Forever by Jeff Holmes Page B

fuck up.”
    Scott should have known better. Trying to get to the Fairgrounds on the opening night of the Wild Horse Stampede after 5 p.m. is a little like getting into a parking lot at Mile High a half-hour before kick-off; if you’re late, it’s nobody’s fault but your own.
    Wild Horse was the biggest town in Cheyenne County with just about 2,000 people. Cheyenne Wells might be the county seat, but Wild Horse was the town.
    Roni’s great-great-grandfather, John, and his brother James, founded the town in 1878. They started as sheep farmers, but along with their brother-in-law, Fred Goodier, they became huge cattle ranchers in 1899.
    Ray and Kathleen (McLain) McIntyre lived on a 40-acre spread north of town that was part of John’s original 500-acre cattle ranch. Grandma and Grandpa McIntyre lived a section over.
    Ray and Kat’s house was built in 1904. It had stately wrap-around porches on both the lower and upper levels. All four upstairs bedrooms had a door that opened to the porch.
    The Stampede started in 1900 as a way for the drovers who brought their cattle to the holding pens at Wild Horse Station to blow-off steam. It was now 77 years later, and every year over the Fourth of July weekend, the population of Wild Horse tripled. The Holiday Inn, Motel 6 and Howard Johnson’s on 40/287 were packed, as were the vast campgrounds on the northth end of the Stampede Fairgrounds.
    Scott returned home from picking up Sarge, it was nearly 4:00. By the time he showered, changed and picked Rick up, it was pushing 5:00. And he didn’t want to be late; it was a big night for their ladies.
    Maggie had developed into a great photographer. She was shooting for the UNC school paper, for the Greeley Tribune , and for the rodeo, the Wild Horse Daily News .  And she loved it; Rick had even built her a dark room in the basement of their house in Greeley.
    Scott loved what Roni was doing this week. She hadn’t said anything about working with the Trail Club, but it was clear she was enjoying it. He wanted to see more of her, but this was her time; she loved the Stampede.
    “OK, I think that’s everything,” Roni said as she grabbed the Cokes from the food counter. Scott was trying to balance two baskets of ribs, brisket, fries, and coleslaw.
    “We’ll come back for the pie!” she added, as she led Scott back through the crowd to their table. Their parents were there, along with Brooke, Amy and Kimmy. And Mark, Rick and Maggie were there, too.
    “Hungry, Scott?” Brooke asked. “Got enough there?”
    “Talk to your sister,” he said, setting dinner on the table. “She just kept us loading up.”
    “Hey, I worked my butt off today,” she said. “I’m hungry!”
    Scott looked behind her, smiled and patted her backside. “Nah, it’s still there, honey. Right where it’s supposed to be,” he said.
    She leaned close and whispered, “Behave yourself, or you won’t be seeing it later, there big boy.”
    The food was, as always, incredible, and so was the company. This was the kind of night Scott had been dreaming of; his family, his friends, his best girl, all laughing and talking and having a great time. The Army, Greeley, and the pain of the last year were a million miles away.
    Around 6:00, they all finished eating, and were enjoying their time together. Brooke looked across the table. “We’d better get back there, Roni,” she said.
    Roni looked at her watch. “Oh, God, you’re right. Let’s go you guys,” she said, hopping to her feet. Amy and Kimmy joined them. They had been helping the riders with their hair, make-up and costumes.  Maggie grabbed her camera and tagged along.
    Roni leaned over and kissed Scott, “See you out there, Footer!”
    Opening Night is kids’ night at the Wild Horse Stampede. The Honor Escort parades in first; 27 girls in burgundy satin shirts, jeans, with white fringed buckskin vests, gloves, and chaps, matching burgundy boots and white spangled cowboy hats. All with their