Entry #4 Flash Fiction: A Visit to My Grandparents

A VISIT TO MY GRANDPARENTS

by Patsy Reckhart

The summer I was sixteen I went to visit my Dads parents in Primghar, Iowa they never knew I exited until my Dad returned home for a visit, he said they were anxious to meet me since he had told them that I looked like his sister. They own a huge ranch several miles from Primghar, I had never been on a ranch before and everything was exciting to me, after we had a huge dinner they showed me my room that I would be staying in for the summer. They told me to get some rest as the next morning we were going to ride out to the north field they as they wanted to check the heard of black angus, there had been reports from some of the other ranchers of a large black cougar that had been following the heard. They we would leave early the next morning just as soon as we had breakfast and they said in the closet was a pair of riding breeches that had belonged to Alice and they would fit me since I was about the same size as she was. I was so excited I could hardly sleep. Early the next morning I heard the rooster crowing so I knew it was time to get up by the time I got down stairs breakfast was on the table, every one ate as fast as the could, they were anxious to get on trail, and when I got outside there was a beautiful mare saddled and waiting for me, they said her name was Molly and she was as gentle as could be. There were several other ranchers waiting since everyone wanted to find that cougar , we had been riding for about an hour when the lead man said it was time to start looking. The cattle were moving around ,when all at once someone said there it is the cattle had seen it and before I knew it my Grandmother said stay close to me ,there is going to be a stampede, we rode along trying to stay far away from the cattle, all at once I heard a shot and then another shot someone had got the cougar and all the rancher gave up a big shout of joy and just as soon as they got all the cattle settled down ,we headed back to the ranch.

Submitted by

Patsy Reckhart