How My Rib Was Broken

There are a few of Yankee boys from the Bronx that work the bull ridin’ circuit. They call us The City Slickers. I’m one of them.

Well, they choose the bull you’re gonna ride by lottery, so you never know which one will be yours. I was hopin’ to get old “Swamp Thang”. He’s a big bull, but kinda’ slow and an easy ride. Instead I drew “Rocky Top”. That name says it. There is a beast of a bull. Small, but wiry and tough, with a mean disposition.

Anyway, in that circuit you get what you get, but even when I was climbing on his back gettin’ ready for the ride I knew that he was pissed. I saw him glance back at me with eyes shiny black and full of poison. In a way I liked that. If I could win on this critter I would win the match, so I gave the signal to open the gate. Well, Ol’ Rocky shot out of the chute like Fubini on a Ferrari, ran three steps, turned sharp right couple of times, then back to the left and buckin’ somethin’ fierce. I was clutchin’ the rope with my left hand while waving the other in the air and countin’ the seconds. Then that Klaxon sounded and I knew I had him beat.

I did a slick jump off his back, and like always, landed on my feet. The crowd was cheerin’, and I was smilin’, but then that animal did a quick swing around, turned his back to me and gave a powerful kick that tossed me and broke my rib right through my Kevlar jacket . When I rolled over and looked back, I swear old Rocky Top was smilin’ at me. He knew he had won!

So now you know the real reason my rib was broken. That rumor about me falling down the slick back steps in the rain, with a glass of wine in one hand and a plate of lamb chops in the other, just isn’t true. Don
11/2011
For your info, City Slicker, Swamp Thang and Rocky Top are the names of three standard line dances.