Three Geezers and a Girl Episode 1: Buyin Freshies

Backstory:3 Geezers and a Girl is my own take on the day-to-day happenings of my dad (Shawn, Shawn Wayne or the Lone Ranger), Floyd (dad's buddy, our fearless and dedicated roping partner), Gramps (grandpa or Dave if you're feeling formal) and of course me, Paige (writer of this blog, or "Administrative Assistant" to this bunch).

**disclaimer**this is my own account, there maybe some variation depending on which one of the 3 you talk to. Fish are always bigger when they get away and the stories always better when the other guy tells it.

Episode 1: Buying "Freshies"

If there's one thing you learn in hanging out with old guys or geezers as I call them it's that there is no such thing as "too early", 15 mins early is late, and they will always have "more done before you even get out of bed". They like clean vehicles and are obsessed with the classified section, whether it's in the newspaper or in our case KSL. They complain the millennials are on the phone too much but they know every cow, horse and saddle that's been posted since 4am.

Current find 3 #1 Corriente Heifers, deals been in motion since the second the ad was posted.  Location: Mona, UT. (approx 30 min drive from "the barn") Pick them up at 9:30am Saturday.

Saturday,scheduled 3 geezer and a girl meet time: 8:30am
Time I actually roll up to the barn: 8 am...Late.

Shawn Wayne and Floyd are drinking coffee outside the tack shed. Based on the fact Gramps isn't there, I assume he's not coming.

Floyd and dad talk about old guy stuff, I sit in silence.

8:15am: We load up and head out. 3 horse bumper pull in tow, Dad's driving, Floyd's riding shotgun and I'm warming the backseat.

8:25am: Gramps sends a text to the Administrative Assistant (me). "Call when you get back working on aunt Mary's plumbing".

Oh great...we will hear about this later. Gramps hates plumbing!

Sometime before 9am: Dad's calling the seller on his G** D**n Truck Phone, we need directions.

Seller: Oh you took the second exit...ok cool....you're just gonna head up the little hill....it's the second red house....i'll be in my side-by-side, I'll meet ya....

I shake head in backseat...stay quiet and wait. We head up the "little hill", Dad thinks the house is on the left. I'm watching both sides of the road...Floyd's making some off color remarks about the directions.

Me: I think you should slow down that looks like a red house...I think that's it....you just passed it....

It was on the right side of the road.

Dad: No, we didn't pass it. *Phone rings*

Seller: Are you in a Black Ford? You just passed me.

At this point we are in Mona city limits, the booming metropolis, dad proceeds to pull into a subdivision, circle the block, pass the church...relief societies out....we make it out alive and get back to the seller's place.

Seller is a younger feller, dog in the back of the side by side. Hollers "follow me on back".

We drive behind the house, follow a ditch bank, drive the side of field (getting plowed as we are driving by), drive through a field that looks like where vehicles and farm equipment cemetery, through a gate, make a u-turn and back up to the "cattle pens".

The Set up: A typical rope arena, aside from the two sets of roping boxes and roping chutes, a return alley and a catch pen.

3 scrawny barely over yearlin age #1 heifers and one of the biggest jerseys cows I've ever seen in a catch pen.

1 steer, 1 young bull and a big jersey steer in the arena.

Floyd jumps out to talk to the seller. I wait in the back.

Seller to dad: Just pull in the arena and back up the chute, I'll run 'em up the alley.

Dad pulls through the gate, the arena brutes don't take much notice. Floyd heads for the chutes ignoring the gate.

I grumble out of the backseat to watch the gate. Seller is trying to separate the heifers from the jersey cow. They are going every way but up the alley. I watch for a minute, not wanting to be rude, also knowing i'm a girl and we don't know much. After a minute, I latch the gate, and hop the fence. We get 'em up the alley and loaded no problem.

Dad and Floyd try to bargain with Seller. I watch from the backseat. Seller apparently knows old geezers and doesn't fall for their tricks. I don't know the final price, sometimes it's better not to know or ask. Less guilty when mom asks.

10:03am, back to the ranch happier than pigs in mud.

Watch for Episode 2: Breakin in Freshies in the days to come.

Until next time, the girl,

-Paige