Saturday, August 17, 2019

Apples, Watermelons, and a Mad Bull


   Roger handed one of the apples to Crissy as she stood by his side with her arm wrapped around his. Roger sampled his apple and nodded approvingly to the man behind the stand. Crissy issued an enthusiastic noise as she bit into hers. Roger dug into his pocket and surfaced with a dime which he flipped into the waiting hand of the seller. As the happy couple strolled along, both Roger and Crissy had to pause every few steps to make sure the exceptionally juicy contents of the apples didn't dribble down onto their clothes.

   "They say never to shop when you're hungry," Crissy pulled a hanky out of her purse and dabbed at her lips as she held the apple out ahead of her far enough that it's juices couldn't stain her skirt, "but I guess it's too late for that. What do you want for supper?" Roger looked around at the produce surrounding him.

   "Let's be sure to get a watermelon or two."

   "Okay. Any thoughts about the main dish?"

   "What goes good with watermelon?"

   "Fried rabbit, actually."

   "Wouldn't you feel self-conscious eating that?"

   "Of course not." Crissy smiled. "I shouldn't have to remind you, never mind the long ears and the fluffy tail, I'm all woman."

   "You certainly are." Roger grinned.

   "You know," Crissy got thoughtful, "I actually did think of myself as a rabbit for a while, before we got married. I wonder why. I don't think it's just the wolves acting strange in Creek Bend. Seems like my family started acting more timid a few years ago. Ate less and less meat, I noticed. When I built my dream-house, it was basically a warren. We live underground under the roots of a giant tree, Roger. We live in a bunker."

   "It's a luxurious bunker," Roger offered, "and the style of the house doesn't matter. I'd live on the moon if that's where you wanted to set up shop." Crissy smiled at Roger, but her attention was soon drawn to the noise coming from up the walk. It wasn't just produce being sold. Livestock was being judged. Unfortunately, a snake had slithered into the stables and a prize bull was going mad trying to escape. A small crowd began fleeing toward the produce area, and unfortunately, that was also the direction the bull was headed. 

   Roger and Crissy were right in the bull's pathway, and it was moving toward them with such speed that there wasn't time to run. Roger assessed the situation as quickly as he could before grabbing Crissy up in his arms and tossing her onto a bail of hay being used to divide the stands. She hadn't even landed when she looked back and saw Roger collide with the bull.

   Roger seldom displayed just how powerful a man he was, but he was now with bare hands grabbing at a rampaging bull's horns as he shifted his weight to change the bull's path into a small circle of space. He managed to hold onto the beast as it ran in circles, then he dug in and tried to calm the animal by holding it down. Roger was strong, but he wasn't as strong as a prize bull. Roger took one hand off the horns and grabbed the metal ring in the bull's nose. Twisting the ring caused the bull to stagger and stop running. Roger twisted more and the animal was forced to it's knees. By then, the animal's handlers were on the scene and taking over. Still, Roger made sure the animal was tied down before he let go of the ring.

   Roger helped Crissy climb over the stand to the side where he was. She was impressed.

   "You just wrestled a bull to it's knees!" She exclaimed.

   "Are you okay?"

   "I'm fine," Crissy smiled and stepped closer to her husband, "it was kind of fun learning to fly just then."

   "I did throw you kinda far. Are you sure you're okay?"

   "I'm perfectly okay. When we get back home, I want you to throw me like that into the swimming hole. It'll be better than a diving board!" Roger chuckled and nodded. He'd do anything her little heart desired of him.

   "We were shopping for supper before things got out of hand."

   "And I know what to have now," Crissy said, "hamburgers."

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