Garlic Bulbs

I pinned the list to the barn for Johnny Denver so as when he arrived he could get started on the jobs I had written down for him to do today. It started with what would be the 'norm', loosing the horses out their stables if they were in, cleaning the stables and replenishing the hay racks. I had a saddle and bridle I wanted cleaned ready for my lesson on Lady. I even included a bit of gardening for him as I was planning on going into town and buying garlic to plant.

 Johnny turned up in his battered truck, must have a word with him about it as it was giving the wrong impression.

This was not gonna be a two bit riding school ! I'll have a word with him....soon.

"Hi Johnny, I'm just off into town, be back in half an hour. Your job list is over there." I indicated to the note pinned to the barn door.

"Right you are mister McCormack, I'll get started on it straight away." Life ran round in circles around Johnny, wondering if he had something in his pocket for her to eat and was quite happy to stay with him....traitor.

So I got into my convertible, flicked the switch, and the roof drew back. I switched on the radio, started up the engine and drove off....

I parked the car and went into the General Store. The bell chimed as I did so, alerting my presence.

McClouds General Store

"Good morning Kyle, what can I do for you today ?" We were on first name terms now and I was beginning to feel a little more....as if I belonged, do you know what I mean ?

"Thought I'd buy some garlic to plant in a small area. The book I was reading mentions giving garlic to horses.It appears to be a good antibiotic, acts as an antioxidant....And....is a natural fly repellent." I emphasized the 'And' bit. Hey I was doing pretty well with what I recalled from the book, so I thought !

"So you gonna grow some, chop it up and add it to their feed then ?"

"Un, yeah. Of course I-I " , I stuttered, "I can use it in my cooking too"

Jim leaned towards me. "You could buy some liquid garlic 'specially for horses, save you the trouble."

Then Jim went on saying how this liquid helps the respiratory system, and has been shown to deter tapeworms, pinworms and roundworms although you should still worm them. "Plus it contains anti-inflammatory properties and is sold in an convenient easy to use twin-neck one litre bottle in concentrated form." He stood back waiting for my reaction.

"I'm not sure...." I started to say, raising an eyebrow.

"Will last you two months for the average horse and..." Oh, here comes the punch line hang on a bit folks....

"....and it only costs $22.50 per litre bottle." Gee, did he look smarmy ! He looked me hard in the face waiting for my reply.

So after a....deliberate, long pause, I said "I'll have ten packs of your garlic bulbs if it's all the same,thanks."

Jim frowned and gave out a long audible sigh. I think he was gonna get commission if he sold enough of the stuff. Grumbling to himself, he fetched me ten packs of garlic with three good sized garlic bulbs in each pack. Of course I would have to pull them apart into seperate cloves to plant, or rather Johnny would, so as each clove could grow into a full garlic bulb, thus increasing the yield. "Oh, I'll need these too." I gave him my list and his eyes lit up at the sametime as his eyebrows went real high on his forehead ! ....

Goldie Horne was giving me a lesson at eleven a.m. So after giving Johnny the garlic to plant I went and changed into the clothes I had bought from the General Stores. A pair of riding breeches, shirt and a blue light weight over shirt that looked like a riding jacket. McCloud assured me that that's what all the fashion conscience folk in the U.K. were wearing.

The door bell rang and I went and greeted Goldie asking her if she could teach me english riding on Lady.

"Well I don't usually....", she said eyeing me up and down and stifling a giggle.

"Here have my book and see if I am doing it right."

"It's a bit unusual but....okay, lets keep things simple mister McCormack."

I mounted Lady and did some flat work in the manege. I tried the cavalletti training jump too. We were getting somewhere....but where ?

"I'll give you the name of someone I know who can do this sort of thing."....Lesson over.

Sunday Evening

Sunday evening....Seven fifteen p.m.

 I checked on the horses and left Life on guard duty. I got into my car and drove to the rendezvous. As I was a few minutes late Johnny Denver had already finished a mug of coffee. We exchanged pleasantries and I ordered a large mug of coffee each, then slid into a booth. 

 I gave Johnny a menu that was standing on the table and told him to pick what he wanted.

 The waitress came round in typical fashion, a note pad in her one hand biro in the other and chewing gum.

 "Can I take your order guys ?"

 Johnny ordered first. "Yeah, I'll have the large steak with fries, tomatoes and beans and two slices of wholemeal bread darlin'."

She then looked at me. "And I'll have the same thanks." She wrote it down and winked....at me, or had she a nervous twitch. I prefer the former. As she walked away, I couldn't help but look at her skirt. It was snug around her bottom.It was a very nice bottom.

 While waiting for our food, Johnny got the map out of his pocket.

 He unfolded it, opened it up and showed me what Pleasantville and the surrounding area looked like. Johnny pointed out a few good places to ride and added, "You can cross the river here, and here."

 "Best thing would be a dry run don't you think ?" I inquired.

 "Yup mister McCormack."

 We were interrupted as our meal was brought over. We tucked in.

 Johnny made a few more observations, pointing and tracing with his fingers on the map.

 "Can I get you guys anything else?"

  I was so engrossed that I had failed to notice that the waitress standing next to me, tapping her biro on the note pad in her hand, hoping we would order more.

 I looked at the menu again and ordered two slices of key lime pie for us. After consuming our meal, I paid the check and left the waitress a $5 tip.

 Waiting for Johnny to return from the rest room I engaged him in more talk as we walked out of the diner.

Red Diamond-Backed  Rattle snake

 "Think I could borrow that map so as I can make a photo copy Johnny ?"

 "Sure thing mister McCormack." He handed me the map and we said our goodbyes.

 "See you tomorrow then.".... I watched till he disappeared into the distance.

 I then became aware of the noise coming from out of The Maverick Pub, just over the road from the Diner. I sort of turned for a fraction of a second, and then thought better of it. There, I had  resisted the urge to enter. The liquor store would be closed as it was prohibited to sell spirits on a Sunday in Pleasantville. Looked at my watch, it was a little after nine p.m.  I decided to pop next door to the General Store to buy a pack of low-alcohol beer to drink when I got home. Retracing my steps back to the Diner I went back to the parking lot, where they sell gasoline too and got in and drove back home.

Life ran up to me wagging her very enthusiastic tail. "Pleased to see me girl ?" I patted Life, then stood up and looked around.The view looked beautiful at night, calm and peaceful came to mind. I could just hear the noise of the river which ran one hundred metres or so away from the back of my place along with a nice sandy beach just a few more metres down stream. Red River was it's name. That's what it said on the map that Johnny had shown me. The river was named after the copper that was mined out of the hills and mountains many, many years ago but now defunct.

 I'll probably know more about this valley where Pleasantville was nestled and had sprung up if I went to the County Historical Museum in town. I noticed it the first day I drove here at the opposite end of town. I had purposely made a left hand turn off the highway to check out the town instead of going straight on to the property I had been left. The hills and mountains encircled about a third of the town. I yawned. I didn't realize how tired I was, so putting the beers in the refrigerator, to drink another day I went to the bedroom. Life settled down on my bed, watched me as I undressed. I climbed under the duvet and pulled it over my head....as Life was trying to lick my face....See you in the morning Life!

Sunday morning....sometime,


 Woke up with a hangover or a very bad cold ! I didn't want to get out of bed, but duty calls. For the first  time in ages I had to be responsible as animals no matter how big or small relied on me....besides Life had pulled the duvet off the bed and was dragging it all around the bedroom. I groaned. It was coming back to me now, like a thick mist, lifting, gradually. Chuck, Bill, Joe and I had met up in town at 'The Maverick' for a drink ....or two. Jim McCloud and his wife Maggie had come in later and we had all been discussing the pro's and con's of....well it must of been important at the time.
 Sabrina had come in at some time too and had shrieked with laughter at some of my antics. I remember saying to her, "You'd be amazed by the list of my talents". I don't know how I got home. I must of passed out and someone took pity on me. Serves you right I hear you say. A long cold shower was what I needed now. Brrr ! That was, um refreshing. Life came into the house barking and turning round. I think she wanted me to follow her. I laughed at her, she reminded me of the other canine, Lassie !
 "Okay Life, show me then" I signaled with my hands.
 Outside the back door, I sensed we were not alone ! My eyes were drawn to the barn on my left where the horses were stabled. Who's that over there ? Life growled low and followed close behind me as I went to confront this stranger.

 "Oh hi mister McCormack I really appreciate you giving me this job yer know."
 "Sorry, I uh....can you remind me when I gave you the job ?" I frowned trying to recall events and focus my mind on the night before.
 "Don't say you cant remember, but you were a bit worse for....um....drink."
 I scratched my head. "You'll have to refresh my memory."
 "Okay mister McCormack"....And he reeled off different events.
 Seemed that he, Johnny Denver, had been asking around after work. When I offered him a job of a hired hand he gratefully accepted, and he clearly understood that he was to start to work the very next day, although it being a Sunday. He was a bit long in the tooth another five years or so till retirement age. As I knew that I would be needing help we sat down on the bench and worked out how many hours I would be needing him for. At the moment I offered him three days between eight a.m. and three p.m. with an half an hour for lunch break. He gave me the impression of being able to do all that I had asked of him. I watched him brushing Flint.


 "I've lived round these parts all my life mister McCormack." he said between eating his sandwiches he had brought with him, casually tossing a few crusts to Life. She....wolfed 'em up....of course.
 "Really ! Perhaps you can help me with a small trail ride I plan to include only I would be glad of your input." I described the valley just down the road to the east.
 "That will be Dead Wood Valley," nodded Johnny, "You have to watch out for red diamond-backed rattlesnakes at certain times of the year."
  "That's the sort of information I need. How far could I get there and back in say, um, one hour on horse back, or one hour and a half ?" 
 "Well I have a map I could bring and show you later on after work sir."
 "That would be great, but what would you say if we were to meet up in town and i'll buy you a meal and a coffee, nothing fancy, and we can talk it over ? My treat as I would welcome your local knowledge."
 "Fine mister McCormack. Let's meet at seven thirty p.m. at the Stroppy Mare Diner, that would be fine for me unless..."
 "No, no, that's fine by me too."
 Johnny Denver carried on with his list of jobs. I had wrote them down at his insistence, so as he knew what was expected of him that day. And that was how we would carry on. I wrote down a list and he would tick them off with a pencil. ' Better that way '....he would say, 'I know where I'm at then '. Made sense.
 Johnny finished work at three p.m. and left in his battered truck.

 I would be seeing him later....