When Miz White, owner of the W- K ( said W bar K)
first laid eyes on me.
"How old are you?" She asked peering down.
"Nine," I replied thinking she looked like her name. Her hair the color of cotton.
She quirked an eye-brow. "What grade?"
"Fourth, ma'am."
Then she made that funny strangled sound
all grown ups made, which I had de-coded meant,
how can you be so short and round?
(Short as most second graders, and 150 pounds.)
I felt myself turning red,
and wanting to just drop dead.
"I've just the horse for you," she said going back to the barn.
"A special fat kids horse ? " I wondered. Probably afraid I'd break a pretty pony.
Just like the chairs where I'm not allowed to sit
because I'd make the wood split.
Out she came with the biggest animal I had ever seen.
Reddish brown,barrel chested. 16 1/2 hands tall, she told my dad.
Miz White said, "His name's Charlie."
Large head came close to nuzzel me.
Don't be scared. I'm different too."
I stared into velvet brown eyes,
did my hearing just lie?
Horses can't really talk. Mr. Ed was a phony.
Mom said so...
I looked at my sister already on her pony,
watched my brothers get on theirs.
How was I ever going to get up there?
Charlie went over to the fence and looked at me.
Climb, kiddo.
And climb I did, up the corral railings , then with great effort on to Charlie's back.
The stirrups were shortened as much as they could,
and my knees barely bent like they should.
But, I , the smallest, fattest kid in my universe,
sat astride the biggest, unbreakable horse in my universe.
Many weekends rolled by with me sitting astride Charle's back.
Then came the day I'd never forget.
Charlie and I were trotting around and around inside the corral,
when a scream was heard off in the pasture!
Charlie's head swung, his ears pricked. Then we saw a horse at full gallop,
its rider dangling, screaming and yelling like some mad banshee.
Hang on ,kiddo,you're in for a ride!
Charlie winked at me, and began to run ever faster!
I grabbed rein, pommel and mane
hanging on to anything I could,
lying low along his neck,
What was he doing?
We were safe inside the fence...
The FENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are those who say a big horse can't jump,
and I thought for sure we'd lay in a lump,
but..
I closed my eyes tight, clung for dear life
Then I swear Old Charlie took flight!
OH! GOD! What a ride!
Nothing stopped Charlie in his stride.
Thundering hoof beats,
me slapping my seat
in the saddle,
I think I was glued there simply by fear,
as the run away Charlie did near .
He thundered ahead then cut sharp in front.
Turning the mare,
slowing her down.
Other riders came up.
Charlie did the work
but my back got the pat.
For once I wasn't just the short fat
kid, the zero,
they even called me a hero.
Charlie gave me another wink,
I don't think
I ever again heard him speak.
That was many summers ago.
But every now and then I remember those weeks,
especially when life leaves me weak.
"Climb, kiddo," I hear.
"Hang on, Kiddo, you're in for a ride!"
And I grab tight to all I hold dear,
and clear that fence one more time.
