The Campfire Whopper

   The Campfire Whopper

Suzanne Marsh

"Don't you remember the whopper story I told all of them years ago; out on the trail?"

The sun was getting low in the red Texas sky; Slim Jenkins and Tiny Montrose drove the small remuda of horses in the makeshift corral. Red Harper set up the chuck wagon and began to cook a meal of grits. Dev McCoy began gathering firewood for the campfire. It was almost time to relax after a long day of herding cows from the high pastures to the canyon below. The cowboy's life was a solitary one and these men were no different. Among them was Slim Jenkins, who had been punching cows since he was old enough to mount a horse by himself; time had taken its toll on Slim, as it does on all folks. The campfire began to crackle, always a good sign Slim noted.

The men began to eat in silence as was the custom of most cowboys. Slim had been thinking all day about a tale he had heard some years back; it was about a mountain lion, a rattler and himself. He had not told this tale before because; it was never the right time...that is...until now.

Slim cleared his throat:

“Hey did I ever tell you boys the story about the mountain lion, the rattler and me??”

Eyes began to roll; somehow the boys knew this was a whopper of a story:

“You boys remember the mountain lion cub I brought down outta the mountains?

“I named him Jed after my Pa. Jed used to prowl around at night and once he was

growed I set him free. Well, one afternoon I was tromppin through them mountains

when I hear Jed. He was greetin me. He hadn’t been visitin in a while. I turned around

to see him; he was watchin his little feller. He was a real nice little feller, he come right on

up to me. Jed n me we conversed for a while; sorta catchin up. Then all of a sudden like

I hear a hiss. There ain’t no mistakin that sound. Jed and me we turned toward the

hiss. Jed let out a mighty roar. That ole rattler was a big un. I guess Jed thought he could

scare it into leavin. It tried to strike but Jed bit into it; that rattler slithered away. Jed and

me continued on our walk. We went up into the mountains, there was snow up there and

cooler then down here in the valley. We sat on little rocky mountain just havin a good

ole time talking bout the past. Jed is just a tad younger than time now, but he remembered

when I rescued him. Jed was stretched out on the ledge while I sat next to him. Once agin

that rattler come up on us. The rattler was a strange sort for a rattler. He just set fer a spell

listenin to Jed and me. I motioned to Jed to move over onto the ledge I was a commin down.

That ole rattler, he did the same. Now I don’t mind conversin with Jed, but this rattler was a

imposin rascal.”

Slim began to scratch the side of his aquiline nose; the boys knew he was working on more to this tale. The campfire continued to glow; the cattle began to lowe. Night was settling in. The coyotes began their lonesome song. Slim returned to his story.

“Jed and me just could not git shed of that rattler. For a few seconds we lost him or so we

thought. Now this was becomin troublesome. Every place we went there was that rattler.

Jed was goin ta take a swing at him with that paw of his but changed his tune when the

rattler coiled to strike. I pulled my colt .45 out of the holster but the rattler slithered away.

Jed and me headed down the mountain side, it was gittin towards dinner time. We said we

would meet up agin this time next year. That was okay by me.”

The fire crackled and seemed to be laughing as Slim continued with his tale. The boys were mesmerized by the entire story. Slim knew he was doin a right good job.

“The following year, right about the same time, Jed roar at me atop small rocky mountain. He

waited for me. I’m a gittin to old ta be climbin that mountain but I went anyway. We began

our chat. He told me about his cubs, and I told him about the cattle drive I was on. That was

a drive ago, up the Goodnight Trail. Boys I could tell you stories about the drives on the

Goodnight trail, those were the days back then.”

Dev McCoy began to yawn; Slim saw that.

“Dev, you stay awake I ain’t down with my tale yet.”

“Well, Slim, then git to the point, I have to go check on the herd before I turn in.”

“Okay Dev, I am almost done.”

“Any way Jed and me we was havin a good ole time but here comes that ole rattler. We knowed

it was the same one as before only a bit wider. Jed was about to pounce on the rattler when

an arm came outa that snake! That sure scared the bejabbers outa me. Then another arm

appeared. This was gittin scary boys. Then Old Nick popped out! Now me and Old Nick we

didn’t need no introduction. We’d known each other a good long time. I just wanted to know

why he was attemptin to talk to me now. Well it sure didn’t take him long:

“Slim”, he said: I came a lookin fer you I want you to visit me soon.”

“Well, I told him I wasn’t gonna go anywhere with him. I didn’t want to believe that he was

coming fer me. Not now I told him. His yellow eyes glared at me:

"I don’t want your body just your soul. After all it has been mine for some years I just

never claimed it until now. Then the fight broke out between the three of us. I shot a hole

clean through that devil n he laughed at me. He done pulled his arms into the rattler and

slithered away. I ain’t seen him since then.”

The tale was finally finished; the campfire continued to glow. The boys had their dinner of beef jerky and cheese. Drank their coffee. Time to check the remuda and the herd. All was well that night.