In Pidcoke most of our neighbors own acreage and livestock just as we do. There are many fence posts and long stretches of barbed wire fence that separate us. When Cowboy and I first moved there he encouraged me to meet our neighbors. No time like the present, he would say . He also said to leave the cattle talk to him. What was that all about? It’s not like I don’t know the difference between the breeds, haha.
Unphased by his lack of confidence in me and my cattle talk, I go to find the jeep (Cowboy’s midlife crisis purchase, but that’s another story). Before I left, I asked him who I should visit first. Cowboy said, “definitely Ms. Smith, it’ll be quick, she doesn’t have much talk in her”, I said that’s good, I’ll meet her and a few of the others and then I’ll be home to get dinner started. I asked him how old she was, he said “late 70’s, she’s a widow and she owns thousands of acres. I immediately pictured her as the character Angelica Huston played in Lonesome Dove- Clara Forsythe Allen.
So off I go to meet my first of many neighbors, MANY meaning 6, because Pidcoke is small… very small, but I think I covered that already:)
Cowboy also addressed my concern of being shot at. He assured me there would be no guns involved, so I no longer worried about that. I get to Ms. Smith’s house and see a woman on a riding lawn mower wearing a moomoo dress, a cowboy hat and let’s not forget those rubber boots on her feet. My idea of meeting Clara quickly faded and I immediately started to laugh! I’m not sure if you all know what a moomoo is. It’s also called a lounging dress and typically is meant to be worn inside your house… while you’re lounging. My mom totally rocks her moomoos, I’m pretty sure she has one for everyday of the week. But, we have all (we…meaning my siblings and her grandkids) have come to the agreement that she is NOT allowed to wear her colorful frocks in public.
Ms. Smith sees me and starts to wave. She whips that riding lawn mower around practically on two wheels and heads in my direction. We introduce ourselves to one another and she begins to tell me about her family, Pidcoke and our neighbors. Ms. Smith is definitely a wealth of information. I don’t know who knows more about the neighbors, her or the neighbors themselves! During our conversation; where mostly she did the talking, we moved from the driveway to her front porch and then inside her house. I began to think that maybe Cowboy had mistaken her for one of our other neighbors, because this moomoo wearing landowner can talk!
I finally said I needed to be going since it was getting late. Ms. Smith said to come back anytime! On my way out of her driveway, I looked at my watch and sweet Jesus; I had been at her house for 2 hours… TWO HOURS!! My hopes of meeting everyone quickly went out the window. I headed toward home. Cowboy was on the porch when I arrived. Grinning, he asked how are the neighbors? And right then I knew… but I said “Great”! And did what any loving wife would do; I kissed him on the cheek and told him to sit tight and I’ll bring him dinner. He said “I’m glad we’re having steaks tonight because I am hungry”!
I made dinner alright… the biggest peanut butter and jelly sandwich you ever saw! Grinning I handed it to him and said “Ms. Smith says hello”.
– til next Sunday ya’ll!
