Читать книгу Dangerous Hilarity: The Great Adventures of the Jackson Twins, Their Family and the Dogs in Their Lives, A Novel for Teens and Young Adults and All Those Who are Young at Heart - Sioux Dallas - Страница 14

Chapter Seven

Anna drove on south to San Antonio secretly pleased that they were going to see the Alamo. It was late afternoon when they arrived, so, Irene decided that they would eat, take Galena for a walk and rest.

“Let’s call your dad and tell him where we are. He expects to hear from us every day and I’m sure he’s concerned about us doing all this traveling.”

“This cell phone bill is going to be horrendous,” Anna observed. “We do need to talk to dad and let him know how far along we are.”

After the call they went out to dinner and to look around the area. This was their first time in Texas and they wanted to see as much as possible in the time frame. Irene decided they had enough time to go through the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum. The admission was eight dollars each. The 1881 museum was a step back into the old west. The twins reluctantly went to bed but were eager to get up early and see the Alamo.

“Well, where is it?” Tim asked excitedly.

“You’re looking at it, “Irene answered. “I told you it wasn’t what you see in the movies. They had to build a wall around it to protect it from souvenir seekers. The building is smaller than we expected.” She read from a pamphlet. “Established in 1718 by Father Antonio Olivares, this was originally a Spanish outpost called Mission San Antonio de Parras. When the Mexicans took charge, it became known as Pueblo Alamo. In 1835 Mexican General Santa Anna came to the Alamo with the intention of destroying it. Texas General Sam Houston ordered Colonel James Bowie to destroy it and get his men out of the area to safety. Instead Bowie, determined to fight for Texas independence, stood his ground. In February, 1836 Col. William Travis and David Crockett joined Bowie with only a little less than six hundred men to fight Gen. Santa Anna’s four thousand plus. The patriots fought valiantly but the battle was soon over. One hundred eighty-nine Texans lay dead. The Alamo remains a symbol of Texas’ pride and independent spirit.”

After the tour, they all agreed that it was worth it to see the Alamo and learn more about the history of Texas. They now had a better understanding of what the early people went through to gain independence. It was past time for lunch, so they went to a restaurant. The twins learned there was to be a rodeo in Lubbock. They begged to attend because they’d never been to a rodeo. Irene agreed and they went back to the motel to get Galena and drive on up to Lubbock. They were lucky to find a motel room with the crowds coming to attend the rodeo.

The rodeo opened with riders carrying flags, trick riders, singers, chuck wagon demonstrations and draft horses pulling weights to show their great strength. The twins were almost in tears thinking the animals might be treated so badly. A man seated beside them explained what was going on and the Jackson family began to enjoy what they were seeing. They admired the spirit and determination of the animals to fight for the freedom from restraint. The bucking horses and the bucking bulls were awesome. Near midnight, they were tired and ready to crawl into bed. First they called Herb to tell him of their day.

Anna was driving through northern Texas on the way into New Mexico when Irene decided they could stop in Amarillo.

“Holy cow, Mom! Look! Are those real cowboys? There’s horses, too,” Tim yelped. “Did you see that cowboy get on his horse with one jump from the ground?”

Anna smiled. “Guys, you’ve been watching too much television. Sure those are real cowboys, but nothing like you see in movies. Most of these men have college degrees and live in beautiful, modern homes. They probably carry walkie talkies for places where a cell phone won’t get a signal. They’re as modern as you are.”

“Aw, don’t spoil it for us, Anna,” Tom answered

They stared at horses tied on a side street while traffic and modern buildings were all around. Anna pulled to the curb and stopped. The twins quickly opened both back doors to get out, but Galena beat them. She ran around the corner toward the horses making funny whimpering noises.

“Get Galena,” Irene yelled. “She’s never seen a horse and probably thinks they’re big dogs.” These were well-trained working horses that were accustomed to ranch dogs and all sorts of animals, but Anna was not aware of that. Irene ran after Galena and burst out laughing as she came around the corner. “Tom,” she called, “bring the camera -- hurry.”

Tom ran back to the car as Tim slid to a stop beside his mother. He, too, burst out laughing. Galena was running to each horse giving doggy kisses on each nose. The horses were nosing her and being friendly.

“What’s so funny?” Tom panted as he ran back with the camera.

Irene focused the camera and took pictures. “Something to remember about our trip to show daddy. Galena’s first introduction to horses.”

Gathering her troop back into the car, Irene drove to the edge of town to a motel. “Like us, Galena is bored and tired. Walk her and then we’ll eat dinner. All three of you go and stay together. I don’t want anyone getting lost or distracted by something.”

The next morning the twins walked Galena while Anna filled her food bowl and put down fresh water. Galena was left in the room while her family went for breakfast at the same restaurant they had dinner the night before. The twins were ecstatic to find cowboys eating breakfast. The men were glad to talk to them and answer questions. After eating, some of the men went outside to stand by the children for Irene to take pictures. They thanked the men and reluctantly prepared to travel on.

Irene drove on to the west. In less than an hour they were crossing into New Mexico. Galena was sitting happily in the front seat looking out the window while Anna massaged her neck and ears. Tom and Tim eagerly opened the AAA book of New Mexico.

Reading to himself, Tom blurted. “Hey, I didn’t know this.”

“What? Why brother mine, I thought you knew everything,” Tim teased.

“Laugh, you fool, and show your ignorance, but listen to this.” Tom read aloud. “New Mexico is the site of the oldest white settlement in the western U.S. In 1609, two years after the funding of Jamestown, Virginia, Spanish colonists established the city of Santa Fe. For more than two hundred years the Spanish ruled all of the southwestern part of our country.”

“Wow. Are you sure?” Tim questioned. “I thought whites settled in the east and moved to the west. I know Indians and Spanish were here together, but I’ve never heard of the white settlement.”

“Actually,” Irene told them, “I read somewhere that the Norsemen were here long before that. We’ll probably never know how many and who landed in our country before written records. I do know that Jesuit priests came down from Canada to work with the Indians during the early 1400s. The priests left meticulous, beautifully hand-written notes.”

Tim continued with the reading. “Ancient pueblo ruins and cliff dwellings show that the area was inhabited long before the discovery of America. Acoma, the sky city, is a village built on a sheer cliff that rises 357 feet above the plains. One can still visit by climbing a ladder and going into the three-story adobe houses dug into the cliffs and reinforced with mud carried on human backs in hand-made baskets. Lots of Indians return today for ceremonies and festivals on the spot.”

They discussed the difficult life of these early people and then read on. “A part of the Pueblos, the Zuni, live on a reservation west of these ruins. A smaller group, the Navajos, are on a reservation in the northwest of the state. A third is the warlike Apache who caused people to build high in the sides of the cliff where they could climb up and then draw the ladder up after them to be safe from attacks.”

“Mom, can we visit one of these reservations?” Tom asked.

“Sorry, we can’t stop. You’ve been to the Cherokee Reservation in North Carolina.”

“Aw, well, we’d better stop and give Galena a potty break. She’s acting antsy.” While Galena took a potty break, they got out and stretched a few minutes. Back in the car Anna took the wheel to drive.

“Aw, gee,” Tim mourned, “if we were farther south we could see Fort Selden, the remains of a frontier military post built to protect travelers and those settling in Mesilla Valley from Indian raids. Later railroads were built and travelers used Fort Selden to rest and make connections to other types of travel. From 1884 to 1886 young Douglas MacArthur lived on Fort Selden with his father who was the fort commanding officer. Today Rangers, in costumes, show people over the museum and give talks.”

Irene was enjoying her sons reading about the history of the country. “I’m glad your dad got us the tour books. You’ve learned a lot of interesting facts and they’ve given you something to do on the trip.”

All three children voiced their opinions and agreed that they appreciated the books. Later in the afternoon, they crossed the border into Arizona. Irene thought they were doing well and suggested they stop early. Galena jumped out of the station wagon and began to run in circles.

“Poor old girl. She’s tied in knots. I bet her muscles are stiff,” Anna observed. “She’s not used to being in an enclosed space as long as she has on this trip, even though she’s been a good traveler.”

“Let her run, but keep an eye on her so that she doesn’t get hurt or into trouble,” Irene cautioned. She left the children and dog in a grassy area and went to a nearby motel to register and ask about a restaurant. Coming outside she was dismayed to find that Galena was running loose while the children talked to riders with their horses. Not wanting to embarrass her children in front of strangers, she hurried to the wagon and got Galena’s leash.

“Howdy, ma’am.” One man touched two fingers to his hat brim. “All four of us men, and one of these women, are deputy sheriffs. The other three women are wives to these galoots,” he grinned.

“Hello,” Irene answered pleasantly. “How nice of you to stop and speak to my children.”

“Happy to do it, ma’am,” a second man spoke and gave the same two finger salute to his hat brim. “That’s partly why we’re here. We mostly work with the Tribal Police on the Navajo Reservation to help tourists, especially lost tourists. We’re also guides for horseback sightseeing and whatever else is needed.”

“How far away is the reservation?” Tom asked excitedly.

“See those posts on either side of the road about a hundred feet back there?” the third man pointed.

“Yes, sir,” both boys spoke.

“That’s the gateway to the reservation on this road. In fact, here’s Chief Straight Arrow coming now on that pinto. Howdy, Paul,” he turned his horse to face the chief. “I’d like to introduce you to these nice people. This is the Jackson family from the state of Virginia. They’re traveling to Alaska to meet Mr. Jackson and live there while he works for our government.”

“Pleasure, ma’am. Young people.” The chief smiled and removed his western hat to bow slightly to them. “I hope you’ve had a good trip.”

“Yeah, but we haven’t been able to stop and look at a lot of things we wanted to,” Tom blurted.

“But we’ve had a great trip and enjoyed being together as a family. Hey, you haven’t met the other member of our family. This is Galena.” Tim, the peacemaker squatted by Galena and threw his arm over her.

“I’ve been noticing what a beautiful, and big, dog she is,” one woman said.

“Yes, thank you,” Irene chuckled. “She is a good girl but if she feels that either one of us is being threatened, then she’s a tiger.”

“That’s the kind of dog to have,” the chief smiled. “Forgive me, but I need to speak to the deputies on a business matter.” the chief and the deputies tipped their hats and rode off to have a private talk. The three women dismounted and came closer to talk to the Jacksons.

“Hi, I’m Pam. This is Sandy and that’s Ginger.” All were attractive women and about the same size. Irene judged them in be in their late twenties. Ginger seemed to be the jolliest one of the group. All were in jeans, western shirts, western hats and boots.

“Can we ride your horses?” Tom blurted impatiently.

“May we, not can we,” Irene whispered.

“Do you know how to ride?” Pam questioned.

“Not really, but it can’t be too hard,” Tom answered anxiously.

“I promised to let them have lessons as soon as possible,” Irene was embarrassed. Pam looked at the other two, raising her eyebrows in a question. They nodded.

“Would you consent for us to sit a youngster on our horses and lead them around?” Sandy asked.

“I don’t want them to be a bother to you,” Irene answered.

“No trouble. Okay kids. Up you go. Now listen up.” Pam took Tom’s arm and led him to her horse. “This is a western saddle which is basically a working saddle. The front piece is called a horn. That’s the place for a coiled rope. Good riders don’t hold the horn unless they’re in trouble.”

Sandy placed an arm around Tim. “I won’t take time to fill your head with a lot of information today. Just listen. Stand with your left shoulder by the left shoulder of the horse, facing the rump. Take the stirrup in your right hand and turn it to face you. Place your left foot in the stirrup on the ball of your foot and step up. Lift your right leg high enough so that you don’t kick the horse. Don’t bang your full weight in the saddle because it might hurt the horse’s back. Their kidneys are under the back of the saddle. Sit up straight. Ready?”

“Sure.” the twins were eager to start while Anna just grinned happily. Galena was whining and wondering what her humans were doing on top of those big animals.

“Shh. It’s okay, girl. They’re doing fine.” Irene patted Galena and sat on a big stump to watch. Galena was trembling with worry and excitement.

All three children enjoyed walking the gentle horses. They made a large circle under the trees. Pam, Ginger and Sandy walked beside their own horse. The women were pleased with how well the children did at a walk and had them practice turning left and right still sitting straight. The ladies gave them valuable pointers about starting, turning and posture. “Are you ready to jog?” Pam called to them.

“Aren’t we going to trot?” Tom asked.

“Trot is English and jog is Western,” Sandy explained. “The jog is slower than the trot. You have to sit up straight, lower your heels just a fraction because the heels act as a brake in the air. Let the muscles on the inside of your thighs absorb the shock. Now squeeze the calves of both legs and lightly touch the outside heel to the horse. The outside being the one on the outside of a circle. Ready? Jog.”

As the horses obediently started to jog, Tom leaned forward and let his toes go down. Before he could think, he was leaning over the horse’s neck. “Help! What am I doing wrong?”

Sandy took charge. “Everyone sit up straight, place pressure on your seat muscles and gently pull back on the reins, then release the reins.” All three horses came to a full stop.

Pam patted Tom’s leg. “Honey, you didn’t do any worse than most people do when they start riding. You let your toes go down and leaned forward.

Always either keep your foot level or lower the heel slightly. Sit up. On horseback, as the head goes, so goes the body. Leaning forward not only throws you off balance, but it can be a body command to the horse to go faster. Let’s try again. Turn to the left and walk on.”

When Tom had cried out, Galena barked furiously and strained to go to him. It was all Irene could do to hold her back. Ginger walked to them smiling. “Is this the first horse she’s seen?”

“No.” Irene told of seeing the horses in Amarillo. She’s just concerned that one of her family needed her.”

“That’s sweet. She loves all of you and obviously you love her.”

“That’s true. She’s been with us as a weanling since the boys were two years old. It’s a mutual admiration.” Irene laughed.

The deputies returned and were surprised to see the children riding.

“Hey there, partner. How long have you been riding?” Ginger’s husband asked.

Tom made a big deal of checking his watch. “Oh, about twenty minutes.”

“No,” he laughed, “I mean in months or years.”

“Like I said, about twenty minutes.”

“Well, buddy, you’re all doing well. Sorry to break up the party, but we have to move on.”

The three children called out, “Thank you,” over and over. They were grateful for a chance to ride with instructions. After dinner they took Galena for a walk. “Isn’t the air nice?” Anna sniffed appreciatively.

“Yeah,” Tom agreed. “You know I’ve enjoyed the trip more than I thought I would. If we just didn’t have to live in Alaska,” he sighed.

“Ummm. The air does smell fresh and clean,” Tim hurriedly spoke before Irene could admonish Tom. “What a difference. I don’t smell exhaust fumes or neighbor’s cooking or any city odors.” They walked slowly back to the motel enjoying the fresh air.

Back in the motel Irene pretended to be interested in the TV Guide so her children couldn’t see her smiling. A lot of groans were heard as muscles spoke their piece about being used so differently during the day. Tom complained the most. Galena looked at Irene and comically rolled her eyes as if she understood the conversation. She gave a big sigh and collapsed on the floor between the beds.

As they walked to breakfast the next morning, Tom scowled. “Why are my thighs so sore? My seat’s even sore.”

“Because, bird brain, you don’t ride a horse every day. If we rode often, our muscles would toughen.” Tim winced as he walked with legs wide apart.

“Mom. He’s calling me names again,” Tom tattled.

“No one is to call anyone names. We must be considerate of each other’s feelings or our trip will be miserable.” Irene walked between the boys.

Later, on the road, Tom suddenly yelped loudly causing Galena to jump up and bark. “We were right by --right by the Navajo Reservation and didn’t even stick our noses in.”

Anna, sitting on the back seat with Tim, reached forward and patted Tom’s shoulder. “Just think how much more fun it will be to see the Grand Canyon. Besides you wouldn’t see anything but small houses and poor animals.”