In the fall accomplishment of thoroughly retooling ALL my files from the past 45 years, this gem was rediscovered. This sincrely massive retooling would not be possible, by the way, without the exceptional efforts of my wife, Judy, and our gift of grace for a year in our research assistant, Luke Hoselton. Words fail with all you've done...but, anyway, thank you...both!!!
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In the December 24, 1995 issue of the Denver Post we read this wonderful Christmas piece by Waddie Mitchell. It took us some time to track it down for permission to use...but here it is...
...so from our house to yours... Merry Christmas. May 2012 be a most blessed year for you personally...and those you love. None of us knows what the next hour holds...let alone the new year...but what we know here at the Robert's house is that God is with us...God is good...God came down...God has chosen us, warts and all, to be His!...even me!...even you!......so rejoice...!!!
CHRISTMAS AT THE CROSS...
...A cowboy tale recalls the spirit of the holiday...
...by Waddie Mitchell
We were camped at the Cross
Where the buckaroos stayed
In the winter, kind of out of the way
Of the rosin-jaws' sight
With their wagons and teams
In the days when men fork'd all the hay.
We were riding' the feed grounds
And doctor'n a few
But shackin' up when the weather got strong.
There were six of us there
Varying greatly in age
And by'n large all the crew got along.
The holiday season
Was on us again
With festivities startin' around
And the bunkhouse was busy
With five buckaroos
Sprucin' up for the big dance in town.
All but Charley was goin'
An' I didn't understand,
So I look over at Jim and I say,
"What's wrong with Ol' Charley
He ain't comin' ag'in
I believe he's Scrooge this great holiday."
"I've noticed that too,"
Was Jim's quick reply,
"He's been about as much fun as a bone.
And lately, durin' our
Bull sessions at night,
He's been lock'd in his room all alone."
"I've noticed it too,
He's been actin' some strange."
We were both interrupted by Ron,
"I got up in the night
Sometime last week
And the light in his room was still on."
"Let him brew in himself
An' just leave him be,"
Harold said with a jig in his gait.
"It's time we was headin'
In town to the dance
To show the girls how we all celebrate!"
"These guys are all calling you
Scrooge, Charley Boy--
Better come dancin' and prove 'em all wrong."
"Thanks, Gary, but no,"
Was Charley's reply,
"You boys best be gettin' along."
It was long in the mornin'
'Fore we made it back home
On that Christmas day long ago,
With our blistered feet
An' our heads in a fog
An' a new six inches of snow.
Charley met us with a smile
An' a spring in his step,
That he made sure none of us missed,
"Good mornin' fellas,
I'll tend to the chores,
Oh, by the way, Merry Christmas."
"He's rubbin' it in,"
I thought to myself
As I went down the hall to my room.
All I could think of
Was the day off in bed
To help me get over this gloom.
I flopped on my tarp
Not bother'n to
Even rid myself of my coat.
My stomach's a mess
And my head's throbbin' so
And there's a blowtorch lit up in my throat!
In addition to the discomfort
I already felt
I laid on something that made my face hurt,
So I push myself up
Try to focus my eyes
To see a bran' new rawhide quirt.
It was curious workmanship
Shot loaded to boot
An' balanced just right for my hand,
My name was on a tag
That was tied to the lash
Signed by "Santa, the jolly ol' man."
In a dumbfounded stupor
I got to the hall
To see Jim lookin' dumb as a bell,
He was holdin' a real nice
Mane hair McCarty
With slober straps tool'd up real well.
Then out came Harold
Then Gary then Ron
All holdin' gifts from Ol' St. Nick.
Every piece was handcrafted
Especially for him
And each man thought that his was the pick.
"So this is what he's
Been doin' of late,"
Harold said, "We should all be ashamed.
He's give of his talents
Effort and time
And then didn't even sign his own name."
"And here we all thought
He's been actin' like Scrooge
Cuz' some dancin' and parties he's missed.
While all of the good will
We've all shown combined,"
Gary moaned, "wouldn't start a small list."
Well, about that time
Charley comes through the door
Havin' done all the chores for the day.
And there in the hall
Stood five hung-over punchers
Gulpin' hard to find something to say.
"I'll shoe your string for you."
"I'll oil your rig."
"I'll wrangle your turn for six weeks."
"Now hold on there, boys
I didn't do this for that.
You've just all got a case of the meeks.
"If you'll give me a minute
And open your ears,
An' stop feelin' you should do somethin' for me,
I'll tell you my motives,
They're selfish as hell,
An' if you try it someday you will see.
"As you know I never married
Nor had me no kids
"Twas a saddle I chose for my life.
But I'm older now,
And my ideas have changed,
And I regret never takin' a wife.
"But be as that may
I've learned to live
With the situation I've bought,
And in the last few years
I've come to realize
That you're the only family I've got.
"Now the Lord, you see,
He gave up his life
So that mankind wouldn't perish,
An' durin' Christmas it's a tribute
To give of ourselves
To the folks that we most cherish.
"So a few years ago
For the first time in my life,
I gave of myself just a bit
An' the reward I got
From the good feelin's inside,
Was more that I dreamed I would get.
"So now I look forward
Each year to the time
When I get to play Santa's elf,
An' do a little somethin'
For the folks I hold dear
Thus assurin' rewards for myself."
That was the last Christmas
I ever spent around Charley
But I'm sure I will never forget it.
For that was the year
Five of us buckaroos
Learned a little about true Christmas spirit.
Waddie Mitchell is a cowboy poet who lives in Elko, Nevada. Reprinted by permission from the author. If you want to duplicate it in any way...please honor the writer's request for permission...call us, and we will help you get in touch with him...it may take awhile out here in the wild west...but it can be done...
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