Into the Fire

Hutch finished his last foot for the day at Brady York’s barn, tired and glad to be done. He made plans to return to Brady’s barn tomorrow at 11:30 to get six more. He enjoyed shoeing at Brady’s barn. The grooms were good hands, and for the most part the horses were well behaved so that made it easy to converse with their grooms and learn more about the racing out here. It was a whole lot different, but so far he liked it. Rain topped the forecast for tomorrow again, but he knew he’d get used to it. Weather was just one of those things. No sense getting upset about it. Nothing you could do about it anyway.
Pete Keppler drove up as Hutch put his tools in his truck.
“Hey, I’ll take that beer now if you’ve got time. I’m done for the day.”
“Here or somewhere else?”
“Here’s fine.”
“I’ll be right down.”
Hutch stopped over at Mick’s barn to tell Nelson he’d be at the kitchen with Pete Keppler. Nelson said he’d meet him down there in about 45 minutes.
Hutch stopped and told Karen to put Pete’s tab on his, and he ordered some fries and a coke. He found Pete at a back table sipping on a Budweiser.
“So, Mick’s impressed. I knew he’d like having a shoer from back east. Makes him feel important.” Pete laughed.
Hutch smiled. “Don’t see too much different going on with their feet out here. I know Brady likes more heel on them than Mick does. So do I, but that’s neither here nor there. You work at Brady’s barn, too?”
“Once in a great while when my boss has a day off. Last year one of our other vets did half his barn—she’s supposed to be here in a day or two. Married Robert Sanders at the end of the meet last year. I tried to make a move on her, but Robert had her all the way.”
“So Robert Sanders is comin’ back here?”
“Yeah. He’s been ridin’ in California—well, just since December. He took some time off. You know him?”
“Yeah. For quite a few years actually. Class act. I really like the guy. He’s not your typical rider, you know?”
“Yeah. Especially now.”
“What do ya mean?”
“Well, he and his wife are Christians now. I guess they’re real serious about it, too, from what I’ve heard. Last year, Melissa—his wife, our vet—got hurt by a colt at Brady’s barn. Struck in the head and hospitalized. She came out of it fine, but Don, my boss, was tellin’ me she had some kind of vision and came out of the experience religious. I don’t know. She’s a neat gal and really a great vet. She’s incredibly smart and pretty tuned in to what’s goin’ on with these things. She impressed me with more than her looks, and to be honest, that’s not easy for a female to do in this business.”
“Wow. So I assume Robert’s comin’ back here with her then?”
“No doubt he is.”
“So, Pete, you just like to fool around with the ladies or are you lookin’ for the right one?”
“Well, I thought I’d found the right one a few years back, but she didn’t feel the same about me after awhile. Got close one time after her, but I was just kiddin’ myself with that one. She was good in the sack. How ‘bout you?”
“Well, I played the game for quite awhile. Then I got hooked—and hitched. Now I’m divorced. Newly divorced. Can’t say I’m happy about it either.”
“If I have one shred of morality left in me, that’s one thing I don’t ever want to do. I absolutely don’t want to go through a divorce. Maybe that’s what’s takin’ me so long to commit. But then, maybe it’s just that I’m havin’ too much fun seein’ who I can get naked with, too.” He grinned and finished his beer.
“Yeah,” Hutch said a bit ruefully. “I remember those days.”
“You don’t miss ‘em?” skepticism in his voice.
“Not at all. I miss my wife,” he answered and took a big drink of his coke.
His large plate of fries arrived at the table.
“Have some,” Hutch offered.
Pete picked up a few and put them in his mouth. “Well, to tell you the truth, the one I want is already married. Thought I almost had her last year, but I misjudged her. Turned out she has respect for the institution of marriage, and I didn’t take that into account. It made me mad until I thought about it. There’s somethin’ between us, but it’s not goin’ anywhere. I thought I’d forget about her like I do all the others, but she’s somethin’ else. Oh well. That’s the story of my life, I guess. Easy come, easy go.” He hopped up to get another one.
“It’s on me,” Hutch called out.
“You don’t drink?” Pete asked when he returned.
“Used to. Not anymore.”
“Well, shoot, I was hopin’ we could go to the bars together, get us some women.”
“Not this cowboy.”
Nelson walked up to the table and sat down with them.
“So what do ya think of this eastern-bred horseshoer?” Pete teased.
“Hey, he’s a blue-blood. None of this hick stuff from out here,” Nelson came right back.
“Whoa,” Pete laughed.
The three men talked for awhile before Nelson and Hutch left. Just as they were leaving, a young woman walked into the kitchen and ordered. Pete spotted her right away. New to this track, she galloped for David Renner who got 15 stalls this year. Pete hadn’t had an opportunity to introduce himself yet, but he’d learned she stayed in one of the tack rooms in David’s barn. Pete walked up and invited her to join him for a beer. Seeming appreciative of the company, she sat down with him at his table.

(For His Glory; sequel to Hope Of Glory)