It was Sarah Daniels. “I’m sorry to call you,” she began.
“That’s not the best icebreaker I’ve heard,” he said.
“I know you’re busy.”
“It’s fine. I don’t know what it’s doing at your house, but it’s pouring over here. So, I’m not doing much.”
“It’s pouring here, too.”
“What can I do for you?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“Not on the phone,” she said.
“Pardon?”
“Will you meet me?”
“Sarah?”
“I just need to talk.”
Jake looked out the window at the rain that was not letting up.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called.”
“No, no, it’s okay. Sure, you can come over.”
“No, I want you to come meet me at the Big Boy.”
“Bob’s Big Boy?”
“Yes.”
“Sarah, I don’t know.”
“I’ll treat you to an early lunch.”
Jake looked at the clock. It was ten. “Eleven okay?”
Jake hung up. He felt uneasy. He decided to combine the trip with a stop at the vet supply store so he could pick up deworming paste. Maybe he’d step into the tack store beside it and look at the saddles he would never buy.
At Bob’s Big Boy Jake sat in his pickup and watched the sun come out. He wanted to be at home instead, but things still needed more than a few hours to dry out. Later that afternoon maybe he could at least take the mule out for a walk. He glanced at his rearview mirror and saw Sarah enter the restaurant.
Inside, he stepped past the hostess’s station and the glass case full of big pies and cakes, saw Sarah seated in a booth by the window. He walked over and fell onto the bench opposite her.
“Sarah.”
“Thank you for coming.” She sipped her water.
“This is strange, you know?” Jake said.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“So, what’s up?”
The waitress came by. Jake picked up the menu and handed it to her. “Burger, fries, coffee. Thank you, ma’am.”
“Just a salad,” Sarah said. “And iced tea.”
The waitress left.
Sarah looked around the room and that made Jake glance around. He suddenly felt furtive and he didn’t like it.
“Sarah?”
“You helped me a lot the other day.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Not just with the horse. All that talk about not staring at the horse’s head, about looking ahead to where I’m going and not seeing obstacles. I understood what you were saying.”
“I see,” he said. “That’s good, right?” Jake looked at the now very sunny day. “And?”
Sarah sat back against the cloth-covered booth, seemed to smile slightly as she looked out the window. “I want to know something, Jake. Do you find me attractive?”
The waitress returned with the tea and coffee.
“Thank you, ma’am,” Jake said.
The waitress left.
Jake took the interruption as a chance to change the subject. “Every now and then you’re going to have a breakthrough with horses. I’ve been riding for forty years and it still happens.”
“Do you find me attractive?”
“Sarah, what’s this all about?”
“Answer the question.”
“I’m uncomfortable with the question.”
“Why?”
“I just don’t want to answer the question.” Jake wanted to get up and leave. And he also wanted to stay. “You’re a married woman.” His voice was soft, quiet. He tried to avoid whispering. He thought whispering would make him feel like he was up to something.
“Do … you … find me attractive?”
“Yes.”
“See, that wasn’t difficult,” she said.
“Is that why I’m here? To tell you that you’re pretty?”
“No.”
“I just wanted to thank you,” she said.
“For what? Listen, I’m flattered and I hope that I’m not letting some male fantasy make me think you’re coming on to me, but that’s what I’m thinking.”
“I’m not coming on to you. I’m thanking you.”
“It sure feels like you’re coming on to me,” he said.
“You convinced me to leave my husband.”
The waitress delivered the food, but Jake didn’t look away from Sarah. “Ketchup?” the waitress asked. “Ketchup?”
“No, thank you,” Jake said without looking at her.
The woman left.
“I don’t want to hear that,” he said. “About your husband.” He looked at his food. He put some money on the table. “Listen, thanks for inviting me out, but I’ve got to go.”
“What are you so afraid of?” she asked.
“I’ve got to go.” He started to stand, but stopped. “I appreciate that you’ve got troubles. I hope you find what you want. But I don’t know you, Sarah. We’re not close friends. All I wanted was for your horse to cross the creek.”
“I know, but—”
“For your horse to cross the creek,” he repeated. “Okay, I’m going now.” He gained his feet and walked out.
Things were fairly dried out by the time Jake arrived home. He stepped into his mudroom and changed into his paddock boots, then went straight for the mule. He hadn’t eaten and he was hungry, but he needed to work an animal. The mule was not eager to come to him, so he had to angle him off until he had him in a corner to halter him. He led him out and to the cross ties in the barn. The mule stepped nervously, but calmed under the currycomb.
Adolph pulled his pickup into the yard and came into the barn. “I thought it was going to rain all day,” he said.
“Seemed like it.” Jake rubbed the mule’s belly with the comb and found he liked it. “I thought we’d start worming everybody.”
“I’ll get the list.”
Jake had found a list was necessary when giving the deworming paste. One of his donkeys liked the paste so much she’d crowd in to get a second dose.
“Anybody else showing up today?” Jake asked.
“Juan went to get a new valve for the donkey’s water trough.”
“Again?”
“They tear things up.”
“Don’t forget the list,” Jake said.
“You okay?” Adolph asked.
Jake tossed the currycomb down and picked up a stiff-bristled brush. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”
“I’ll get the list.”
“Sounds good. The medicine is on the front seat of my pickup. I’m going to lunge this guy a bit and I’ll join you.”
Adolph walked away. Jake realized he’d repeated himself and called out, “And don’t forget the list.”
“Yeah, the list.”
Jake cleaned out the mule’s hooves. He was a bit unwilling to lift his left hind foot and so Jake made a mental note to watch that side during the exercise. He took him out of the cross ties and to the arena. It usually dried faster than the round pen. The mule ran like a fool clockwise around him about five times until he settled down to a long trot. He let him go for a while without asking for anything. He moved well and Jake could see no unevenness or problem with his tracking. He slowed him, then had him walk. He had a nice walk. Jake stopped him, pulled him close, and scratched his neck. He turned him and sent him off into a walk the other way. He asked for a trot and the mule gave it to him. He asked for a canter and there it was, correct lead and everything. That was good for a first time out, he thought. Always end on a good note. Always end with compliance. He reeled him in and praised him. The mule tried to rub his big head against Jake’s jacket, but Jake wouldn’t let him. He scratched the animal’s nose with his hand.