THE GIFT
November 1983, Jack survives to make this trip.
“Ennis, let's take walk, need to work off this meal”
“We otta be headin’ back, more ‘n two hours back to Riverton.”
“Just around the block, won’t take anytime at ‘ll. Come on” Jack looks to Ennis, then back at a lot across the street oppisite the direction they are headed, satisfied with what he sees falls into step with Ennis
“All right then, but we should get a move on.” Ennis moves to walk in step with Jack.
They are both enjoying their stroll. Ennis who can count the times on less than one full hand the times he has been to Rawlins in his lifetime is looking about, seeing the feed store, etc. When they’re almost to the street to where Jack parked the pair pass Fairmont Ford Lincoln-Mercury, On the new vehicle lot aside from a white Mercury Marquis wagon with fake wood on the sides, a teal green Ford LTD II sedan and a silver Thunderbird are twelve Ford pickups in various configurations , full size models except for two Rangers. All of these are parked facing the street except one. It is a brand new 1984 F-150 XLT long bed two tone white and blue, nice factory sport wheels, Dura-Line plastic bedliner, parked in the lot parallel to the street. Hooked on the back is a brand new Featherlite two axle horse trailer at a slight angle so as to fit on the lot. Jack stops, tilts is head to the lot. looks to Ennis. “Come on, let’s take a look”
The last thing Ennis ever wants to do is to look at new trucks he could never afford. He looks down hands in pockets. “Naw, go ahead if you want, I’ll just stay here.” not wanting to disappoint Jack.
“Aw come on bud. It never hurts to look” Jack gives Ennis’s arm a gentle tug.
Ennis very reluctantly follows Jack still looking down. Jack walks over to the F-150 with the horse trailer, examines it, pats fender. “What do you think of this one?”
Ennis barely looks, turns away. “It’s alright I guess.”
“Bet a fella would have no problem haulin’ a couple a horses in this rig.” said Jack in his best salesman’s banter.
“Let’s go Jack, we gotta get back., huh.” Ennis is antsy to leave.
Jack pulls out a large clear plastic envelope with Fairmont Ford Lincoln-Mercury printed on it from his jacket, tosses it to Ennis, tilting his head at the truck and trailer. “It’s yours Ennis."
“Wh……What” looking at Jack.
“The truck and trailer, it’s yours” Jack looking Ennis in the eyes. “You deserve it Ennis, work hard all you life…..” Jack comes over to the drivers door by Ennis reaches around and opens it, squeezes Ennis’s shoulder, gives him a hearty pat on the back.
Ennis is dumbfounded, looks blankly inside, unable to take this all in. “I can’t take……it…it’s to much.”
Jack, hand resting on Ennis’s back . “It’s all right Ennis, all bought and paid for, registration, insurance, title, truck and trailer, everything’s in that packet, extra keys too. Yours Ennis.”
“Jack, I….can’t…….I never could……. have……I can’t accept….” Ennis stammers.
“Don’t cha like it?" Jack feigning disappointment.
“This….this is the prettiest truck I ever seen…….” Looks at the truck, touches the outside of the cab, runs his hand on the finish, rubs the door molding.
“It’s alright Ennis”. Jack said in his most gentle voice.
Ennis confused, unable think clearly. “Jack you gotta make ‘m take it back”
On queue Jack begins to walk away. “To late bud, papers there say it belongs to a Mr. Ennis Del Mar of Riverton Wyoming” . Jacks voice trails away.
Ennis, who realizes Jack is no longer standing next to him. “Jack….Jack, you come back here.”
Jack sees Ennis breaks in to a youthful sprint to his truck. “Whooaa…..”Jack looks back at Ennis, breaks in to a wide playful grin.
“Damn you Jack, you come on back here…..”. Ennis starts after Jack.
Jack reaches his truck, opens the door, stands wide smile in the opening. “ENNIS.” Jack shouts.
Startled Ennis stops in his tracks for just a moment.
“Drive safe cowboy!” said Jack, with a wink grins back at Ennis, timing just right, jumps in, starts up and drives away.
"Damn you!….Jack f….g Twist, you come back here, where do yr’ thinks you goin’ . Huh?" Ennis is running after Jack’s truck. “How the hell am I s’ posed get back to Riverton now? Huh?……. Come on Jack……what the hell……do ya think yer doin‘?…….get your ass back here!” Ennis running down the street after Jacks, his truck getting smaller and smaller, then turning toward the highway. “Damn! What am I supposed to do now? Huh?” Looking down, Ennis sees he is still clutching the packet from Fairmont Ford Lincoln-Mercury.
Back at the lot, hardly able to even breathe Ennis looks into the trailer, seeing oak floor, safety harnesses for the horses in place, two water fountains up front for the horses, brand new shovel and push broom hooked on bracket on one side. Ennis open one of the lockers and sees four brand new striped woolen horse blankets , thick of the best quality. He pulls one part way out and sees ‘Thunder’ embroidered, another says ‘Lightning’. Inside the other locker are two brand new harnesses with reins, two new leather bridals, coil of the best rope, a stocked medicine shelf with various vitamins, remedies, first aid, etc. Ennis is overwhelmed.
Looking in the cab he notices for the first time a clutch pedal and large cane type gearshift for the heavy duty 4 speed tranny with an extra low granny gear. Ennis remembered all the times he drove Jack’s trucks, telling him he had no use for the automatic transmissions they had. On some of his employers ranch trucks he had always found that extra low gear useful but the only two pickups he ever owned had a ‘three on the tree’
Down on the floor of the passenger side Ennis for the first time sees a large bucket, inside are several containers of carnauba wax, polish, bug and tar remover, carpet cleaner, tire brush, wash mitt, sprayer, several chamois‘s , tire pressure gage, car wash soap and a envelope with ‘Ennis' written on it. Ennis pulls it out.
Ennis
I know you will always keep your truck spic and span..
I’m nothing nowhere if I can’t never see you bud.
Jack Ennis fishes out his keys, pushes in the clutch, starts his truck, listens to the 351 V8 engine idle quietly, slips it into low, pulls out of the lot and starts to makes his way to HWY 287/720. As he settles the his new Ford at a cruising speed , thankful he didn't have to trust his old pickup on this long cold lonely two lane highway, its heater long ago bypassed when a hose ruptured. Sunset looming on his left, Ennis relaxes at bit enjoying the smooth ride, stretches out on the comfortable cloth bench seat still feeling the warmth and welcome muscle soreness of their steel embrace, now many hours passed back at the lake, each holding on so hard so the other wouldn’t feel him shake, facing away when they finally pulled apart so as not to see the other's tears, yet each knowing both of their faces were wet. Jack, with whom he always felt so safe, always the comforter, protector, protecting him now as he drove back to Riverton. God, Ennis thought it felt so good to have Jack in his arms, faces pressed together, waking up wrapped around him, maybe……just maybe……
More that three hours had passed before Ennis finally saw the first lights of Riverton thru the windshield, still distant in the horizon. With the trailer in tow on the narrow highway he didn’t want to take it much above 50MPH. Not having made this trip often Ennis missed the Hwy 287 split at Windy Gap to Lender and had to backtrack a few miles. When he had gotten almost halfway, just outside of Jeffery City, he had to pull over for a while, Ennis could no longer hold back his tears.
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