Right (50) by Toycoon
Jack and Ennis drove over the bridge next to Meyer's Creek then took the left fork down a short distance until they reached the end of the road. They pulled up to Hulett Pole & Post, where the sign read, "Hulett, the oldest, standing lumber mill in all of Wyoming" and drove around to the back.
There, they found Jackson, a fellow dressed in overalls and covered in sawdust, who appeared to be as old as the mill itself. He was operating an enormous band saw with easy precision. He was stout man with a warm smile, skin like tree bark and a big white handlebar mustache. He slid his goggles up onto his forehead, shut off the saw and waved Jack and Ennis over.
"Hey there, Jack! Ain't seen you around here in a dog's age. What brings you ta these parts?" he asked jovially, clapping his hands together and raising a cloud of sawdust. "My daddy wants ta rebuild our barn! We got us a new hired hand here, Ennis. Gonna try 'im out. See what he kin do!" chuckled Jack, patting Ennis on the back. Ennis nodded toward Jackson's direction. Jackson grinned. "Well, alright now," he said, pulling Jack aside and putting his hand on the back of Jack's neck, "Yer gonna need a mess o' wood for that barn. What ya wanna build, a twenty footer...?" Jackson led Jack off to the yard where huge piles lumber were stacked. Ennis wandered away to watch the logs float downstream into the pond, ride up the conveyor belt and collect in the barker.
It took several men, Jack and Ennis, over an hour to load the wood into the back of Jack's truck. Ennis secured the load with the rope. Jackson informed them that rest of the wood would be delivered the following day along with the bill. "Don't forget to say, 'hey' to yer maw and pa, Jack," and turning to Ennis said,"Nice meeting ya, young fella. I'm sure I'll see ya around!" Jack started up the truck, waved then they drove off.
The bridge creaked loudly as they drove the packed truck over it. Jack got a funny look on his face. When they got to the end, Jack slowed the truck down then stopped. "Ennis..." he said very seriously, opening the door and stepping out onto the marshy grass at the creek's edge. "What? What's the matter?!" asked Ennis perplexed.
"Ennis!" Jack quickly began to unbutton his shirt and removed it. He undid his belt, yanked it out of the loops and pulling off his cowboy boots yelled, "Last one in... is a rotten egg!" Jack ran to the edge of the bridge and dove straight into the dark water below. Tearing off his shirt, pants and boots, Ennis ran over to edge shouting, "Yer fuckin' crazy, Rodeo! Here I come!" and he jumped in, too.
They played like little boys in the creek; laughing, climbing on each another shoulders and diving into the cool water. So comfortable in the other's company, they never imagined they were being watched from a distance.