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Outside the Arena
Counter Canter With
Garry Stauber |
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Sharing |
by Garry Stauber |
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I volunteer at the local Lions Club Bingo Night. I have advanced through the levels of jobs to one of the highest of callings, the |
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bingo caller. Yes, though once I was a mere ticket seller, I now hover over the crowd with power and leadership as I deliver the most important message of all, "B10," at which someone will shout with glee, "BINGO!" |
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Now that I have this new position of power, my friends at Bingo have increased. It seems my cowboy hat and the smell of the barn are no longer offensive, but are actually quite acceptable.
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In fact, last night a lady offered me a bite of her ice cream. It was not the very important first bite (which was free of any possible germs), but the second bite. I quickly made the decision that the risk was worth the reward. That ice cream looked good
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and I took a bite from her spoon. But she then tossed the plastic spoon into the trash and grabbed another for her next bite. |
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"Hey," I said, "Why are my germs more dangerous than yours?" She said, "They are only to me," and then she laughed.
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This idea of sharing was working until later. I had gotten a soft drink and sat it on a table near where I was standing. I wasn't paying much attention when one of the ladies opened a can and started drinking. I didn't say anything but thought, this was taking hospitality a bit too far. I hadn't even opened the can yet.
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But to show my ownership, I reached over and took a drink. I was surprised to see her look at me with dismay, like I was the one with no manners. I didn't know her, though I had seen her there a couple of times. And though she was cute, that was no excuse to claim ownership over my soda. |
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She was not as concerned with germs and quickly took her second drink and this time it was quite a large swig. It was as if to say, she could drink as much as she wanted.
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I was appalled at her lack of manners. Any cowboy or gentleman would have asked, "Why does she think just because she is cute and a lady she can drink freely of my soda?" I decided enough was enough and as I turned to leave, I saw sitting on the table behind me an unopened can of Coke. I picked it up, turned, and as politely as possible tipped my hat and said, "Thanks for sharing."
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Read comments or post your own comments to this article at the bottom of this page. |
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Garry rode the length of California on horseback with a packhorse in 2003. The trip took 3 1/2 months and covered 1350 miles. Upon completion of this trip, Garry became a member of The Long Riders Guild. Now he is President of the Ohlone Riders Unit of the Backcountry Horsemen of California. He is a horse trainer and NARHA Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor. As a member of the Wilderness Rider Program, Garry is a trained and certified instructor and spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service, National Parks Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Game Department and Backcountry Horsemen of California. He is an equestrian writer and has had over 100 articles published in 15 magazines. Garry is Chairman of the Board of The DreamPower Foundation, which provides equine therapy to children and adults with mental and emotional problems. In 2004, Garry retired from a 20 year career as an Executive in Silicon Valley. |
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Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved. The above article is the property of the Author and may not be duplicated or redistributed in any way without permission. |
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Reader comments for this article |
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Name: Tamiko Time: 2008-07-31 22:07:59
Comment: I am impressed! My what a small town boy can pull out his hat...
Name: Connie Time: 2008-07-01 19:07:57
Comment: O Lord. This was funny. You never cease to amaze me. What a smile you bring. Thank You for sharing!!
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