He Rode Tall

excerpt

the cattle toward and then through the gate. The last heifer put
up a bit of a fuss, but when Joel dismounted and guided her to the
gate opening she eventually scooted through. He securely tied the
gate closed, saddled up, and headed back to the ranch yard. He
was pleased with the way the sorrel gelding handled himself. He
was solid and moved the heifers very nicely as Joel directed him.
This was the horse’s first face-to-face experience with cattle.
“Must be genetics,” Joel thought as he and the gelding traveled
the ancient pathways, tracing their steps back down out of the
hills to the ranch yard of the Circle H.
Early that evening, Joel climbed into the truck and drove into
Willow Springs to see what had been collecting in his mailbox.
The drive through the quiet beauty of the peaceful hills was
pleasant. Joel loved surveying the country as he drove. Usually,
he would spot some wildlife, especially at this time of day, with
dusk just around the corner. This trip was no exception. Twice
he surprised a doe and a fawn grazing in the ditch along the road.
And once, he startled a small band of six antelope crossing the
road on the far side of a hill. Usually, Joel found the antelope to
be very cautious and committed to staying in the distance, but
with the wind blowing against him in the truck, he suspected
that they didn’t hear the approaching motor before he crested the
hill. But as soon as they heard it, in a flash, all six bounded into
the distance.
Joel’s trip to town was rewarded with a diverse collection of
mail. Usually, his mail contained an interesting assortment of
flyers, agricultural newspapers, and bills—things he could do
without. For a guy who used to begin and end each day glued to
CNN, Joel was starting to enjoy being cut off from the constant
bombardment of news and everything else that passed as news.
He was pretty certain that all of that other stuff, whatever it was,
was continuing to happen, but he didn’t care. And even if he did,
what could he do about it anyways? He was having as much
impact on it now as he did before, which was nothing; only now,
he was able to clear his mind of all of that stuff—all the noise.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0980897955

Water in the Wilderness

excerpt

she led the way over the crusty snow to the sidewalk and down the block until they were out of sight of the house.
The few houses along the street were still in darkness. No one seemed to be up and around yet. Rachael relaxed and stopped walking. She put her doll and the food sack on the ground, and pulled Bobby towards her so that she could button his coat up to his chin. He didn’t speak, and still appeared to be in a trance. Rachael picked up her things and they started out again.
When they came to the end of the block, the realization hit her that she had no idea which way to go. Panic seized her, and tears sprang to her eyes but she blinked them away. She had to think. Standing on the corner under the streetlight she suddenly felt very afraid. They had to move, so she grabbed Bobby’s arm and propelled him in the direction where she felt sure they would find the street with all the stores. From there she would have a better idea which way to go.
“I’m cold, Rachael. How far we have to go?”
The sound of Bobby’s voice startled her, and she glanced around in alarm, fearful that someone had heard him. Then she realized he had spoken only in a loud whisper.
“It’s a long way yet. But if we walk fast, we’ll keep warm.” She didn’t know if that was really true, but it was what their mom used to say when she tried to hurry them. And it seemed to work in one way, because Bobby picked up his pace.
They reached the end of the next block, and Rachael led Bobby around to the right. But as she turned the corner, she saw movement a little distance behind them, and she swung her head around in alarm. Sure enough, someone was walking towards them. She could see only a dark outline, but it appeared to be moving quickly. Grabbing Bobby’s hand she propelled him into the next street, and set off at a run.
Bobby couldn’t keep up the pace; she should have known that. So she slowed to a walk again. Their footsteps on the crunchy snow seemed too loud, Bobby’s gasps for breaths frightening, but she kept on. Suddenly she became aware of other footsteps coming up behind them, moving fast.
Rachael felt her wildly beating heart jump into her throat.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/192676319X

The Circle

excerpt

She looks at him and her mind travels to the gulf with all the beautiful marine
life he has been telling her about. Yes, he does think of her and their future
together. Now she feels happy, and after all, perhaps it would a good idea to get
away for a while; what does she have holding her here other than Jennifer, who’s
moving in with Hakim after they find a new place? Yes, perhaps a short trip will
be good for her, for both of them.
“How expensive is a trip to Iraq, Talal?”
“Why do you worry your mind with the expense, sweetheart?”
“Well, don’t we have to fly there and get accommodations?”
He laughs at her way of pointing all this out to him.
“You still look at things the American way, my sweet Emily,” he says. “We
don’t see it that way. I have the money and I’m going to pay for our trip,” Talal
says.
Emily smiles at him, “You are right; on the other hand it isn’t the end of the
world, I don’t mind paying my way.”
“We’ll worry about that when the time comes.”

---

Hakim Mahdi is at his office looking up some data for their upcoming promotional
campaign regarding new products they have just developed. He has
seen Peter Bradshaw and both have agreed on the format their marketing
effort should take. They have to pass it by Lorne and then it’s on its way to the
clientele.
Hakim is absorbed in his work when Peter comes by his office and stops in.
He takes a seat and looks at Hakim, as if expecting to hear something from him.
When Hakim says nothing, Peter says, “I expect to get in the loop with what
happened in New York.”
“Close the door, Peter,” Hakim says.
Peter Bradshaw gets up and closes the office door, then sits.
“Peter, are you happy with the direction this company is taking?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think we could do better? I mean, do you think the price of our
shares in the market could be better if we launched a new, different line of
products?”
Peter Bradshaw smells something brewing on the sidelines and his mind runs
to the best direction he has to take. He says he agrees the price of their shares can
certainly be improved if they address a couple of issues.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0978186524