Later in the day, I saw him again. This time, watching pro roping. He was standing with his mom. They weren’t familiar, not from Conway. She was a kind-looking brunette. Her eyebrows were pinched with the tension that mothers have when their children are disappointed. I couldn’t tell you why, but I was driven to make that boy get what he came for. On a deep breath, I moved through the crowd and approached them.
Tipping my hat, I said, “Afternoon, ma'am.” I looked to the boy and offered him a greeting as well. “Son.” They looked back at me, their eyes questioning my intentions. Not exactly sure what I wanted to say, I looked at the boy and fumbled out, “This rodeo is sort of my event and I couldn’t help but notice that you’re not having the best time.”
His mother answered for him. “No, no. It’s a lovely event.”
The boy’s eyes begged to differ. I crouched down to his level and spoke to him directly. “You were hoping for something that you didn’t get. Am I right?”
The boy swallowed and puffed his chest out before he said, “Yes, sir.”
“What’s your name, son?” I asked.
“Taylor.”
“Well, Taylor, I want to know what you were hoping to do today because I want to see if I can make it happen.”
His mother, clearly well raised, struggled with the special attention I was giving her son. “That’s mighty nice of you, but you don’t have to do that. Honestly, I don’t even know that you can.”
I stood. “If I can, I will. And if I can’t, no harm in voicing what the boy came here hoping for.” She consented with a look. And then I turned back to Taylor. “Tell me. What were you hoping to do?”
“I used to compete,” the boy said, and I smiled because a middle schooler was about to spin me a yarn.
“I could tell,” I noted and the apples of his cheeks pinked up.
“Pee-wee barrel racing,” he said. “I can’t compete with the other kids anymore, but I still ride, and I was hoping I would meet other kids here who were like me who wanted to barrel race.”
I couldn’t make that happen. I huffed out a disappointed breath and racked my brain looking for a solution. Still thinking, I said, “Taylor, I don’t know where I can find kids like you for you to compete with, but I’d really like to find a way for you to enjoy today. Maybe you and your mom want to come talk to the pros with me and see if we can find a solution that makes your day.”
“The pros?” Taylor asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “We’ve got a group of professional cowboys over there, and I think if we all put our minds together, we can come up with a plan.”
“You’re gonna take me to meet the pros?” Taylor asked again.
I laughed. “Sure am.”
The boy vigorously nodded yes and when I looked up at his mama there were tears in her eyes. I hadn’t really done anything yet, and still I’d made their day. It was a heady feeling.
As we walked, I asked, “How old were you when you learned to ride?”
“Three,” Taylor said. And then unprompted, he added, “I was in a car accident. It’s kinda funny because my mom was always so worried I was gonna get hurt on a horse.”
“Moms worry,” I said. “It’s their job.”
“Yeah.” He looked up at her. “She still worries.”
“Taylor,” she chided.
“What?” He shrugged like an adult. “You do.”
“It’d be weird if she didn’t,” I said.
As we got close to the arena, I spotted Cody talking to Caroline and headed for them. Caroline smiled as soon as her eyes found mine.
When we were in spitting distance, I said, “Howdy, folks, I got a new friend here that I’d like you both to meet. This is Taylor and his mama …” I trailed off, realizing I’d never asked her name.
“Ruth Scott,” she offered.
“Taylor here is the real deal. A former barrel racer and he was hoping to get out there in the arena with some other barrel racers, but I’m not sure …”
“I’ll race ya, kid,” Cody said.
Ruth laughed.
I grinned, appreciating that my little brother was shaping up to be a mighty fine man.
Of course, Caroline was practical. She looked at Ruth and said, “I’m gonna be honest, and I hate to be the bearer of the serious stuff, but there is some liability involved here.”
Ruth's face fell but she was gentle as she said, “Of course, it was kind of y’all to even consider it.”
“Whoa, slow your roll, mama.” Caroline winked at her. “We are gonna make it happen. That’s what today is all about. You are just going to sign some consents, and Taylor, will you let one of the doctors here examine you so we know how to keep you safe and comfortable?”
Taylor nodded, and then he said, “I’m missing a leg, but I can still ride a horse, you’ll see.”
“I bet you can,” I quipped.
Cody was a different kind of encouraging, “Sure you can, but the real question is can you outrace me?”
“Of course I can,” Taylor said, beaming and unwaveringly confident.
“Bring it, kid.” Cody laughed.
Walking up from wherever he was coming from, my cousin Buck called out, “What y'all up to?”
Taylor whispered to his mama, “That’s Buck Stanley.”
“This here cowboy thinks he can out barrel race me,” Cody said.
“Does he now?” Buck smiled.
“We’re gonna give them the arena to duke it out,” I said and then I had a fantastic idea. “Buck, I was thinking you might have some pointers to offer Taylor here. I mean, don’t get me wrong, but from what I’ve heard he’s a five-star competitor, yet we could all use a little time hanging with a pro.”
Without flinching, Buck said, “I don’t know, Cody. He looks like he’s got the chops.” Taylor lifted his shoulders and puffed out his chest again. “And with me coaching him, I’m thinking you're gonna be eating dust, my friend.”
Taylor grinned. “You’re gonna coach me?”
“Would you like me to?” Buck asked.
Taylor's whole body vibrated with excitement, but he maintained some sense of composure. “Yes, sir.”
“Can’t think of a better way to spend the afternoon,” Buck smiled.
Caroline took the boy’s hand and signaled to Ruth to follow her. “What do you say we get the paperwork done so we can get this party started?”
They got about ten feet away before Ruth turned back, running at me. She threw her arms around me in a way that only a mama overwhelmed by kindness shown to her child could, and then slightly embarrassed by her outburst, she stepped back and said, “Just thank you, so much.”
It was selfish what I thought next, but it was the truth. I thought about myself. I looked at Caroline walking away with that woman and boy, who I noticed and helped, and I knew I was a good man. I might never be as smart as Caroline. But maybe I was good enough. Maybe I could stand beside her and support her, be the solid foundation keeping her heart loved and her body satisfied. Maybe I could love her so much that it would be enough.