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(SOUND<\/strong>: Fades out. LIGHTS<\/strong> back to normal. BEN<\/strong> walks to the tracks.)<\/p>\nTexarkana sits smack on the border between Texas and Arkansas. You can go to the post office and for what they call a nominal fee, you can have your picture taken while straddlin\u2019 this line \u2013 one foot in each state. I got to town on a bright, sunny morning. This would be May 19 and 12. I jumped off the side-door Pullman. I saw a slip\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0of an old newspaper, so I picked it up and saw this picture of a big boat out on the ocean. The headline: \u201cUnsinkable!\u201d I went to howdy the depot agent, who looked at me like I was an ole stray dawg… \u2018Nah, you keep movin\u2019, tramp, we don\u2019 need your kind around here!\u201d\u2026\u201dOh yessir, and I hope you git them teeth fixed real soon!\u201d\u2026Bah\u2026<\/p>\n
I needed me a bite to eat. Quickest way is to find a saloon, \u2018cause they just throw it all out at night. I had to climb over a drunk or two to get there, but\u2026some bread, little bit o\u2019 ham. And an orange\u2026a nice surprise. One of them drunks pulled out a knife.<\/p>\n
Wanted to cut the orange in two, you understand\u2026We settled that argument. (Pulls a knife; shows the blade and puts it back) Headed north to the Red River, just outside town a ways.<\/p>\n
Clouds were gatherin\u2019 out west\u2026somethin\u2019 was a-comin\u2019. When a man lives on the road, he welcomes the rain. It\u2019s a good way to git clean.<\/p>\n
(Slow cross to center)<\/p>\n
Problem is you can\u2019t just take off your clothes in the middle of the street. Musta waited there an hour or so, sittin\u2019 and thinkin\u2019, when I felt the cool rain fallin\u2019 down. Then it was nice, hearin\u2019 the rain patter down the trees, while the wind blew and the river kept a-windin\u2019. I took my clothes off. Walked the yards into that river. My God, it was warm and wonderful.<\/p>\n
First time I saw her, she came walkin\u2019 out the mist by those woods. We locked eyes. Pile o\u2019 clothes on the rocks behind her; she had just washed them out. And an old Colt peacemaker sitting beside them. I found myself slowly walkin\u2019 toward this woman. She spoke first.<\/p>\n
JOY<\/h4>\n
You\u2019ve seen it all before, I trust\u2026(Laughs) There\u2019s plenty o\u2019 water here for everybody. Need soap? (Throws the soap) I have more where that came from!…So \u2013 hello. You got a name? Mine\u2019s Joy.<\/p>\n
Ben. Ben Porter\u2026Well hello, Ben\u2026Ben Porter\u2026<\/p>\n
You got family? I have a baby sister, Ruby. We\u2019re stayin\u2019 at the Huckins Hotel here with my father. He runs the Miller Ranch in Oklahoma. You\u2019ve heard of it, right?…Ben! You never heard of the Miller Ranch? The Wild West Show and Rodeo? It\u2019s near a little town called Bliss. Named after my family\u2026Well, one of us has to get out of this river. Ben, it ought to be you. I\u2019m shriveled up like a raisin. We\u2019re on the train back tomorrow morning.Papa says \u2018leave early and go slow. You don\u2019t wanna miss \u00a0nothing.\u2019<\/p>\n
BEN<\/h4>\n
It was right then that I remembered I was naked and showing this woman my\u2026carrot. And it wasn\u2019t hangin\u2019 off the vine very well, you know what I mean? I held my head high and walked into the river. Slowly\u2026<\/p>\n
(To JOY<\/strong>) Don\u2019t imagine what I look like, young lady\u2026And don\u2019t be too shocked at what you see walkin\u2019 away. I\u2019ll see you down the road! (Slaps his butt as he walks away) Goodbye, Joy Bliss!<\/p>\n Joy Bliss\u2026Of COURSE she lived in Bliss\u2026Bliss, Oklahoma.<\/p>\n I wasn\u2019t kiddin\u2019 nobody. She took my breath away. Came the rest of that day into the night. Couldn\u2019t sleep; I was worn out seein\u2019 her in my dreams. I\u2019d not had many women by that time. And those I knew never had many hopes and dreams to show the way; they\u2019re tryin\u2019 \u00a0to survive, just like me. All I ever bet on was what I learnt in life.<\/p>\n Brother, I was fully taken now\u2026.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Meat!” _builder_version=”4.14.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” open=”off”]<\/p>\n It\u2019s a real art, groomin\u2019 a horse. Four, five different brushes for the job. Curry brush, body brush, dandy brush. You start at the neck and work your way to the rear. Then you switch sides and start over. So much fun, and I was gettin\u2019 paid to do it. The stables and corrals were right next to each other, so I watched the boys while they worked the stock. Some o\u2019 these riders were pure horsemen.<\/p>\n One day, a new bull come in, and the boys wanted to ride him on the short-go. That means a man has to stay on this bull for up to eight seconds, while the damned thing is buckin\u2019, twistin\u2019 and turnin\u2019 ever\u2019 which way, and all there is to hold him on is a rope harnessed to his wrist.\u00a0 This was a Brahman bull, crossed with a Hereford cow. Big, thick, lots of muscle.<\/p>\n His name was Meat. And ole Meat kept throwin\u2019 the boys off. Four in a row at first. Finally\u2026<\/p>\n (SOUND<\/strong>: small group of cowboys cheering and yelling, as if underscoring the following monologue)<\/p>\n One kid finally gets on and rides him hard through the short-go, but \u00a0he couldn\u2019t get his hand out from the rope and loses his balance.<\/p>\n Meat is circlin\u2019 like a great big whirligig, and this boy is hangin\u2019 off the side. Terrible to see. Meat starts runnin\u2019 and snortin\u2019 toward my end of the corral. I throw my body brush down and hop on the fence. When Meat comes by \u2013 don\u2019t ask me why I did this \u2013 I jump off the fence and onto ole Meat\u2019s head. A Brahman bull has a big ole hump, where I mash my face and almost knock myself silly. By the hump was the rope holdin\u2019 the boy down. Somehow I hooked my legs around Meat\u2019s horns and was able to stay on long enough to loosen that harness and get the boy free. He falls off; now I\u2019m ridin\u2019 backwards, face down on a ton of Meat. I hold his horns with my legs, his hump with my arms, yellin\u2019 \u201cHH-EEE-LLL-PPP!!!\u201d And the boys are laughin\u2019, see\u2026they think this is funny.<\/p>\n Finally the bull gets tired and just stops. I get my breath and slide down the side, all dizzy, skinned up and bruised. Meat turns his head, looks me over and goes \u201cPhhttthhh!\u201d\u2026Bull hocky all over me.<\/p>\n (SOUND: <\/strong>applause and laughter from the boys)<\/p>\n Meat just trots over to the gate for his stall. I turn around to \u2018em, I bow\u2026and promptly pass out\u2026When I came to, the boys were still laughin\u2019\u2026The kid was fine, just pulled his shoulder out.\u00a0 Me, I looked like I\u2019d been in a fight.<\/p>\n And that begun a grand time for me as a rodeo clown\u2026can you see it? (Laughs out loud) I did that for a long while. At least until my legs give out\u2026It was the greatest time in my life.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Tillie Death” _builder_version=”4.14.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” open=”off” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Thomas helped me carry Tillie to bed and then he went to find Doc Jarvis. I was scared to death; Tillie was bleedin\u2019 bad. I pumped water onto a white sheet I found and tore it into pieces. I went back to Tillie, who had stopped crying\u2026in fact, her eyes were closed.\u00a0\u00a0 I shouted \u201cTillie\u2026TILLIE!\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 She opened her eyes and began shaking…<\/p>\n \u201cBen, I\u2019m cold\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n I covered here the best I could, still holding the wet sheet down on her wound. The sword had cut into her neck; I couldn\u2019t stop the blood. I ran back out with a bunch o\u2019 torn sheets and pumped the water on them. Came back in \u00a0and pushed the sheets onto Tillie\u2019s neck again. Her face was right in the light of the moon, shinin\u2019 in my eyes. I whispered in her ear:<\/p>\n \u201cDoc is comin\u2019, you just hang on!\u201d<\/p>\n Her blood seemed to slow a bit,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0I really didn\u2019t know, I was just trying to find some hope to share with her\u2026I said through my own tears:<\/p>\n \u201cTillie\u2026I love you, don\u2019t go yet. Not yet\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n She reached up with her good arm and touched mine. And those nighthawks, all circlin\u2019 and chantin\u2019 their song. It was as if their wings had swept the fog away, so the \u00a0world could see the reason why.<\/p>\n She said in a hoarse voice \u201cWe were just pickin\u2019 apples, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n I know, I know, you just keep quiet\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cBen\u2026\u201d She kept reaching for her neck\u2026Her good luck charm was not there\u2026<\/p>\n I\u2019ll get it, Tillie, I promise\u2026just be quiet\u2026<\/p>\n Then a long silence, just her breathin\u2019. And we were breathin\u2019 together\u2026It\u2019s all I could do. I took the soaked-in-blood sheet away and looked at Bull\u2019s work for the first time. It was\u2026well, I froze. I saw that whenever she breathed, blood was shootin\u2019 out of her neck. I put the new sheet on and bent back down to her ear\u2026<\/p>\n (To TILLIE<\/strong>) Doc\u2019s comin\u2019, Tillie. He\u2019s comin\u2019\u2026<\/p>\n Tillie, from where I don\u2019t know, then got a little energy and said \u201cBen\u2026Ben, look at me.\u201d\u00a0 I lifted my head. I saw my sister\u2026tracks of tears moving down her face once more. But her eyes were that sparklin\u2019 blue that we \u00a0both had\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cBen\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ole Jake came in and laid at the foot o\u2019 the bed; he knew. And the \u00a0shadow he cast on the floor was like a drawing\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cBen\u2026take me with you, Ben\u2026Take me with you… \u201c<\/p>\n Tillie, I ain\u2019t goin\u2019 nowhere, I\u2019m right here\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cBen\u2026the tree\u2026take me back to the tree\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n I will, Tillie, I will\u2026 \u201cBen, take me back\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n And then:<\/p>\n (Breathes out slowly, as if a last breath)<\/p>\n I cried and cried, until Thomas got back with Doc Jarvis. He \u00a0said softly \u201cBen\u2026Ben, lemme in here, son\u2026\u201d I finally stepped back. Doc had brought a man I didn\u2019t know with him. After some time to look at Tillie\u2019s wound, I heard him say \u201cIt cut her where she just couldn\u2019t take it\u2026Get the stretcher for me, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n Thomas buried his face in my chest, cryin\u2019 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I\u2019m sorry…\u201d They took her out and\u00a0 \u00a0onto the wagon\u2026 I said \u201cThomas, would you go out to the Holler with me? I\u2019m lookin\u2019 for somethin\u2019\u2026 somethin\u2019 for Tillie\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][\/et_pb_accordion][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/echoholler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/205488924_10159092394857221_2982147397187558820_n.jpg” title_text=”205488924_10159092394857221_2982147397187558820_n” _builder_version=”4.13.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Click the title of the sample below.(SOUND: Fades out. LIGHTS back to normal. BEN walks to the tracks.) Texarkana sits smack on the border between Texas and Arkansas. You can go to the post office and for what they call a nominal fee, you can have your picture taken while straddlin\u2019 this line \u2013 one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-186","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/echoholler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/echoholler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/echoholler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echoholler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echoholler.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=186"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/echoholler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":240,"href":"https:\/\/echoholler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/186\/revisions\/240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/echoholler.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/echoholler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/bullriding-wallpaper-9-300x233.png\")
(SOUND<\/strong>: Horses in a corral\/blacksmith)<\/p>\nBEN<\/h4>\n
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(MUSIC:<\/strong> underscore. BEN<\/strong> stands center.)<\/p>\n