Eleven year old Amy was having the time of her life at The Cheyenne Frontier Days. Her best friend Molly had asked her to join their family for a three day weekend trip.
They loved the music of Rascal Flatts and marveled at the bravery of the rodeo stars who dared to mount the wild bucking bulls. The girls felt sorry for Johnny McMasters who unfortunately drew a bull named Dangerous.
Oh my!
He was lucky to survive after only lasting 1.8 seconds on this crazed creature.
Later that day, the girls witnessed horses being branded. Molly noticed that Amy became emotional when seeing the shudder of the horse as the red hot iron was applied. She let it pass but wondered about her friend’s reaction.
The family enjoyed a barbecue dinner that evening that was out of this world. The ribs were the best and the ice cream that followed topped off an amazing day.
Before turning in for the evening, Molly lay in bed and asked Amy if she wanted to talk about the emotions that sprung up at the branding corral.
Amy paused…took a deep breath…and tears began to flow. ‘You know that my parents were divorced when I was nine. I never told you…or anyone how verbally abusive my dad was to my brother and me.
Molly, it was awful.
He was like a volcano and I don’t think I will ever be able to erase the look of rage on his face.’
‘Today, when I saw the horse shudder as the smoke came from that branding iron…it took me back to the verbal fire that my dad laid on us kids. That’s why I cried this afternoon. You see, I could only shudder too when my dad became enraged at us. Somewhere in my mind, I prayed he’d notice the trembling…and the fear…that totally immobilized us.
He never did.
‘Horses have pretty thick hides. Much thicker than children. They absorb the pain and bounce back the next day as if nothing has happened.
No so with defenseless kids.
They shudder…they whimper and their eyes are forever changed.
They’re prone to depression and fits of inexplicable anger. My brother is that way.
No, kids hardly ever bounce back from the stinging fire of verbal abuse.’
The tears flowed from Molly as she tried to take in what Amy had said.
‘I never knew this was going on in your family. I did wonder though why you and Michael seldom smiled…why your eyes never showed the light that our soccer friends had.’
‘Let’s get some sleep, Amy. We will have an even better day tomorrow. Please know that you can share what you are feeling with me whenever you need to.’
‘Thanks Molly, I just love being with you and your family and can’t wait for tomorrow.
Good night, good friend.’
What You’re Saying