Page 11 of Worth the Fall
I stepped outside. The sun was beginning to set, and the temperature was finally bearable. “Of course, that’s what you hired me to do!”
“Well, I’ll see you there. My wife was grabbin’ some corndogs when I last saw her, and if I don’t hurry, she’ll eat mine too.”
I chuckled.
“Thank you, Miss Ford. We appreciate the effort you’re puttin’ into us.”
As he walked away, I finally noticed his shirt. It was a black long-sleeve jersey, including his name and the number twelve. I tilted my head, wondering why he would wear that andwhat it meant.
Chapter Five
The roar hit me first. It wasn’t the polite clap of a theater audience; it was a hungry riot of a crowd ready to watch adrenaline surge for two hours. The announcer’s voice was booming, letting the crowd know the rodeo was going to start in five minutes.
I had made it just in time. I made my way to a ticket booth and leaned in close so the woman in a flimsy cowboy hat could hear me. “Allegra Ford, I should have a ticket waiting.”
The woman nodded and reached for an envelope. “Enjoy the show,” she said with a thick Southern accent as she slid it to me.
I took the lanyard with an all-access pass out of the envelope and put it around my neck.
There were hundreds of booths lining the halls. Pictures, t-shirts, hats, toys–you name it, they had it–and worst of all, food. Oh my goodness, the deep-fried food trucks that surrounded me were taunting as my stomach growled. The last food I remembered eating was a sad bag of stale pretzels on the plane, hours ago.
No. I needed to focus. I could eat at the hotel after. I needed to get backstage before the show started.
Looking around at the last few latecomers trying to get to their seats in time, I realized how out of place I looked. Almosteveryone was wearing pants that were fit at the hips and thighs and flared from the knee to ankle, allowing enough room for their boots. The younger girls were wearing shorts that were cut off short enough to only cover their butts–with boots, of course. And the hats, I hardly saw the top of anyone’s head as they were all covered with straw and felt hats.
I was in my sweaty blue button-up shirt, heels that were blistering my feet, and white pants that, by some miracle, were still clean. My hair was beginning to drive me crazy, and I resisted the urge to dig in my briefcase until I found my elastic from the plane.
I made it behind the chutes right before the announcer stopped the music.
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, COWBOYS AND COWGIRLS, ARE YOU READY FOR A RODEO?” He screamed, and the crowd roared back in response. “Welcome to the biggest, baddest, most adrenaline-fueled show on dirt. We’ve got an incredible night ahead of us. The best riders, the fastest barrels, and the toughest buckin’ stock ever assembled.”
I looked around at the impressive number of animals that surrounded me. They were trained rodeo pets, not even phased by the ear-splitting volume of the crowd and the announcer.
“That’s right, we’re talkin’ about the very best of the National Rodeo Tour, and we are ready to see some records broken tonight!”
My stomach dropped to my toes as I realized I hadn’t made it in time to change whatever script Thompson had given the announcer to introduce Agri-Corp as the sponsor. Dang it. I’d need to get started on the next rodeo script before it was too late.
“Before we turn those chutes inside out and let those bullswreak some havoc, let’s hear it for the people who make this whole show possible. A huge thank you to the wranglers, the volunteers, and every one of you wonderful people who moved heaven and earth to bring us thisamazin’ show. And, folks, let’s give a special welcome to our title sponsor this year, Agri-Corp!”
Here we go. I crossed my fingers behind my back.
“Agri-Corp! The place to…” he was reading whatever paper he was given, “…to get your agriculture equipment.”
Lame. Awful. Just bad. I shook my head.
A few scattered claps were all we got.
I had so much work to do.
“Now, it’s time to settle down for just a moment. I ask you to remove your hats and bow your head with me as we say a prayer for the cowboys and girls in this rodeo tonight.” He quieted himself. “Our gracious Lord, we are grateful for the many blessings you have bestowed on us this Friday night. We ask that you let us compete tonight with safety for ourselves and for our animals.”
I was amazed at the silence in the arena.
“Help us compete in this life as honestly as the horses we ride. We ask that we may help those in need, guide those who are blind, and enjoy a clean, beautiful night in the exquisite country we live in. We ask these things in humbleness and thank you for the opportunity to gather. Amen.”
The crowd echoed an “amen.”
“Now, I ask you to turn your eyes to the center of the arena. Cowboys and Cowgirls, there’s no better feeling than being free in this country we are so privileged to call home. As we honor the greatest flag that’s ever flown, I ask you to stand, remove your hats, and remember the heroes who made thisevening of freedom possible. Ellie Nash, the stage is yours, darlin’.”
