First Place Winner In Netwest Contest

The Three-Legged Horse
by Jerry Hobbs

“Missus McGorkal, that new boy is a rotten liar. He’s been telling everybody his grandfather gave him a three-legged horse.”
“Now Sally Ruth, you know it isn’t nice to call anyone a liar.”
“But he is, Missus McGorkal. He told Jimmy Beesinger out by the swings yesterday, and I heard him. I asked my daddy, and he says Mr. Lampsayer is a rancher and wouldn’t keep a horse around if it had only three legs.”
After cleaning the chalkboard, Meldeen began to copy math problems from a sheet of paper. She said, “What your father told you is true, Sally Ruth. Still, it isn’t right to call anyone names, even if they do sometimes tell stories. Remember when I explained to the class how Billy Ray’s parents were killed over in Oregon? He’s just trying too hard to make new friends since moving here to his grandparents’ ranch.”
The little girl stamped her pink sneaker on the floor. “I don’t care. Besides he said it again today, and that makes him a…”
Meldeen turned from the chalkboard. “Listen, I don’t want to tell you again. Maybe you should go back outside before recess ends.”
About that time the school bell interrupted their conversation.
“Never mind. You take your seat now and let me deal with Billy Ray’s…well, let’s just call it his overactive imagination.”
“Yes, Missus McGorkal, if you say so.”

As she drove out the following Saturday morning to the Lampsayers’ ranch where Billy Ray lived, Meldeen McGorkal wondered how anyone could help but fall in love with the beauty of Montana on a day like this. The never-ending blue sky stretched like a blank canvas as far as she could see. Turning off the main road, she passed through a wide gate and couldn’t help but notice how much time and effort was spent to keep the Double Bar-L ranch in good condition, especially considering the advanced age of the owners. She dreaded her mission here, but felt Billy Ray’s grandparents needed to know that he was getting off to a bad start with his new classmates, telling tall tales.
A cheerful, gray-haired woman answered the door. “Look here who came calling, Arnold. It’s Billy Ray’s teacher. What brings you all the way out from town on a Saturday, Missus McGorkal?” The elderly lady held open the door and invited Meldeen inside.
“Come in – come in. Can I offer you a cup of coffee?”
“Good morning, Mrs. Lampsayer, Mr. Lampsayer. Thanks, but I’ve already had breakfast.” Meldeen paused and took a deep breath. “I’ve come to discuss your grandson, and please, call me Meldeen.”
“All right, Meldeen. You’re here about Billy Ray? Such a sweet boy. We just love him to pieces. He came to live with us after Tilly and Jimbo…after they…they…” Her smiling face crumpled as she remembered the accident. She ran from the room, sobbing.
Arnold apologized, “I’m sorry, ma’am. My wife still hasn’t gotten over the tragic way our daughter and her husband died.” He took a red bandana from his pocket and wiped his eyes, then blew his nose. After clearing his throat a couple of times, he said, “What say we take a walk outside while Connie gets herself back together. I’m not much for talking, but I can show you around the place while we wait for her to rejoin us.”
The two of them strolled through the yard in relative silence, broken now and then by his brief, though glowing, explanations about the beautiful flowers and shrubs. He was quick to point out that their very existence and excellent condition were due entirely to the efforts of his wife.
They were nearing the barn when she suddenly noticed an old sawhorse leaning against a fence post. Her eyes widened as she realized it was missing a leg. It seemed strangely out of place when everything else was so neat and orderly. She started to go over for a closer look when Connie came out and joined them, wiping her eyes and apologizing for her behavior.
“Please, there’s no need to explain, Mrs. Lampsayer. Even though I’ve never married, and I’ve never lost a child, I do know what it feels like to experience the tragic death of a loved one.”
“Well now, I’m sure you didn’t come all this way to watch me snivel. You mentioned earlier that you wanted to discuss Billy Ray? He’s such a bright boy, and I’m sure he’s had plenty of time to catch up with the other students in your class by now.”
“Yes he has, but that’s not the problem.”
“Problem?” asked the couple at the same time.
“Look, this is very difficult, but one of his classmates came to me yesterday with some disturbing news. It seems your grandson might be trying too hard to win acceptance and make new friends.”
Arnold spoke up. “No offense intended ma’am, but that’s just the boy’s nature. Why, our little Billy Ray’s got a heart big as all of Montana and twice as tall.”
“That’s right, Arnold. Surely that can’t be the problem she’s talking about. Meldeen, exactly what did he…?”
“Excuse me,” the teacher said, “but do I hear someone singing in the barn? Isn’t that Billy Ray?” When the older couple smiled and nodded, Meldeen murmured, “How lovely.”
Connie said, “Isn’t it though? The boy sings like an angel, that’s for sure. We decided he gets…got that talent from his father.” She forced a laugh. “Our side of the family doesn’t have enough musical ability to stick in a prairie dog’s eye, I’m afraid.”
“But who’s he singing to? Is someone with him?”
“Just Spider,” Arnold said. “He goes out to the barn every day and sings to her – morning and evening on school days and more often on weekends. He’s done that ever since he came here. It seems to make him feel better.”
“Spider?” Meldeen shivered. “He sings to a spider?”
Connie laughed again, “Oh my, no – Spider’s a mare. Used to belong to Tilly before she got married and moved to Oregon. Sixteen years old now and blind as a bat. We should have put her down years ago but simply never had the heart.”
“Good thing, too,” added Arnold. Billy Ray wouldn’t be alive today if not for her.”
“Really? Gracious, what happened?”
“It was one morning, shortly after his parents were…after he came to live with us. The boy had gone into the barn to sing, just like he always did, but that day Spider was acting strangely. Billy Ray said afterwards it was probably the shadows in her stall that kept him from seeing it.”
“From seeing what?”
“The rattlesnake. Biggest diamondback I’ve ever seen. Anyway, the closer Billy Ray got to the stall, the more old Spider danced around. She was going strictly by sound, of course, since she couldn’t see. Stomped that snake plumb dead, she did.”
“Oh my. How lucky for Billy Ray.”
Connie spoke up, “But not so lucky for Spider, I’m afraid. Poor thing almost died. As it turned out, she was sick for weeks.”
“I’ll say,” Arnold added. “Doc Vitters said it bit her four times. The only thing that saved that horse was a freak blood clot from poor circulation. It helped keep the venom isolated.”
“She certainly sounds like a brave horse.”
“The bravest I’ve ever known, and you can take that to the bank. Why, we wouldn’t trade a dozen thoroughbreds for the old girl now. Connie and I still believe the only thing that keeps her alive is how much she looks forward to Billy Ray’s singing every day. That and the care he gives her, what with feeding, combing, cleaning out her stall and the like. We think it’s good for the boy to have that responsibility, too.”
“Yes, and it must be wonderful for him to have his very own horse to ride.”
Connie glanced at her husband, then back at Meldeen. “Ride? Oh, I’m afraid not. The poor thing is confined to that sling contraption that Doc Vitters rigged up after he had to amputate her leg. Now, what were you saying about our grandson’s problem at school, my dear?”

Jerry Hobbs lives in Murphy NC and is Cherokee County Representative for Netwest. His books can be ordered from www.lulu.com . Search under his name.