The cowboys secret, p.9
The Cowboy's Secret, page 9
He smiles at me sadly and gets up from the table. Without saying another word, he heads to his and my mother’s bedroom in the middle of the day. I feel sick to my stomach when I hear him shut the door and lock it.
I stare out the window and look at the land our family has owned for generations. I am at a complete loss as to how to help him.
As I stare at the grassy plains, however, an idea springs to mind. I smile when the details of it start to slowly fall into place…
Operation BFF
Pop has been drowning in disappointment and shame. He has completely forgotten who he is, but I know the best way to remind him.
I head to town to gather the supplies I need. When I return to the ranch, I disappear into the barn to begin my work. There’s only one person I can trust to keep this a secret, so I call on Christina to help me.
“Do you want to be a part of my prank?” I ask as I walk with her to the barn.
She nods eagerly.
I rub the top of her head. “You’re saying yes, but you don’t even know what I need you to do.”
She shrugs and smiles at me.
“Well, I like your confidence.
I notice Bandit waiting for us, wagging his tail.
“Want to check on your pups?” I ask him as I open the barn door.
I can’t help smiling as the puppies bolt to their father, yipping excitedly. Kiah gets up from the pile of hay and walks over to him. They touch noses briefly before he turns his attention back on the energetic brood.
While they enjoy their doggy reunion, I pull my ragtag creature out of its hiding spot and show it to Christina. “Do you know what this is?”
She looks at the tan sock I’ve filled with stuffing. I hand sewed a tail and fake fur onto it, and tried to match the markings of the animal.
Christina frowns and shakes her head at me.
“This is a black-footed ferret. See the cute little black mask around the eyes, the black legs, and that black-tipped tail?”
Christina takes it from me, holding it by the tail with two fingers. She examines it carefully, clearly unimpressed by my meager sewing skills.
I chuckle. “Okay, my sewing skills leave a lot to be desired but, trust me, it won’t matter.”
She hands it back to me and tilts her head questioningly.
I pull out my fishing pole and hook the sock to it. “Do you know what we have here?”
She shakes her head slowly but smiles.
“This, dear sister, is the makings of an epic snipe hunt.”
She crinkles her nose, unfamiliar with the classic prank.
“It’s not surprising that you’ve never heard of it, but the snipe hunt is a tradition that has been passed down for generations since the 1840s.”
She grins, looking properly impressed.
“The story goes that snipes only come out at night. If you want to catch one, you have to hold a burlap bag open and make the mating call to attract it. Luckily, snipes are not all that bright and will jump in the bag because they’re attracted to dark, cozy places. It’s really that simple to catch a snipe.”
Christina folds her arms and smirks at me.
She may be young, but she’s got a quick mind.
“I can see you’ve already guessed what happens. The person on the snipe hunt makes a fool of themselves as they try to catch a creature in the dark that doesn’t exist. Can’t tell you how many of my buddies actually fell for it.” I slap my thigh, laughing. “It’s a prank that never gets old.”
I hold up my sock creature as it slowly twists on the fishing line. “But you and I both know Pop would never fall for that. So, I came up with this ingenious plan.”
Staring at my humorous creation, I explain, “Pop won’t be able to resist the chance to see this little guy running around his property when I tell him it’s a black-footed ferret.”
Christina shrugs her shoulders, not familiar with the animal.
“This species is so rare, they were thought to be extinct at one point and are on the endangered species list. What makes them perfect is they only come out at night. Pop will never suspect a thing!”
I chuckle just thinking about it. “Imagine the smile on Pop’s face when he realizes he’s fallen for one of the oldest pranks in the book?”
I look at her and grin. “Pop has forgotten what it’s like to laugh, and it’s our job to remind him.”
Christina claps her hands excitedly and kisses my dangling sock creature.
“I’m going to call this ‘Operation BFF.’”
Christina beams at me with approval, and we spend all afternoon preparing for it.
I’ve already scouted out an outcropping of rocks that has an old prairie dog burrow. It’ll give Christina a place to hide and provide us with a plausible home for the ferret. While she practices reeling in the creature on the fishing pole, trying to make it look like the movements of a real animal, I dig a shallow trench leading from the prairie dog burrow to make it appear that a ferret has recently made its home there.
The beauty of my plan is in its simplicity. Pop won’t be trying to physically catch the ferret, only the opportunity to catch sight of an endangered species in the wild.
When I share the discovery of the old prairie dog hole that night at the dinner table, I keep it simple. “I was riding around today and noticed that a predator has taken residence in one of the old prairie dog burrows.”
“What do you think it is?” Pop asks, naturally concerned for the livestock.
“Not sure.”
“Show me where this burrow is tomorrow. I want to check it out myself.”
Pop and I head out early the next morning, and he confirms there is something currently living in the abandoned burrow. “I want you to keep an eye on it, son. We don’t want anything messing with the cattle or Kiah and the pups.”
“I’m on it, Pop,” I assure him, struggling to hide my smile.
I check back periodically throughout the day and come rushing home just after the sun goes down. My entire family is sitting in the family room when I come bursting through the back door.
“You’ll never believe it! Heck, I wouldn’t believe it myself if I didn’t see it with my own eyes. I swear I just saw a black-footed ferret.”
Pop shakes his head, stating gravely, “That’s not possible. They haven’t been spotted in these parts since the sixties.”
“I know it seems crazy, Pop. But, I’m telling you, it sure looked like one to me. It had the black mask and everything.”
Now that I have his curiosity piqued, I meet Christina in the barn to go over our plans for tomorrow. “You’ll crouch behind the rock with the fishing pole like we practiced and wait until the appointed time. I’ll set Pop up in the perfect position to see the show just before the sun sets.”
Her eyes twinkle as she takes the fishing rod with my sock creature swinging innocently on the line. Christina definitely has the prankster gene running strong through her veins.
The next day, Pop and I head out just before the sun begins to set. As an extra precaution, I’ve locked Bandit up with Kiah and the pups so he won’t disturb our show.
We creep toward the outcropping of rocks but keep our distance so we don’t disturb whatever is living there. From what I’ve read, black-footed ferrets are solitary creatures, so sightings of them were rare even before they became endangered.
We sit and wait patiently as the last rays of the sun disappear behind the mountains. All of the sudden, there’s a burst of movement as a furry creature scurries out of the burrow and runs to the other side of the rocks.
My pop cries out in excitement and then clamps his hand over his mouth. He looks at me apologetically. “Sorry. I forgot myself for a moment.”
I slap him on the back and stand up, holding my hand out to help him up. “We might as well leave since the ferret knows we’re here now.”
My father grabs my hand and gets up. “I’m bringing my binoculars tomorrow. Let’s get here even earlier to properly stake the place out.”
I smile when I tell him, “Sounds like a plan.”
The next night, I tell Christina to stay home while I let Pop survey the area. I want him to notice the trench and the rodent bones I scattered around, as well as the ferret scat I carefully crafted out of clay for him to discover.
My pop is a stubborn man, and we stay there for hours after the sun sets. Finally, he concedes defeat. “We must have scared him by being so close to his burrow.”
“I bet you’re right.”
“Let’s hide farther away tomorrow and see if he’ll show his face again.”
The next day, Pop heads to the local library and comes back home with stacks of books. The kitchen table is covered in them as he researches the black-footed ferret, wanting to learn everything he can about them.
When I tell Christina she’ll be up again, she wraps her arms around my waist and looks up at me with the biggest smile I have ever seen.
“This time, I want you to hide farther away from the burrow so Pop can get a longer look at it as it scoots across the ground. But, this time, we wait a little longer after the light begins to fade. We don’t want him getting too good of a look at my sock creation.”
Christina grins, nodding in agreement. I kiss her on the top of the head, enjoying the camaraderie a well-planned prank brings.
That night, Pop remains silent with his binoculars trained on the burrow while we patiently wait for the BFF to make its appearance. He starts hitting my arm hard, struggling to contain his excitement when he sees the creature emerge from the hole and run from the burrow all the way to the other side of the rocks.
On the walk home, he bursts out, “It’s definitely a black-footed ferret! I saw the black mask, the black feet, and the black-tipped tail.”
“Man, wouldn’t it be crazy if it really is one?”
“There’s only one way we can be sure.”
I smirk. “How’s that?”
“I’m going to get some night vision binoculars.”
Even though I know it will be the end of the prank once he sees my little sock creature clearly, I totally encourage him to do it.
He smacks me on the back. “Let’s find out if we really do have an endangered species living in our backyard.”
On the day of the big reveal, I take Christina aside to finalize our plans. “This is it, sis. We don’t have to hold anything back tonight, so what do you want to do?”
She bites her lip and looks upward for a moment before breaking into a smile. Dragging her finger through the dirt, she draws out her plans.
I grin in appreciation. “Very bold. You think you can pull it off?”
She nods enthusiastically.
I hold up my hand to high-five her. “Go big or go home!”
Pop can’t seem to contain his excitement and keeps pacing through the house.
Ma comes up to me, smiling. “Brad, I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I’ve seen your father this animated. It’s like he’s eighteen again.”
I squeeze her tight. “It’s good to see, isn’t it?”
“And then there’s Christina…” She sighs happily. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her, but she can’t stop smiling.”
I glance at my little sister, amazed at the change in her this last week. It’s like night and day. She no longer looks like the sad little girl who met me at the airport. “She must be feeding off of Pop’s positive energy.”
“Whatever it is, I’m eternally grateful because it feels like my family is back.” Ma stands on tiptoes to kiss me on the cheek.
After dinner, Christina helps Ma with the dishes and then grabs her math book. She trudges to her room dramatically as if dreading the next few hours of math homework. It’s the perfect alibi, and I feel a surge of pride.
I notice Pop keeps heading to the front window and staring at the driveway.
“You expecting somebody?” I finally ask.
“I am!” He turns and grins at me. “I called US Fish and Wildlife, and they’re sending someone to verify whether or not the animal living on our land is a black-footed ferret.”
“You did what?” I sputter.
He grips my shoulder firmly. “This is far too important, son. If we truly have a black-footed ferret living on our land, the conservationists need to know.”
I stroke my chin nervously, unprepared for this complication, and try desperately to keep my cool.
My pop claps his hands together when a red truck rolls into view. “Yes! It’s Harold and the boys!”
“You invited your friends, too?” I ask in surprise.
“Of course! They insisted on coming after I explained why I wanted night-vision binoculars.”
I look out the window and see three more vehicles following behind the beat-up truck. “Pop…exactly how many people did you tell?”
He shrugs. “Oh, you know how it is around here. As soon as one person knows, everybody knows. This could prove to be a historic moment. Just think of the publicity our ranch will get if it turns out to be true.”
My mom squeaks. “This is so exciting!”
I start to feel a bit queasy when I notice the long line of vehicles headed our way in the far distance. “Umm…I need to go check on something,” I tell them as I head out the backdoor.
Walking around the house, I knock on Christina’s window. She immediately opens it, looking at me questioningly.
“There’s been a snag, peanut. Seems Pop invited all of his friends and some bigwig from the Fish and Wildlife Department.”
Christina’s eyes grow wide, but instead of freaking out, she grins.
I sweep my hair back as I contemplate our next move. “Everyone is already headed here, and we can’t stop it.”
She nods vigorously.
I raise an eyebrow and ask, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Her grin grows wider.
“The least we can do is provide them with a good show.”
Christina makes an excited squeal. It’s the first sound I’ve heard from her since I arrived.
Encouraged by it, I chuckle. “We did say go big or go home, and there’s nothing bigger than this…”
She nods enthusiastically.
I help her climb out the window and watch as she starts running toward the burrow to set up.
I have no idea what I’ve just gotten myself into, but that huge smile on her face makes whatever is going to happen to me totally worth it.
Determined to finish this with a bang, I walk around to the front porch fully committed to my role. I eagerly welcome all of Pop’s friends and notice a slew of my friends have joined them as well.
It feels like a giant party until the Colorado Wildlife Division vehicle pulls up.
With my head held high, I go out to meet my destiny. I walk straight up to the wildlife officer and shake the man’s hand firmly. “Thank you for coming.”
Looking at the large crowd, he states in a curt voice, “It is highly unlikely that the animal you saw is a black-footed ferret.”
I think of my pathetic sock creature and fight to keep a straight face. “I’m fully aware of that, sir.”
I glance at Pop standing on the porch beside my mother. He looks as proud as a peacock as he waves at the large assembly. I can’t believe my simple prank has turned into a community event.
Pop walks down the steps to greet the wildlife officer. “I’m thrilled you could make it, Mr. Wilkins.”
“Based on what you shared on the phone, it seemed prudent to check it out in person.” The guy frowns at all the people gathered. “However, I was not expecting this.”
“What can I say? It’s impossible to keep a secret in this town.” Pop smiles at me proudly. “And I would never have known we had an endangered animal living on our property if it weren’t for my son here.”
I chuckle uncomfortably, wiping the sweat forming on my forehead. I suddenly wonder if misleading a wildlife officer is a punishable offense.
Am I really going to go through with this?
When I think of Christina crouched down among the rocks, eagerly awaiting the big reveal, I already know the answer.
I look to the west and point to the sun just starting to set. “Why don’t we head out now so we can get a good vantage point?”
The wildlife officer addresses the crowd. “It’s best that you all stay here and wait until I return with a verdict.”
The crowd murmurs their disappointment.
Bless my pop’s heart. While we walk out to the site, he talks me up to the wildlife officer, sharing stories about my bull riding days as we head off to seal my fate.
I’m moved when he mentions that the one thing he is most proud of is my decision to graduate with a double major in business. “I never could tell this kid to slow down,” Pop states, grinning at me.
The wildlife officer is clearly unimpressed and orders us both to remain silent.
As we approach the burrow, I point to the area with the best vantage point. The three of us drop to the ground and creep up to it slowly, careful not to make a sound.
The officer takes out his binoculars and settles into position.
Now, all I can do is wait.
I hear something behind me and turn to see the multitude of people sneaking up behind us. I wave at them to go back.
They stop and remain respectfully quiet but refuse to budge.
Turning to the wildlife officer, I shrug apologetically.
He frowns but turns back toward the burrow, staring through his binoculars.
I watch as the tallest mountain peak is lit up in brilliant hues of red, orange, and purple as the sun begins to set behind it.
It’s the signal Christina and I agreed on.
I watch breathlessly, running on the adrenaline rush that comes from a good prank, and wait for the show to begin.
My poorly crafted ferret peeks its head out of the hole and then disappears back inside. It’s a brilliant move on Christina’s part.
She now has the entire assembly eating out of her hand as they wait for it to reappear.
The creature pops its head up again a few minutes later and makes a beeline for a nearby collection of rocks. Instead of hiding behind it, the sock puppet scurries along the ridge, using the largest rock as a ramp to launch itself.
