Gracie & Me #6: Bob Barker Told Me to do It

     "Gracie! C'mon down!" I remember a summer in 1980 when I worked for my uncle Jimmie at his New Mexico ranch. I lived in the ranch hands house. It was a lil' square house, three bedrooms, one bath, an old fashioned kitchen, eating area, living area, but NO air conditioning. The lil' house was surrounded by a chain link fence because it literally sat in the middle of a pasture at a horse ranch. If we didn't have the fence, we'd have horses at the front door. In fact, a horse bit off my VW Rabbit's antenna.
     I remember a young guy named Troy from anywhere USA, but mostly I remember Rudolph, the illegal from Mexico. Back in those days, we called him a 'wetback.' We probably can't call him that today.
     My uncle Jimmie's ranch, 21-miles west of Tucumcari along I-40 in Montoya, NM, was hot in the summer... Very hot. We'd go home for lunch and siesta and watch The Price is Right with Bob Barker.

Bob Barker/The Price is Right

   
     Rudolph would prep his part for lunch. I can still see him heating up tortillas on the old, white electric stove top, the type with the circular burners. We'd roll 'em up with everything from this, that and the other thing. Then, we'd each get our chairs and watch Bob Barker and The Price is Right! with Bob Barker. The host ended every show with "Protect the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered." Rudolph probably doesn't remember. He ate more than he watched as he didn't speak English.

     This is where Gracie enters the blog. We didn't expect Gracie on our front porch. We sure didn't expect her to adopt us. And while we are  grateful for Gracie, we definitely don't want any little Grace's'. So, we pulled the trigger.

Gracie Goes to the Vet/June 2019

     The picture at left is Gracie going to see our friend Dr. Church. He's an Aggie, but a good Aggie.
     What you need to know about the picture is this. Gracie typically rides in the back of my truck when we go from home to the ranch. But she jumps out at every stop, so I put her in the backseat when I take her golfing. So bless her heart, she immediately 'loaded up' in the backseat yesterday morning probably thinking she was going golfing where she runs and swim and runs and swims and runs and swims.

     Her first clue should've been that Teresa was riding with us. Teresa normally does not go to the golf course with me. Her second clue might have been when we drove by the course, specifically hole #6. It's a log Par-4 with out of bounds all down the left hand side. Bogey is a good score. If you're putting for par, you're pleased. It's got a crazy green because it's an optical illusion. The green appears to break uphill. You think it should go left, but the ball rolls to the right.  Gracie was looking out her window when we passed Hole #6. I wonder if the following was going on....
     Gracie: "There it is! There it is! Let me out! Let me out! Wait... wait... wait... WHERE ARE YOU GOING HUMAN?! You're passing my favorite place."

     By the time we got to the corner, Gracie was laying back down. If she could talk, I suspect it was.. "Uh oh. Where are we going?"

Blame Bob, not me Gracie/Snyder, 2019

     The picture to the right is Gracie and me walking into the West Texas Animal Clinic off U.S. Hwy 84, about three or four miles from Snyder's square. Like I said, Dr. Church is an Aggie, but with a quick sense of humor and a kind heart. Back in the day when he'd come into the deli, he'd have a BLT. Normally, he just says "Hey Bill" and I reply "Hiya doc.'
     What you can't see in this static picture is that Gracie was just fine walking to the door. But once we hit the threshold, I think she realized she was at the doctor's office. She pretty much dug in her feet as soon as her nose hit the invisible shield at the door frame.

     We dropped off Gracie yesterday. She had her surgery today. We pick her up tomorrow. Teresa's said more than once, "I wonder how Gracie's doing." I tell her, "She's safe and cared for." My hope is to write an update very soon.

     As for the other principles in this writing, I haven't seen Troy since August 1980. I heard that Rudolph got deported for back child support. And as for the KING of the game shows, Bob Barker, 'C'MON DOWN!!!"

Bill Robertson
Next: Gracie's release. Teresa thinks she'll be a Conehead.