Homecoming 1885

 Homecoming 1885

 

By EM

 

 

Chapter One

 

“Hurry up” Johnny called to his children.  Their two room hotel accommodations felt cramped with the six of them.  Johnny moved the curtain aside and looked down onto the already bustling streets of Salinas.

 

The young Lancer family always left the ranch for four weeks to travel to see Sarita’s family for Christmas and then went up to Salinas for the New Years Day rodero.  

 

The day was sunny and warm considering it was winter.  Being closer to the ocean, it tended to stay a bit warmer in the winter as compared to their inland ranch.

 

Finally corralling the four children, ranging in age from the youngest, Isabel at four, to Enrique, the oldest at eleven, to the middle children, Juliana at nine and Christian at seven, they proceeded to the dining room.

 

Johnny squeezed Sarita’s hand and  looked with pride at his family and felt content.  They all simmered with excitement in anticipation of what the day might bring.

 

Sarita gave her children the look that ensured they paid attention to her.  Johnny felt himself sit up as well.  “I expect you all to behave today.” She began, giving each child a slice of her gaze.  “There will be a lot of people at the rodero so what do we do if we get separated Juliana?”

 

“We go stand in front of the grandstand and wait for you to come get us.”

 

“Muy bien.  Enrique, Christian did you hear that?”

 

“Si Mamasita.” Enrique had that sincere innocent look that his father had perfected, but Sarita wasn’t fooled.

 

“Si Mamasita.”  Christian echoed his brother.

 

“Enrique, you and Juliana stick together.   Cristian, you stay with me and Isabel.” 

 

“Yes Mama.” Enrique acknowledged.

 

“Mama, why can’t I go with Enrique and Juliana?”  Cristian complained.

 

“You’re too little.” Juliana told him with a shake of her head.

 

“Bird.” Johnny said using his pet name for his oldest daughter. “Mind your own business.” He said smiling at his daughter which took the sting out of it.

 

That brought a smile from her and she didn’t complain further.  She had her father wrapped around her little finger so she was confident they would do something fun.

 

The family walked down the crowded street, dodging wagons loaded with families coming for the festivities.  Johnny was carrying Isabel and had Juliana’s  hand firmly in his grasp, while Sarita held the boys hands even though Enrique thought he was too old and complained until his father had a sharp word with him.

 

Reaching the racetrack, the grandstand was already filling up with excited spectators.  This the highlight of the year.  Taking up three rows were Sarita’s mother, and other families members and what looked like a dozen children of various ages.  

 

Johnny got his family settled and gave the children another reminder of where to meet if they got separated and went to join his father-in-law in getting the horses saddled.

 

Sarita’s father Tomas was checking on the horses with the help of two of her brothers.  This annual festival was a celebration of ranches working together to gather cattle, brand, and drive the cattle to Monterey.    Some of the meat ended up in Sun Francisco and as far away as Sacramento, however some of the meat was dried and salted and taken by ship to the far East. Some of the cattle were shipped live to the east by stock car, but the ranches always kept the best to further improve their herds.

 

The annual rodear also gave the rancheros a chance to swap bulls in order to improve their bloodlines.  It was a genial practice that Johnny appreciated.  His father used to trade stock with Aggie and her husband Buck, a practice Johnny has continued with both horses and cattle.

 

Shaking his head, he put thoughts of Lancer out of his mind. Today he needed to make sure Victorio was ready to perform at his best.  Two years ago, he won the novice stock horse class.  Johnny didn’t bring him last year as he needed more time to get him ready to compete against the older horses. Now at five years old, Victorio was showing the kind of promise he, and his father in law, Tomas thought he would.  He would be forever grateful for Tomas to trust him with such a fine horse.

 

In the background, Johnny could hear the sounds of the rodero  taking place. People calling out to friends, cheering when someone managed to ride a bucking bronc, and jeering when unlucky cowboy failed to get his rope around a frantically running calf.

 

 Each year, the Verdugo family brought some of their finest cow horses to compete against some of the best in California.  Johnny was proud to be part of that tradition.  

 

Johnny went back to check on his family.  Sitting between Sarita and Juliana they watched some trick riders showing off their death defying riding skills.  Then a man in a charro costume demonstrated his roping skills as he twirled his rope in larger and larger circles until he was twirling his rope completely around his horse who was trotting in place.  His final move was to stand on the saddle and spin his rope as his horse trotted forward. He received a standing ovation from the crowd.   Enrique declared he wanted to learn to do that.  Fearless Juliana announced she wanted to be a trick rider.  

 

Sarita smiled and just said “We will see.”

 

Before long the stock horses were called to the arena.  The fence was lined with vaqueros and their horses as each one watched as their compadres showed off their horses skills.

 

Johnny stood among them with Victorio . The colt occasionally tossed  his head to rid himself of flies and chewed his bit.  He was getting restless and he pawed the ground.  “Settle down fella, it won’t be long.” Johnny soothed him with a stoke on his neck, admiring the shining dapples in his grey coat.  The horse settled, but Johnny could see he was still impatient.

 

Finally, the novice horses were done and the snaffle bit horses were starting.  Since Victorio was the last one, Johnny led him away from the fence to the area being used to warm up and mounted.  He walked Victorio in a large circle before he asked him to trot.  By the time he had trotted both ways twice, he asked him to lope. Again both ways before moving to a figure eight with a lead change.  Victorio felt eager but calm.  ‘He’s ready’ Johnny thought , as he returned the colt’s mane to the correct side of his neck.  

 

Walking slowly in a circle, he waited his turn. His brother-in-law Carlos called, “Juanito, you are next.”

 

Clicking to Victorio, he trotted toward the arena.  The first part of the trial was to demonstrate the colts responsiveness while working a pattern both slowly and at speed.  Showmanship was a part of it, and Johnny knew a lot of good horses and horsemen had already demonstrated their superior horsemanship.

 

The gate was opened and Johnny cued the colt into a canter.  As he entered the arena, he subtly gave him the cue to gallop and gallop he did.  As they got within 200 feet of the end of the arena, Johnny sat down in the saddle and Victorio planted his front feet, practically sitting down with his hind end and slid to a stop.  The crowd erupted in applause.  While it was a good move, Johnny knew it wasn’t enough.  Spinning Victorio, he galloped to the other end of the arena and did another sliding stop.  Johnny backed him up a dozen paces and spun him first left and right.  

Victorio turned aptly on his hindquarters. 

 

Off in the distance Johnny could hear applause and cheers, but his concentration was on his horse.  From a standstill he cued the colt into a lope.  He made two perfect circles in one direction and then changed direction with a flying lead change and made two more circles followed by a lead change in the other direction.  Completing the pattern, he cued Victorio to stop.  Johnny was pleased the colt stood on a loose rein and had demonstrated to the best of his abilities the attributes of a good stock horse.  Whoa and go. Right and left, and stand quietly. Victorio was the picture of a relaxed happy horse, just as Johnny wanted him to be.  

 

Next was the cattle work. a small herd of cows was let into the arena and held at one end by two riders. Johnny waited until he heard the bell ring before turning Victorio to see the cows. He allowed the colt to walk quietly into the herd until Johnny found the cow he wanted to work.  Slowly and calmly, they ushered the cow to the outside of the herd, and then refused to let her return to her mates.

 

He picked a good one. Johnny was rewarded when the cow took off down the arena with Victorio, keeping up right beside her. He turned her on the fence and chased her back the other way, turning her once again. The cow took off to the middle of the arena and Victorio followed her turning her in a circle. In spite of being well herded by the horse, the cow still had plenty of fight left in her. She faced Victorio and dodged right to left to try to elude the horse. Victorio wasn’t having any of it as he practically scraped his stomach on the ground shifting back-and-forth in front of the cow to keep her where she was. The bell rang, and the time was up. Johnny lifted his reins, and Victorio immediately responded by letting the cow return  to the herd. They were rewarded by loud applause and cheering from the crowd, but more importantly from his fellow competitors.

 

He let Victorio  stand for a minute and catch his breath and gave him a pat on the neck.  Getting the signal from the judges, that they were done, Johnny tipped his hat and trotted out of the arena.

 

Tomas was there to greet him. “Much improved hijo.  I think he’s got the makings of a fine bridle horse.’  Johnny grinned at the high praise from his father in law.  A man of few words, but given to speaking his mind.

 

As Johnny rode back to the warm up arena, he got nods from his fellow competitions and a few words of appreciation for the colt’s performance.

 

Riding in a slow circle around the perimeter of the warm up arena, he allowed Victorio to get his breathing back to normal before dismounting and loosening the cinch.  He walked him over to the fence where Sarita was waiting for him.  She ducked under the fence and gave Johnny a hug which Johnny turned into a quick kiss after turning them away from onlookers.  “That was magnifico Johnny.  I think you won.”

 

“Maybe yes, maybe no.” He replied. “We did the best we could  today anyway. We also got lucky with that cow.” He added.

 

Johnny stretched and held his wife’s hand.  “Ready to go home?” He asked.

 

“Si.  It will be nice to get back to our own home.  You know I love coming to visit my parents for the holidays, but it’s nice to get back to our routine. The children need to get back to school too.”

 

“They’ll be fine.  Don’t worry about them missing a few days. They’ll catch up.”

 

She smiled and poked him in his ribs.  “I’ll let you explain to Mister Collins then if they’re behind.”

 

Frowning, Johnny watched her walk away and shook his head when she looked back and grinned.

 

******

It was a long ride back home from Salinas.  They left at dawn and hoped to be back before dark.  Right now they were half way, and were stopped for lunch.  His mother in law gave them enough food for two days and they were all well fed.

 

Tossing the chicken bones into the scrub brush, Johnny looked over at his little family and felt contentment.  The children had slept in the wagon for the first couple hours of the trip.  The wagon had straw laid out in it to make a nice soft bed, and the weather was clear, but cold.  In spite of that, everyone was well bundled up and comfortable.

 

“Let’s get packed up.  Everyone make sure you go behind the bushes before we leave.  I don’t want to have to stop again in half n hour.”

 

Sarita, paused in her packing up and hustled the children to get ready.  Johnny hitched up the team and tied Victorio to the wagon.  He grabbed Cristian and swung him into the bed of the wagon.  Next,  he picked Juliana up and swung her high before depositing her on the straw.  He was rewarded with a squeal of delight and her sunshine laughter.  He placed Isabel on the front seat with an order to stay there. Turning he  helped Sarita into the front seat and Enrique climbed  into the back. With his family safely settled, they made their way back home.

TBC