| Debra Coppinger Hill ©2004 * For more information on Riding Drag, CDs, books and personal appearances by Debra Visit her at oldyellowslicker.com or contact her at PO Box 348, Chelsea, OK 74016 |
Friendships between ranch women are solid. Our word is our bond. When a
ranch woman tells you she is your friend, you can bet your bottom dollar that
she will always do what is best for you. My friend BJ is a ranch woman. She lives
in Montana and leads an active life as a horsewoman and teacher. We have a lot
in common; kids, horses, cowboy husbands and a rural lifestyle we love.
This lifestyle is not without peril. We each have stories of snake killings, skunk
battles, exploding sourdough containers and we both have freezer secrets. These
secrets are not easy to explain and are quite frankly, something ranch women
don’t normally admit to. But I know for a fact that BJ and I are not the only
ones hiding dark secrets in the family freezer.
The secrets came to light one day during a phone conversation. The subject had
turned to what we would expect of our friendship should anything ever happen to
one of us. We each agreed that we would rush to the home of the other and
straighten up so when the neighbors came, they would not find the house in itâ
€™s usual state of "outdoor-people-live-here-ness"; thus alleviating any
embarrassment to our families. (You know how people like to talk.) During the
discussion BJ asked if I thought cleaning out the refrigerator should be a part of
our pact. The most horrible thought popped into my head. "Good grief, BJ, the
freezer!" I exclaimed in genuine terror. There was silence on the other end of the
phone. "Without question, the freezers come first! Swear it!" was her solemn
reply. We crossed our hearts and swore an oath that should anything happen to
the other, the survivor would travel post haste to clean out the freezer, thus
salvaging the reputation of the dearly departed.
An inventory seemed appropriate. As we began to compile it became obvious
that we are real women of rural America. Only another ranch woman would ever
understand why in my freezer there are grub worms and grasshoppers in a butter
tub (my teen-age son’s winter fishing bait supply), bull semen and a deceased
hedgehog in zip-loc® bags (my pre-teen, future veterinarian daughter’s
science experiments), a duck wrapped in panty hose (don’t ask, it has to do
with my husband and taxidermy) and two full-feather turkey wings (I’ll get
around to making that Native American fan one day). BJ never laughed at my
inventory, nor did I laugh at her when she revealed that her freezer currently
contained their family dog. I totally understood…it was winter in Montan; who
can dig a hole when the ground is frozen that hard? Solemnly we spoke the words
that all true ranch women know as sacred, "I’ll take care of it." Nothing
more need ever be said.
I hope each of you has one solid friend in your life on which you can depend.
One who will always be there for you no matter what you ask. With this in mind I
want to impart this little piece of wisdom…it may very well be that a friend in
need is a friend indeed, but a friend who can keep your freezer secrets is worth
their weight in frozen grubs.k.
ranch woman tells you she is your friend, you can bet your bottom dollar that
she will always do what is best for you. My friend BJ is a ranch woman. She lives
in Montana and leads an active life as a horsewoman and teacher. We have a lot
in common; kids, horses, cowboy husbands and a rural lifestyle we love.
This lifestyle is not without peril. We each have stories of snake killings, skunk
battles, exploding sourdough containers and we both have freezer secrets. These
secrets are not easy to explain and are quite frankly, something ranch women
don’t normally admit to. But I know for a fact that BJ and I are not the only
ones hiding dark secrets in the family freezer.
The secrets came to light one day during a phone conversation. The subject had
turned to what we would expect of our friendship should anything ever happen to
one of us. We each agreed that we would rush to the home of the other and
straighten up so when the neighbors came, they would not find the house in itâ
€™s usual state of "outdoor-people-live-here-ness"; thus alleviating any
embarrassment to our families. (You know how people like to talk.) During the
discussion BJ asked if I thought cleaning out the refrigerator should be a part of
our pact. The most horrible thought popped into my head. "Good grief, BJ, the
freezer!" I exclaimed in genuine terror. There was silence on the other end of the
phone. "Without question, the freezers come first! Swear it!" was her solemn
reply. We crossed our hearts and swore an oath that should anything happen to
the other, the survivor would travel post haste to clean out the freezer, thus
salvaging the reputation of the dearly departed.
An inventory seemed appropriate. As we began to compile it became obvious
that we are real women of rural America. Only another ranch woman would ever
understand why in my freezer there are grub worms and grasshoppers in a butter
tub (my teen-age son’s winter fishing bait supply), bull semen and a deceased
hedgehog in zip-loc® bags (my pre-teen, future veterinarian daughter’s
science experiments), a duck wrapped in panty hose (don’t ask, it has to do
with my husband and taxidermy) and two full-feather turkey wings (I’ll get
around to making that Native American fan one day). BJ never laughed at my
inventory, nor did I laugh at her when she revealed that her freezer currently
contained their family dog. I totally understood…it was winter in Montan; who
can dig a hole when the ground is frozen that hard? Solemnly we spoke the words
that all true ranch women know as sacred, "I’ll take care of it." Nothing
more need ever be said.
I hope each of you has one solid friend in your life on which you can depend.
One who will always be there for you no matter what you ask. With this in mind I
want to impart this little piece of wisdom…it may very well be that a friend in
need is a friend indeed, but a friend who can keep your freezer secrets is worth
their weight in frozen grubs.k.
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