“I have to say that smells great,” I said. I looked over Gus’s shoulder at the frying sausage. “When did you buy that?”
“It’s not exactly meat,” he said.
“What exactly is it?”
“Soy.”
“Soy,” I repeated.
“Soy sausage.”
“Oh, lord.” I shook my head. “You know, we’ve got some antelope steaks in the freezer.”
“This is better for you.”
“I’ll try it.”
“I’ll bet those boys won’t be able to tell the difference.”
I walked over to Zoe and the puppy. “How’s our patient this morning?” I asked.
“A little better, I think,” Gus said. “She’s really trying to drag herself around. I think somebody’s coming down.”
“Good morning,” David said.
“David,” I said.
Gus said, “Orange juice is in the fridge. Coffee’s on the stove. We don’t stand on ceremony around here.”
“In other words,” I said, “Get it your damn self.”
David laughed and went for the fridge and the orange juice. “Breakfast smells terrific,” he said as he pulled down a glass from the cupboard.
“Where’s your …” Gus stopped, “what do you say? Partner? Boyfriend?”
“Boyfriend’s good enough.”
“Well, where the hell is he?” Gus asked.
“I don’t think he slept too well.” David sat at the table with his juice. “He’s not usually in such a mood. I’m sorry.”
I waved off David’s apology. “Robert’s okay.”
I watched as David looked away out the window. He turned his attention to the puppy, but didn’t say anything. There was sadness there and I didn’t know what to say.
Gus set a plate in front of the boy and said, “Have at it while it’s hot. Your boyfriend might have to fix his own breakfast if he’s not down here pretty soon.” He looked at me. “Put your butt in a chair.”
I sat and looked at my plate. David had already started to eat. “How is it?” I asked.
“Good. I don’t know what it is, but I like it.”
“Don’t know what what is?” Gus asked.
“This fake meat,” David said.
“It’s soy,” I said.
“I like it,” David said.
As we finished, a truck pulled up to the house. I stood and looked out. “That’s Duncan,” I said. “If you two gentlemen will excuse me.”
I put on my jacket and walked outside.
“The snow is a good sign,” Duncan said as a greeting. His daughter Ellie was with him. The young woman had spent a couple years down in Laramie at the university, but was taking a year off, she said.
“Good morning, Ellie,” I said.
“Hi, Mr. Hunt.”
“You make me feel old calling me that,” I told her. We were all walking toward the barn.
“Sorry, Mr. Hunt.”
“So, why is the snow a good sign?” I asked Duncan.
“I don’t know. It’s just a thing to say.” Duncan put a cigarette in his mouth, but didn’t light it. He often did that. “Daniel White Buffalo told me to tell you to give him a call.”
“When did you see him?”
“I had to go out there. He claims that old Monday woman is stealing his cows. He claims that a lot. I suppose it’s true, but I can’t see it.” Duncan was one of the few cattle detectives left in the area. “White Buffalo is so bad at keeping records.”
“And Clara Monday is smart,” I said.
“Tougher than a dairy cow steak,” Duncan said. “Rides around up there on that App with a thirty-thirty across her lap. She’s gotta be seventy.”
Ellie was stroking Felony’s nose. The horse seemed grateful for the attention.
David came into the barn and joined us.
“Duncan, Ellie, this here is my friend David. He’s from Chicago.”
Duncan shook David’s hand. “Where is Chicago?”
David looked to me.
“Just kidding you, son,” Duncan said.
“How’s he doing?” Ellie asked about Felony.
“He’s going very well. You could ride him right now, but I don’t know what he thinks of snow yet.”
“He’s a beautiful horse,” David said.
“Thanks,” Ellie said.
“Know much about horses?” Duncan asked.
“Nothing.”
“If you’re smart enough to say that, you’re all right with me.” Duncan put the cigarette he’d been fiddling with back into his pocket.
Robert came into the barn and we all looked his way. He walked up to David and gave him a kiss. I glanced at Duncan, looking for a reaction, then felt bad that I was doing that.
“Ellie, Duncan, this is Robert.”
Robert nodded, but didn’t offer his hand.
Ellie said, “Hello.”
Duncan said, “Robert.”
“The snow is beautiful, isn’t it?” Robert said.
“Well, John,” Duncan said, “Ellie just wanted to see her baby here. I guess we’ll be going.”
Robert decided to take offense. “Do we make you uncomfortable?”
David was as surprised as me at how confrontational Robert was being, especially with someone he didn’t know. He was, however, less amused than I was. I looked to Duncan for his response.
“No, son,” the big man said. “The two of you don’t make me uncomfortable, but you alone do.” Duncan was completely relaxed. “I’ll give it to you in good old cowboy talk. I ain’t never been around any homosexuals. Not to my knowledge, anyway. I’m just assuming that’s what you are. I ain’t never given it much thought, and I reckon I don’t approve of it, but I can’t say why. Still this is a free country and, to my mind, you can do what you want.”
“Let’s go, Daddy,” Ellie said.
“Wait a second, darlin’,” he said. “The man asked me a question.”
“Son, I don’t like anything thrown up in my face.” He looked at David. “David, it was a pleasure meeting you.”
Robert was angry. “Nice speech,” he said.
Duncan smiled. “I don’t lie. There are people around here who might shoot you for what you are. I don’t know why, but I’ve no doubt that they would. People are bad like that and we’ve got our share. Maybe we’ve got more than our share, I don’t know. Like I said, I believe this here is a free country. Now, my speech is over. See you later, John.”
“Bye, Mr. Hunt,” Ellie said.
I watched Duncan and his daughter leave the barn. What I liked about Duncan was that he was never out of control. He was a strange man in that he admitted to a lot of prejudices, but he never held that against himself.
David looked at Robert. I couldn’t tell what was in him. He was confused, I knew that much, but whether he was angry with Duncan or with Robert, I simply had no clue. He shuffled his feet and walked over to scratch Felony’s nose.
I probably should have said nothing, that would have been best, I knew it even then, but my mouth opened, “You just make friends everywhere you go.” With that, I walked away. I didn’t like feeling bad and this kid made me feel bad every time I turned around. This time I was feeling bad because I considered that I was being unfair to him. All he had really done was kiss his partner and I couldn’t tell whether I was bothered by that or by the way he had done it.
After breakfast, I drove the boys back to town and to their motel. The ride in the Jeep was quiet, ending with a polite handshake from Robert and an unexpected and warm embrace from David.
SIX
ALTHOUGH I WAS ITCHY and eager to get home, my reaction to visiting town so many times in so few days, I decided to stop by Myra’s and pick up shots for the young coyote. I considered it ironic that if left in the wild she would have been healthy, contact with humans notwithstanding, but because she was in our care she now had to be protected from distemper, parvo, and a host of other things. Protection against rabies would come later. The thought of rabies reminded me of my primary concern, that the little dog was a wild animal. Normally, I could see raising her in a cage and then turning her free to roam and hunt, but this pathetic creature had but three legs and who knew what kind of respiratory damage she might have suffered. I’d have to establish our respective stations and socialize her as best I could.