Grace on the Range

When I stumbled across this painting it spoke a loud and clear story to me. A story of good fortune and romance. How common is the question we ask of another couple, "How did you two meet?"

 

 

Grace on the Range

Well it still makes me smile just thinkin' on it
I'm glad you asked since you oughta' know
So get comfy and I'll tell you the sweet story
Of just how it came to be so

 

Ever' once in a great while
If a man keeps doin' good in this world
He overwhelms the laws of compensation
An' grace flows so much his toes get curled

 

Such was a day of grace that I had
When ridin' west across our range
Way back in the nineteen thirties
Stray stock I was tryin' to rearrange.

 

My bay and I hadn't had much luck
The sun was beginnin' to set low
When her ears a' sudden pricked north
So, what the heck, I let 'er go

 

We trotted off a short ways
And were surprised clearin' o'er a rise
To see a truck in the middle of nowhere
Broke down I did quickly surmise

 

Once we got up close enough
I was shore ‘nuff blessed to see
A sittin' there on the runnin’ board
A lonely cowgirl just as purty as can be

 

I dismounted quickly all flustered
Forgettin' to doff my hat
“'Afternoon ma'am, need help?
I could surely fix you that flat”

 

She looked up with a sweet smile
That powerful weakened my knees
Couldn’t think of what to say
So I blurted, “That is if you please”

 

“I've changed wheels before", she said,
"But I cain't get the jack to crank
So it ain't like I'm not able.
Would you kindly give it a yank?”

 

I introduced myself kinda' stumblin’
She offered her name was Grace
I grabbed that jack up off the ground
Prayin’ for God's strength just in case

 

She knelt down right beside me
Helpin' me put the jack in place
All a' girl smellin' of Ivory soap as
A strand of her hair blew into my face

 

I suddenly knew I'd been delivered
The strength of an eighteen hand horse
I jacked that truck up so fast
I nearly used too much force

 

We quickly got the flat tire removed
And off the fender mounted up the spare
Somehow our teamwork inspired me
To thinkin' we were a right fine pair

 

Don't know how I got the nerve
But seein' she wore no ring
I heard my voice askin’ for a date
She nodded an' I swear I heard angels sing

 

Well one fine week led to another
The boys teasin' me bout my steady smile
Her family ranched over some east of us
I even met her folks after a while

 

We got to be 'bout inseparable
I purty much thought only about her
She made me want to be a better man
A solid future for us to ensure

 

One Sunday after church
They invited me over for a meal
So I brought along the ring
On her front porch I would kneel

 

But first I asked her father
Could I have his blessing?
He didn't answer at first
Just teasin’ to keep me guessing

 

She jumped for joy when I knelt
Hugging me 'til I thought I'd smother
Anyway that's the story Son
Of how I met your grandmother

 

By, Rik Goodell

 

© 2021 All rights reserved

 

This poem was inspired by a Fred Fellows painting,
"A Cowboy's Lucky Day". I am honored to have his
permission to use it here to accompany my work.

 

His paintings have been featured on the cover of 17 issues
of the Western Horseman Magazine as well as articles in
Arizona Highways, Newsweek, Southwest Art, Art of the
Rockies and Western Art Collector.

 

Mr. Fellows' work can be seen at https://www.fellowsstudios.com