The Bull

As the sun sets, a lone figure stands against the horizon. A herd of cattle lumbers into the barn for the night. His shadow is long. One of the cows getting close to the shadow rears her head as if it were alive and would react to her being near. Then over the horizon, a massive shadow appears. Two large horns jut out of the creature's head, giving it a powerful presence. The young man watches the bull trek to the barn. His massive body packed with muscles making him a fierce presence. The young man gives a simple whistle without saying a word, and his horse follows behind the bull. He closes the gate while still in the saddle, and with a precise movement, the horse takes off toward the house. He takes the saddle off the horse and walks him over to his fenced-in area and places his head against the horse's head, and says, "I love you, my friend."

He pats the horse as he closes the gate behind him, turns, and walks into the house. Upon entering, he finds he has several messages. The first message, "Jake, this is Ted. How are Ya? I'm wondering what your schedule is like for the weekend this weekend? It's been a while since we had a get-together. Maybe we should have a cookout or something fun?" Jake stands quietly, presses the button for the second message, "Hi, Jake, this is Daisy. How are you? Just wondering how things have been; give me a call back when you have time." Then he presses the button for the third message, "Hello, Jake. This is Tom. I am calling about your car warranty." Then he burst out laughing, giving himself away. "So much for me trying to pull a prank, right? I guess you've figured out this is Tom. Just wondering about you, buddy; give me a call, ok, just need to hear from you."

Jake turns around, facing the kitchen, and says out loud. "Well, this could be a busy weekend." He sits down on the couch. It's been years since all of us have been together. How did they all manage to call at the same time when they've not talked to each other since that night years ago?

Jake picks up the phone, and one by one, he calls his friends. Daisy is the first to answer, "Hello Jake! Long time!" He responds, "Hello, Daisy! Want to come up for the weekend?" "Sure, I was hoping you would invite me. I could use some time away!" Great, do I need to send a car? "Oh, Jake, would you? That would be great." He says, "Great, I'll send a car for you Friday. Be ready at around six PM, ok?" Jake dials Tom is the next to answer. "Hey, guy! how are you?" Tom exclaims, filled with excitement. Jake says, "Want to come up for the weekend?" Tom says, "I thought you would never ask. Of course, I do!" Jake asks, "Do I need to send a car?" Tom says, "No, I have a new Jeep. I'll get to test it out on your roads." They both laugh. Jake then says, "Great be here around eight PM Friday." Then the last to answer is Ted, "Yo, Yo, Mr. Jakester! How are you, my friend? I have been dying for some me and you time!" The two men talk a while, then Jake asks, "Do you want to come up for the weekend?" Ted says, "I would love it." Jake then asks, "Do I need to send a car?" Ted says, "I would love that!" Jake responds, "I can do that. This is going to be an awesome weekend!"

The two men hang up. Jake then lays down in the bed and begins to think. "What if this all backfires? They don't know that they are going to meet each other this weekend. This weekend could end badly." He pulls his clothes off all but his socks and underwear and gets in bed. That night he tosses and turns with tortured dreams.

"Daisy was far too friendly with all the men around before; yeah, they were only friends, but man, that doesn't look nice. Ted hates her. Tom hated Ted, and they quarreled frequently. However, they are all three great people, and all three are very dear to me. The question is, what will they do when they are together this time?"

Jake tosses and turns, and finally, Friday arrives; the sun rises, he cleans house, and then he calls on two of his best hands to go pick up his friends. "Joe, can you take the Jeep and pick up Daisey? and Kelly, can you picky Ted?" Then throwing the keys to the Hummer to Kelly.

The men hop in the trucks and take off.

He hears a Mo and then a calamitous thud. It's so loud it sounds like someone is tearing the barn down. He looks out the window, and to his horror, there is the bull lose and rampant. In a flash, he grabs his boots, putting on one and then hopping, trying to put on the other, then out the door.

He holds the saddle, and his horse comes to him instinctively. He thrusts the saddle on the horse's back, tightens the harness, then puts bridle in its mouth, adjusting the bit. In two steps, he's on the horse's back. His equestrian knowledge shines through and highlights how he has perfected the training with his horse. This man is no second-rate cowboy or brooding charlatan. This man is a true expert at herding cattle. He and the horse dash off after the bull.

Lights appear first two, then four, then six, as Jake's guests begin to arrive. They pull up into the driveway. Daisy is the first to get out. "Oh, this place is amazing." A tone of amazement in her voice.

Then Ted's car appears over the horizon. He gets out and is in awe. "Wow, no wonder he doesn't want to leave this place. It's amazing here". Then, Tom pulls in the gravels, scooting under his wheels as he comes to a stop. He opens the door, "Wow, look at this!" The evening sky is vibrant with beautiful orange, red, blue-black yellow, against rolling mountains. The trees are tall, and as the evening wears on, they lose their color, making the perfect blackened outline for a masterpiece artwork. Kelly opens the door to the house and puts Ted's stuff inside, and says, please make yourself at home. Jake will be back in a few minutes.

Daisy sees Ted, "Hello Ted, I didn't know you were coming this weekend!" Ted responds, "I didn't know you were either!" The two hugs and talk briefly, then Tom enters the house. Daisy and Ted stand there shocked but greet Tom. After an hour, Jake returns and welcomes all of them. "I am sorry I had to put the bull up, he's a big boy, and I can't allow him to be out and just stay out."

They stand delighted to see each other. Daisy hugs Jake; Tom hugs Jake, then Ted, let's all have a seat and talk. When was the last time we were all together?" Tom says, "That night in Mexico." Daisy responds, "Oh yeah, I remember that night." Ted says, "I don't remember it!" As he makes an awkward face as if he were faking what he was saying. Jake says, "Yeah, I am sorry about that too." Daisy says, "Nothing to be sorry about with me. We've all done worse." Tom laughs, "I've done worse this past week." Elbowing Jake awkwardly. Ted says, "Eh, I got over it." They all laugh, "You did wind up in jail naked that night, didn't you?" Jake says, "Yes, he did, and it was my fault." Ted says, "No, I shouldn't have been drinking." Tom says, "I wound up with a busted nose and still have no idea how that happened." Daisy says, "That was the barmaid, well the barman you thought he was a she and were a bit too friendly." The four laugh gleefully. Jake says, "The fun we had."

Tom asks, "Jake, why didn't you settle down and have a family?" A moment of dreadful silence looms over the conversation. "I guess it's time we had this conversation." They all turn toward him, "I'm gay." Daisy says, "Called it." Tom says, "Awe, man." and begins digging in his pockets. Ted says with a very shocked look on his face, "You are just now telling us this? Why would you tell us this late in the game?" Jake stammers a second. "I don't know. I couldn't just blurt it out. I was afraid I would lose you all." Ted looks at him angrily and says, "You lost us anyway! We were not a part of your life!" Daisy says, "He does have a point, but we do love you anyway." Tom hands daisy a $10.00 bill and says I still owe you $10.00. Jake stands there looking at them, "You mean you bet money that I was gay?" Daisy says, "Yep." Tom says, "Yep," Ted says, "Yep" I owe her $20.00 too. For the record, I argued you weren't".

They stand around talking and laughing for a while. Jake says, "I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders." Daisy says, "Good, you should have done that a long time ago." Ted says, "Next time, don't keep secrets from us, ok? You make us feel like we're not your real friends when you do that." Tom walks over to him and says, "And for the record, I would have done you in college." The four of them burst out laughing. Jake says, "Tom, you, my friend are over-sexed" Tom laughed and said, "True, but we knew that." With a comical and sarcastic tone. Jake turns around and looks at Tom and says, "Why haven't you settled down?" Tom says, with a straight face, "I'm a lot more like you than I care to admit." Daisy laughed and said, "Oh, a blossoming bromance." The four laughs and sit having dinner.

Then Tom leans over out of the blue and kisses Jake on the cheek, and says, "Thank you for inviting me up here this weekend." Jake sits there, astounded that his friend just did that to him. In a split second, a flash of confusion also accompanied that kiss on the cheek. Jake sits quietly and is suddenly sexually stimulated. He had never considered his friend someone of interest before, but things have changed in one split second, and he now sees Tom as a handsome man. Jake can feel his blood pressure rise, his face flush. Tom was experiencing the same excitement. Jake puts his hand on Tom's, and they sit there for a while, neither saying a word. Tom responds by gently caressing Jake's hand with his fingers. Tom leans over and whispers, "I wish you would have done that years ago." Jake says, "I do too now." They smile at each other.

Daisy sits with Ted talking. Ted says, "This is an awesome weekend! I am so glad we did this." Tom says, "I am too now." Jake adds, "Yeah, me too." Daisy says, "Yeah, me too. Although, I feel like one of us should be dating Count Mippipopolous" Then a thunderous boom from the barn. Jake says, "Oh boy, that spells trouble." They all rush to the barn to see what's going on.

They find the bull very unhappy with the present situation. Tom says, "What kind of cows are those?" Jake says, "This breed is called Limousin." Then Jake leans over and kisses Tom on the mouth, and everything quietens down that night.