Chapter 11 - On the Road Again … To Duncan Flats
After I packed up my things, gave my badge back to Abe, I went east to . My intent was to go back to Texas for a spell to see my folks. In , I was able to catch a train to Houston and there my Pappy would come and get me. It was going to be his fiftieth birthday soon and I was bringing him a nice Indian blanket. The day before I left Broken Hearts, Running Fox and I had gone on a fishing trip together and it was then that I told him I was moving on. He knew I would be arriving in time for Pappy’s birthday and on the way back to town we stopped at his mother’s, Silver Moon, and there he gave me an Indian blanket which had never been used. I had never seen wool woven into such a beautiful pattern as I saw in that blanket. My Pappy would be very pleased.
It took me four days to arrive in Houston from. There was no direct train and I had to make several changes, one of the trains I had to take was a freight train which was no hardship. After all, it was one of the trains that I took on the journey that brought me to Broken Hearts.
Pappy arrived right after sunrise. I had only been waiting in the station for an hour or so. His birthday was still a week away and I never even mentioned it. I wanted him to think I had forgotten. With me I also had some flowers for Mama and a box of candy for little Sis.
The cattle ranch wasn’t as big as when I used to help out five years ago. Pappy was down-sizing and planning to retire soon because of his sore leg. He banged his knee one winter during a round-up and it never completely mended. When I arrived, both Mama and Bess were happy with the little gifts I gave them. I told Father that I couldn’t find anything that I thought he would like. He was really surprised and pleased with the blanket when his birthday arrived.
I stayed for another three weeks and then said farewell. I was going to travel east to Alabama, Louisiana and maybe Florida. After that, I planned on going north again to start the next phase of my life. I figured finding a job wouldn’t be all that hard with the experience I had acquired over the years.
Mobile was getting to be a big town but I found it too noisy and I didn’t stay more than a day. I travelled further on to Louisiana and partied a bit in New Orleans. Well, I must admit, I partied a lot and spent a week there. It took me forty-eight hours just to sober up. I think I may have made the acquaintance of a lady or two but I can’t remember. Today, many years later, I’m still not sure.
I did manage to spend some time in Florida. The beautiful beaches that were on the Atlantic Ocean were in sharp contrast to the Everglades. It was there, in the Everglades, I saw my first ‘gator. There was a fair in town. I think the name of the town was Muddy Waters (or something like that). They had a cash prize of $10 for anybody who could wrestle George, a pet ‘gator that was used to raise money for the town every year. Just because he was a pet didn’t mean he was tame. Not at all. He was 12 feet in length and was mean looking. In order to win the $10, I had to tie his feet together.
Well, I was always one to look for new experiences and I figured, having worked on a cattle ranch, this was going to be a cinch. Well, it wasn’t. He was almost as hard to control as Tom was, back at Sam’s in Turtle River. Maybe he was harder. They both were a challenge. I did manage to rope the critter but not before I had a small gash on my right arm and two large bites, a matching pair, one on my left leg, the other on my right. The town gave me my $10 without a fight which was good because I had had enough fighting to do me for the day. The town also gave me some free medical attention which I badly needed after all the blood I had lost. That was the day I decided no more ‘gators for me… dead or alive!