justin in this pitcher. Sorry to hear he’s dead, Son.
He was a good man, and one hell of a cowboy,” Beryl said.
“You know of
‘em, Master Beryl?” Mutt asked.
“Anybody what
follows Rodeo knows W.C. Lovejoy and Gip Justin about as well as that
other cowboy out there, Billy Gunn, Jr.” Beryl said.
“Naw, you ain’t
a’ tell’n me that cowboy’s Billy Gunn Jr.?” Mutt replied and grinned.
“In the flesh,
Son. Didn’t Ben tell you? Waddie’s probably the only roper
in the country who could keep up with him. I know'd Cowboy ever
since he came back from Nam. Helped nurse him back to
health. Hell, I wanted that kid for my own, but that big, ugly,
dad-burn, good fer nothin’ brother of mine beat me out,” Beryl declared
and laughed.
“No disrespect,
sir, but my brother ain’t the only man in the country what could keep
up with Cowboy. My brother taught me ever’ thing he knows ‘bout
roping,” Mutt said quietly.
“Well, son of a
bitch! I learn more about you ever’ day, boy, and all of it seems
to be good. My brother, Ben, knows choice stock when he sees
it. I’ll have to compliment him on his choice of slaves. I
know you two been doing each other some good,” Beryl joked with Mutt to
lighten the mood. “Didn’t you tell me you lost one other brother
over there?” Beryl asked.
“Yes, sir, my
brother JR died in Waddie’s arms, too," Mutt replied.
“How’d ju’ know
that, Son, if you ain’t talked with Waddie since you been back?” Beryl
asked.
“My brother, JR,
he come to me when I was recovering in the hospital to tell me
'goodbye' and he loved me. Told me Waddie tried ever’ thing he
could to save him but he couldn’t. Told me it was really rough on
my brother, Waddie, losing his other brothers and think’n I was dead,
too. He did tell me to find my big brother; said he would help
me. Maybe God’s thrown us together for a reason,” Mutt replied.
“I’d say the
Almighty’s send’n you a message special delivery loud and clear,
Son. Not through no post office, neither. He’s a droppin’
it square in your lap. If I’m any judge of character, after all
these years, I’d say that cowboy would bust his butt for his little
brother. He’d fill his boots with shit if’n he thought you was
dead then come to find out you’s alive. Damn, Son! Don’t
cha think you owe it to your big brother. He don’t care what cha’
look like. He’s your brother for Christ sake, your family.
If’n he knew’d who you was, that chu’ was alive, can you imagine what a
relief it would be for him? I can tell from his face he’s got the
weight of the world on his shoulders. He’s been through some shit
as rough as you have. You could lighten his burden a good bit,
Son; however, I’ll leave that up to you. I won’t say nothing,”
Beryl said.
The men started
roping and Mutt climbed up on the corral fence between Big Beryl and
Booger Red to watch. Waddie kept glancing over at Mutt.
Mutt watched as his brother would take his hat off from time to time
and scratch his head like he was thinking about something long ago and
far away. Mutt kept trying not to look at the big cowboy, but
from years of love, respect, admiration and plain hero worship, he
couldn’t help glance Waddie's way. He admired the way his brother
set a horse. He always looked like the cowboy Mutt wanted to
be. He couldn’t help think how handsome a man his brother still
was. Yes, he looked older and, like Beryl said, he looked like he
carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“So you’s a
pretty good roper yourself, huh?” Beryl said interrupting Mutt’s
thoughts. Booger Red overheard Beryl's question.
“Who taught you
to rope, Son, your dad?” Red asked.
“Naw, sir,
Master Red, my big brother,” Mutt replied.
“You roped since
you been back from Nam, Son?” Red asked.
“Naw, sir, ain't
nobody knows I know how,” Mutt replied.
“You been home
to see your brother, Mutt?” Red pushed. Mutt was silent for a few
minutes but fidgeted like he was uncomfortable with Master Red’s
question.
“Red won’t say
nothing, Son. I know'd that man fer damn near forty years.
Even if the ugly, old, no good, son of a bitch flat out done went and
stole that pretty cowboy there right out from under me, I’d trust him
with my deepest secret,” Beryl said disgusted and Red burst out
laughing, “You wanna’ tell ‘em or you want me to?” Beryl asked Mutt.
“You can if'n
you like, Master Beryl,” Mutt said softly.
“Brace yourself,
Red! That big cowboy out there a’ ropin’ with your slave is his
older brother what done taught him to rope,” Beryl said quietly.
“Good God in
heaven! And, he didn’t even recognize you, did he, boy?
Fuck me in the butt, that’s gotta’ be hard to take. I’m sorry I
pushed you with them questions, Son,” Red said sincerely and put his
big arm around the young man and pulled him close.
“S’all right,
Master Red. Just as well. I’d just as soon my family think
I’s dead, anyways," Mutt replied.
“They don’t know
you’re back?” Red asked.
“Naw, sir,
Master Red, due to some mix up in names and body count the army's still
got me listed as MIA. You know about ‘military
intelligence.’ I been back now over a year and a half and ain’t
been home. They probably think I’s dead,” Mutt replied.
“Shit, Son, I’m
sorry. You interested in roping with them two? You know who
my slave is?” Red asked.
“Yes, sir,
Master Beryl done told me a minute ago. I couldn’t believe it;
Billy Gunn, Jr. I’d love to rope with him, Master Red,” Mutt
showed some enthusiasm. Red saw it as a healthy thing.
“No problem,
boy,” Booger Red said, “Cowboy, we got us another roper here.
Tells me his older brother taught him to rope pert-damn good.
Let’s see what the man can do,” Red hollered at his slave.
Cowboy rode over
to the men sitting on the fence. Waddie was waiting in the dock
for the next steer. “You ride header or heeler, Mutt?” Cowboy
asked.
“Mostly heeler,
sir, but I can ride both,” Mutt replied.
“Tell ya’ what,
that big cowboy out there’s Waddie Claymore. He’s as good a
roper’s I am any day of the week. Why don’t you take my pony,
throw a couple with him. Then I’ll take his pony and toss a
couple with ya. How’s that sound?” Cowboy asked.
“Fine with me,
Mr. Gunn. That man’s Waddie Claymore?” Mutt asked playing
dumb. Beryl winked at Red. Red smiled knowing what the kid
was up to.
“Sure as Hell
is, Son. One of the finest ropers I ever done run across. I
know'd about him and his brother Gip for years but our paths never
crossed until yesterday,” Cowboy said.
“I hear’d tell
he’s pretty good,” Mutt said as he mounted Cowboy’s pony. Cowboy
walked over to talk with Waddie to tell him of the change in ropers and
would he mind roping with Mutt?
“Aww, Hell,
no! C’moan, Son! Glad to have ya’ rope with me. Let’s
see what chu’ got. Watch me close and stay with me. Have a
good time,” Waddie said, winked at Mutt, and tipped his hat.
Waddie watched
the young man closely as he let out his rope and then recoiled it
exactly the same way he did. Mutt moved his pony into starting
position, got his rope ready and nodded to his brother. Big Cal
dropped the barrier and Red was timing. Waddie’s horse exploded
out of the dock and Mutt was right beside him. Waddie no sooner
had the steer roped and turned than Mutt caught the hinders, dallied
his rope, and his horse backed up to finish.
“Done!” Red
shouted as he stood up on the corral fence and stopped his watch.
“Well, I’ll be damned. The kid weren’t lying none. Three
seconds better’n any of your times together, yesterday, and today,
Cowboy. Congratulations, Mutt,” Red said with a big grin.
Every person
there, sitting on the fence jumped down yelling and whooping at the end
of the throw because the two of them were not only deadly accurate but
clocked the best time of the day. Amid all the hubbub of
congratulations, Waddie got down from his horse and walked slowly over
to Mutt sitting on his pony. “Get chore' ass down off’n that
pony, Son!” Waddie shouted at Mutt. Mutt didn’t know what to
think, but he would never say 'no' to his beloved brother. His
heart ached with the love and respect he felt for Waddie. The
other men backed away and looked at Waddie like they thought he was
angry about something. Waddie held Mutt at arms length with a
hand on either shoulder and looked deep into the young man's
eyes. He pulled Mutt to him, threw both arms around Mutt’s neck,
held him close, and started sobbing his heart out. “Goddamn you,
Cass, why didn’t you tell me it was you! All this time we thought
chu’ was dead,” Waddie said through his tears.
Mutt— Cassidy
Crandle Crenshaw, Waddie’s younger brother, broke up when he realized
his brother finally recognized him. The two men were surrounded
by the other men who put their hands on them for comfort and support.
“Ask Red or
Cowboy,” Waddie spoke softly through his tears, “ain’t no man throws a
rope same’s any other. I taught you how to throw. I watched
you coil your rope same’s I do mine and thought, ‘That’s strange.’ I
knew the minute the rope left your hand who you were. Oh, God,
sweet baby brother, I’m so sorry I didn’t recognize you; but, thank God
and sweet Jesus, you’re alive! You made it back! Praise God
Almighty, our Father in heaven!”
“Is this man
your brother, Mutt?” Harley Boone asked in amazement.
“Yes, sir, Mr.
Harley, Waddie’s my brother,” Mutt replied.
“Hoe-lee shit!”
Cowboy said. Steve and Cal stood with their mouth's open in
awe. Rondo and Banger were wiping their eyes. Janice was
crying in Harley’s arms and even big Harley had a tear running down his
cheek. Harry had his arm around Red and they were
devastated. It was a powerful moment. Waddie hugged
and kissed Mutt numerous times. He wouldn’t let him go.
“Oh, Cass, our
brother, JR, died in my arms, sweetbaby. I tried, God knows I
tried ever’ trick in my book to pull him through but there were just
too many wounded and we couldn’t get them out fast enough. He
died on the way back to the hospital. I been home to visit his
grave and our dad and momma Sarah are, once again, in the pits of
sorrow. They don’t know you’re alive. The army told them
you's missing in action. They think your dead; so does ever’ one
back in Chapel Creek. Do you know what it would mean to them to
know you're still alive? I know'd ju' well enough to know why you
ain't been home, but fuck yore' face, Cass!” Waddie exclaimed.
There was a silence then someone laughed, “Ah, Hell, little brother,
you know what I mean. We’s family, Cass, you'n me. We’s
brothers to the bone, gotdamn it, but hell, I can understand you not
wanting to go
home. It was the hardest damn thing I ever had to do in my life
was to face Dad Dan and tell him I let him down. I didn’t bring
our beautiful
cowboy home to the safety of his arms. I’m still a mess,
Cass. I can’t set still in any one place for more’n a day or two
at a time, then I gotta' hit the road. ‘At’s the only place I
feel comfortable or whole again is on the road; running, constantly
running,” Waddie said like a man emptying the baggage of his
soul. They cried some more together.
“C’moan you
two. You got all day and evening to love one another," Cowboy
said, “The man said he wants to rope with me and, by God, after
watching him toss a rope I sure as Hell wanna’ rope with him.
C’moan, let’s rodeo!” The rest of the day was like a dream to Mutt and
his big brother Waddie. They couldn’t take their hands off each
other. Every chance he got Waddie had his brother in his arms
making love to him. The men could feel the love that flowed back
and forth between them and the joy in their laughter with each
other. Not one of Mutt’s biker friends ever heard Mutt laugh like
he did with his brother. He had a wonderful, lilting, deep
hearted laugh that was as infectious as Big Beryl’s.
Just listening
to them laugh together would get Beryl and Ben laughing and slapping
each other on the back. “We done good, Brother!” Beryl said quietly to
Ben. Ben nodded in agreement.
The evening went
on and Cal and Steve served a wonderful barbeque dinner with all the
fixings. Waddie and Mutt were the center of attention. They
couldn’t talk to each other fast enough. Waddie and Mutt told
some of the most outrageous stories about their families and good times
together. They had everyone falling off the picnic benches
laughing. They could see the love Waddie had for his younger
brother and how glad he was Cassidy was alive. Mutt’s face was
bad, but it didn't matter to Waddie; to him, Cass looked like a prince.
“Who give you
the name of Mutt, Cass?” Waddie asked.
“Some big biker
I had a hard-on for named Spider. I asked him to be my master and
he got pissed off; all insulted like, and kicked the shit out of
me. Mr. Harley came to my rescue and picked me up out of the
dirt. Him and Ms. Janice cleaned me up and fed me dinner.
They heard the guy call me that and just thought it was my name.
I liked the way they called me Mutt so I just kept it. Now, all
them bikers only know me as Mutt," Cass replied.
“Hell, the way
you used to tag around after me’n Gip, we used to call you our little
mutt, remember?” Mutt remembered and the two men burst out laughing
again.
“Hell, the man
ain’t no Mutt when it comes to throw’n a rope,” Cowboy allowed.
“‘At’s fer damn
sure,” Master Red agreed, “I’d say that big brother of yorn taught you
to rope better’n pretty damn good, Son. I ain’t seen much better
roping than I seen here this afternoon,” Red said. The other men
agreed with him.
“I learn
something new about you everyday, Mutt,” Harley said, “And, I’m proud
to call you my buddy.”
“Count me in on
that, too, Son,” Big Beryl said. Master Ben just held up his hand
to be included. Rondo and Banger didn’t say much but they already
talked to Beryl about asking Mutt to join their family. Beryl’s
advice was to give him a little more time. He was worried it may
be too much too soon for the young man to handle. He just made a
giant step meeting his brother.
That evening,
after hours of bullshit and story telling in the barn, the men decided
to go their way for the evening. Everyone decided to stay at the
ranch for the night. Cal and Steve had plenty of room and a
special apartment for their new Boss, Master Ben, and his secretary
Harry. Ben never felt the need to bring his armed guards when he
visited Cal and Steve. They were now on his payroll as two of his
armed guards as well. He sent Cal and Steve to school to learn to
shoot and had them licensed to carry weapons.
Waddie announced
his little brother was spending the night with him in the barn.
Mutt coudn’t have been happier. He didn’t leave Waddie’s side all
day except to throw a rope. None of the other men pressed to
sleep in the barn with them. They wanted to give the men their
privacy; however, Beryl did tell Ben he’d love to be a fly on the wall
and watch. Cowboy and Red agreed with him. In all their
years of growing up and being in college together, Cass and Waddie
never spent the night in each other’s arms. Waddie had Gip and
Cass had his brother JR. He and JR never engaged in sex as much
as Waddie and Gip but Cass always enjoyed it when his brother wanted to
share with him. JR wasn’t the type of older brother who was
controlling or tried to tell his younger brother what to do. He
was mellow and would give as well as take from Cassidy. They were
perfectly suited for each other. Cassidy was quiet and thoughtful
while JR was strong and forceful, yet he had a romantic side to him
that treated his little brother as an object of his affection. He
and Cass never argued or fought. Sometimes they’d go against
their other brothers in friendly competition, but it never escalated in
to anger or violence.
Waddie made the
sweetest love to his brother. Cass knew what he wanted from his
brother and made it a point to be clean for him. Waddie
knew what he needed to take from his little brother and did so with all
the love in his heart. Waddie fucked Cass three times that night
and each time Cass swore was better than the last. He was more
relaxed than he ever was since coming home from Nam. During the
night he was awakened by Waddie moaning and talking. He rolled
over and saw his big brother sitting up with his eyes wide open not
aware of where he was. He was talking to someone, yelling at them
to bind another body and get the Hell out of there. Waddie
started yelling and screaming. Mutt grabbed him and held him
tight. He knew what his brother was suffering and started crying
as he called his name and rocked him in his arms. Waddie finally
came to and found himself in his brother's arms. He jumped at
first then realized where he was and started crying himself. He
cried and cried trying to apologize to his brother. Cass assured
him he’d done the same damn thing. Finally they both drifted off
to a deep sleep. Waddie woke the next morning when Beryl and Ben
came to the barn to get them for breakfast. Waddie was
alone. Mutt rolled his bike out of the parking area to the road
and took off while his brother slept. He didn’t tell anyone where
he was going.
End Chapter 3 ~
Harley & Mutt
Copyright ©
2003 ~
2011 ~ Waddie Greywolf
All rights
reserved
Mail to:
<waddiebear@yahoo.com>
WC 9936
Proofed: 04/11/2011