by Dr. Larry Moses
Submitted May 7, 2008
No one asked me but… A real cowboy takes pride in his work, finishes what he starts and lives each day with courage. A real cowboy does what has to be done. A real cowboy is tough but fair and when he makes a promise he keeps it. A real cowboy knows that not every thing is for sale. A real cowboy respects God, women, children, his country and nature but not necessarily in that order. He will stand and fight for those who can not defend themselves. A real cowboy knows to have a friend, you have to be a friend. A real cowboy knows that not all men are created equal but they should be treated as though they are. A real cowboy knows that every man must do the best with the talents he has. A real cowboy knows that while God may have created the firewood, every man must gather and light it for himself. A real cowboy is morally, physically, and mentally willing to fight when necessary for that which is right. A real cowboy knows, while many things change, truth is not one of them.
After living out west with cowboys for nearly fifty years, I would hope some of these principles have rubbed off on me. But a real cowboy knows that judgment belongs to others. But one thing I do know is I have not taken on a whole lot of the tapestry of the cowboy. While I, like most men of my age, rode an imaginary range with Roy, Gene and Hoppy when we were kids, when I got a chance to be a real live cowboy I declined. I actually know some real cowboys; not many, but a few; and I have recently made some concessions to the cowboy life style. I just bought a pickup and that has to count for something on the cowboy scale.
One of the real cowboys I know helped me pick out a cowboy hat and that is a major step for me. I don’t like hats. As much baseball as I have played, coached and watch; I don’t even like to wear a ball cap. But I have decided to learn how to wear a cowboy hat.
The motivation for this decision is a trip I am planning back East in September. It seems only right that a man from Nevada ought to wear a cowboy hat. For those of you who have worn one all your life, it is not as easy as you would think. I have found that you have to go through doors differently because of the brim. You have to tilt your head a different angle to kiss your wife good-by, and I am always hitting it on the top of the door when I get into my cowboy pickup.
Where do you put the darn thing when you sit down to eat? I understand if it is at a counter you can wear it; at the table, you have to take off. But what do you do with it?
I now know why cowboys tend to be slim; it’s from chasing their cowboy hats. I asked my cowboy buddy why his hat didn’t fly off in the wind and he said because he told it not to. I wonder how long you have to be a cowboy before your hat listens to you.
I do have a pair of boots ordered, not the pointy toed ones with the riding heels, but the round toed ones with a walking heel. I would really like one of those belt buckles a cowboy wears. You know the one that is big enough to serve the thanksgiving turkey on, but I think you have to earn those. It would be like putting on a medal of valor that you did not deserve. Beside, unless I lose another twenty pounds I would never see it anyway.
One of the real cowboys I know was a student I had at Yerington, Nevada. Shawn was cowboying on his parent’s ranch while he was in high school. His goal in life was not to own a ranch but to be a foreman. To the best of my knowledge, he is doing that now on a ranch outside Yerington.
I remember one day he came in late and I told him it was an unexcused tardy and he would have to stay after school. He asked me to call his mom as he had chores to do after school. He did not make excuses or try to get out of his detention. He merely needed to let his mother know he would be late. I made the call and his mom explained that he had been late because he was helping round up $20,000 worth of cattle that had strayed on to the highway. But, she said that if he had to stay after school, he would abide by the rules. I told her I believe that it could be counted as an excused tardy.
In high school, Shawn was a leader in the student government. He played football and wrestled for the school. He was short maybe five foot six or seven and wrestled at a135 pounds.
My wife was setting in the crowd with his mother during a football game when Shawn was playing defensive guard. My wife asked her if she worried about Shawn mixing it up with all those big boys and his mother replied; “I quit worrying about Shawn the first time I saw him come out of a chute on the back of a 1500 pound bull.” Shawn went to college on a Rodeo scholarship.
Another interesting thing I learned was that cowboys don’t wear Levis. Cowboys wear Wranglers. City boys wear Levis. I wear Wranglers and that should give me some more points on the cowboy scale. I don’t believe those city folk back East even know what Wranglers are.
Being a real cowboy is more than the hat, boots, horse, cattle and pickup. It is a way of life and moral code.
Two of the cowboy sayings explain it best: “Cowboy Up” and “Ride for the brand.” “Cowboy up” merely means quite whining and get the job done. The bottom line is it really doesn’t matter what the hardships are, you do the job. “Riding for the brand” is a statement of loyalty. If you can’t be loyal to the people and project, don’t be involved.
There are those who try to deride President Bush by calling him a “cowboy”. The problem is Bush is not enough of a cowboy. We have had some cowboy presidents. Teddy Roosevelt was one who actually did a stint as a front line cowboy on a South Dakota ranch. Everyone is familiar with Teddy’s statement, “Walk softly and carry a big stick.” But I think his cowboy past could be seen in his statement: “Do not hit if it can be avoided, but never hit softly.” Harry Truman was one who never wore “the hat” but was a real cowboy by code. Harry understood “The Buck Stops Here” and lived it. We need a real cowboy leading this country and I don’t see one on the horizon.
Thought for the week… Speak your mind but ride a fast horse.
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