Age:
High School
Reading Level: 2.4
About the Author
Joe Novara, a retired corporate trainer and writing instructor, has published his My First Horse young adult series through Storyshares. In addition, his adult novel, Come Saturday...Come Sunday, is available through Amazon. You can learn more at joenovara.wordpress.com.
Chapter One: A New Idea
Tanya was finally visiting Zan in Detroit. And just like she promised, she came to the Finazzos' house for spaghetti night.
"C'mon, Dad," Nick's little brother begged. "Ask her about the hummingbird."
Tanya looked up from her plate of spaghetti. She raised her eyebrows.
Nick watched his father. Was he going to do it again? Was he going to tell that old joke, the one he told every new guest?
"No," Nick's father said. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I'll pass on this one. You guys gotta get me some fresh material."
Nick couldn't believe it. His father finally let go of his favorite joke.
"I know a joke about hummingbirds," Tanya said. She looked around the table. "Why do hummingbirds hum?"
Nick's brothers and sisters paused. Their forks stopped in midair. Their garlic bread was halfway to their mouths. They were too surprised to answer.
"Because they don't know the words," Tanya said, laughing.
It was silent for a count of five.
She had told their father's favorite joke and didn't even know it.
Then Nick laughed. Then his father. Soon the whole family was laughing, loud and long.
"It wasn't that funny," Tanya said. She sounded surprised. "That was Zan's favorite joke when he was in the third grade." Looking around, she asked, "Where is that kid? He was just here a minute ago."
Nick had an idea.
The light from the kitchen window showed Zan kneeling next to the kennel.
"Is that the dog he's all pumped up about?" Tanya asked, looking over Nick's shoulder. "Is that what's-her-name?"
"Uh-huh," Nick said. "Barkley."
"I guess I better go meet her," Tanya said.
Nick followed a few minutes later. He paused before stepping out of the shadows.
Zan was talking.
"This is my dog. I found her," Zan said.
"She's really beautiful," Tanya said. She scratched under Barkley's chin.
"Why can't we keep her?" Zan asked.
"We don't have any place for her in the city," Tanya said. "She'd be stuck on a leash all day and never be able to chase rabbits."
"What's wrong with the city? I grew up there. Besides, I could put a big chain on her and walk through the hood. See Jayden and Tre and Tyrene. Show them my dog," Zan said.
"She wouldn't be happy there," Tanya said.
"How do you know?" Zan asked. "I'm happy there. That's where I live."
"It's not the place for a hunting dog," Tanya said.
"See that? You treat a dog better than you treat me," Zan said.
"Huh?" Tanya said.
"You and momma don't worry about makin' me stay with Uncle Clarence, away from my friends up in Flint. But no, you won't make a dog live in a strange place," Zan said.
Nick watched his breath make five puffs of steam in the frosty night air.
"Don't you like it here?" Tanya finally asked.
"No! Why should I? I got to live alone with Uncle Clarence," Zan said. "I got to go to a new school where I don't know nobody and nobody knows me. And I got to hang with your bodyguard," he said, pointing toward the house. "Mister Clean."
Nick sucked in a cold breath of air. He stepped deeper into the shadows.
"Slick Nick, never does nothin' wrong," Zan went on. "He always knows the right way and tells you so. Man, he's worse than living with you. And I already got a momma. I don't need any more."
"You finished?" Tanya asked.
"Yeah. And I can't wait to get back home and hang out on my block," Zan said.
"Zan," Tanya said softly. "I hate to disappoint you, but you won't be seeing much of your friends."
"You and momma gonna lock me up inside?" Zan asked.
"No, actually, Jayden is the one locked up," Tanya said. "Three months in the juvenile home. His third offense."
Zan thought for a moment. "Well, I can always hang with Tre," he said.
"I haven't seen him for a while," Tanya said.
"No wonder! Ha!" Zan said. "First you and momma kick me out of the house. Then my friends don't come by. Why would Tre come see you?"
"He hasn't been going to school. His mother is worried. She thinks he's running with a gang," Tanya said.
Nick decided to leave. This was more information than he needed to know.
The following Saturday, Nick was busy cleaning the stalls at Shamrock Stables. Corky called him to her office. Zan followed behind him.
"Your Aunt Josie phoned," Corky said. "She asked me if I would start a riding program here for developmentally disabled kids."
"What's developmentally... whatever?" Zan interrupted.
"Some children are born with health problems," Nick explained. "Sara works with them after school."
"You mean kids all gimpy and twisted up? How can she stand it? Man, that freaks me out," Zan said.
"She finds something she likes in each child. Then she can look past everything else," Nick said.
"Ha! And now they want to ride a horse? Here?" Zan asked. "Hey, I can't even ride the horse I want, and I almost gave up my arm for one. Is that what it takes? Huh? An arm and a leg?"
Corky ignored Zan. She leaned back in her chair.
"I don't know about that... a therapeutic riding program at Shamrock Stables," she said. Propping her dusty boots on the desk, she asked, "What do you think, Nick, should we give it try?"
"Sounds like a good idea," Nick said.
"That's what I'm thinking too, lad. But we've got a couple of problems," Corky said.
We, Nick thought. Somehow, I'm already in the middle of it.
"Number one, we're short one horse," Corky said. "I can provide five of the six horses they need. But we have to come up with another."
"You can always use tired old Josephine," Zan said.
Corky glared at Zan for a long moment. "I've already included her," she said.
"Number two?" Nick asked.
"Money," Corky answered. "I have to pay for oats and hay for one more horse. And then they'll need a special ramp to get the kids on the horses. And lots of other things, like books, helmets, and a classroom. It all takes money."
"How much do you need?" Zan asked. He sounded like he had a roll of dollar bills in his pocket and could just peel off whatever she wanted.
Corky smiled. She would play along. "$300.00. The organization will pay some. I'll donate some. But $300.00 would cover my costs for feed for a year," she said.
"What you need is a rodeo," Zan said. "See, you could charge people to come in and see all that fancy riding and roping. And I could ride Trace. Maybe I'll get me a piece of rope to stick in my mouth and chase a baby cow. Swing a big loop over my head—"
"But really, how can we get the money?" Nick interrupted.
"Oh, and I need a cowboy hat. A white one. Yeah, that would be cool," Zan finished.
"Well, actually, Zan's on the right track," Corky said. "We'll be holding a kids' rodeo here in three weeks. Silver Dollar Western Wear on 23 Mile Road asked me to co-sponsor with them. They're doing all the publicity and I let them use my place."
"See? Western wear," Zan said. "That's the kind of place where you get a nice, white hat. Yep, that's what I need."
Swinging her feet off the desk, Corky grinned at the boy.
"Tell you what. You help out at this rodeo and I'll see that you get a white hat. How's that?" she asked.
"That's cool," Zan said. "As long as the hat doesn't come from the same secondhand box where Nick got his raggedy old boots."
Nick looked at the well-worn black boots Corky had given him last year. "What's wrong with them?" he asked.
He hooked an arm around Zan's neck and gave him a noogie.
"Ow!" the boy yelped. He rubbed the spot where Nick had ground his knuckle into Zan's scalp.
"Will you get $300.00 from the admission fees?" Nick asked Corky.
"No, not at all," Corky said. "Mostly, what I'm getting is publicity for the stables. But if you and some of your friends want to run a snack bar, you could sell soda and candy."
"I know," Zan said. "And t-shirts. I could pose for the picture on the front. Here's me with my rope in my mouth, riding Trace and wearing my white hat."
Nick closed his eyes in frustration. "But we still need a horse," he said.
"We do indeed," Corky agreed.
Out in the pasture, Zan threw a stick over Tika's head.
"Fetch. C'mon, girl. Fetch," he said.
The little horse ran away, frightened.
Zan slapped his thigh. "C'mon, girl. Get the stick. Bring it here. C'mon."
Tika tossed her head and ran toward him instead. She knocked him to the ground.
Zan shook himself off. "That's not the game I had in mind," he said.
Tika nipped him on the arm.
"Hey!" Zan yelled. "That hurt. How would you like it if I did that to you?"
The newborn bit him on the butt next. She was trying for his ribs when Zan remembered what Corky told him.
He flicked a finger on the baby horse's muzzle. She jumped back, startled. She started to nibble again.
"No!" Zan shouted. He flicked her again.
The young horse looked so surprised that the boy threw his arms around her neck.
"We're still friends. Just don't bite me. Okay? Tell you what," he said. "Let's play a different game. Do you know how to sit up and beg? How about roll over and play dead? Want to play that? I can teach you."
"Zan!" Corky called out the window from her office. "Stop bothering that poor creature. If you want to play with her, do something useful. Walk her with a lead rope. Teach her how to respond to signals."
"When am I going to get to ride a horse around here?" Zan whined.
"Ask Nick to put you on Josephine for a while. Be sure she can see and hear Tika the whole time, or she'll have quite a fuss," Corky said.
Twenty minutes later, Zan sat on Josephine. His lower lip stuck out. He poked at the oversized riding helmet that kept sliding over his forehead.
"Beat-up old nag," he complained. "Probably can't even run."
"Don't let Corky hear you talking like that," Nick warned.
Josephine nickered. Tika answered from the next paddock.
"Ha! I'm not afraid of Corky. She likes me," Zan said. He wiggled the reins. "C'mon, old lady. Let's go."
Josephine didn't move.
"Why don't you try pushing the reins forward? Kick her in the ribs with your heels and say 'Walk on,'" Nick said.
"'Walk on?'" Zan repeated. "That's not how they do it in cowboy movies." He grabbed the reins in one hand, lashed Josephine's shoulders, and yelled, "Yee-haw!"
The old mare was so startled that she stumbled into a fast trot.
Zan bounced wildly in the saddle. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" he yelled in time to the bumpy ride. "I'm going to split up the middle. What am I supposed to be doing?"
Nick was in no hurry to help out.
"You got her trotting. You figure out how to stop her," he said.
Instead, Zan bailed out. He floated from the saddle on a high bounce like jumping off a trampoline. He came down on his feet with a loud grunt, stumbled back two steps, and landed on his butt.
Corral dust swirled around Zan's head. "Okay. You win," he said. "But tell me what I'm doing wrong."
Nick gave in. He called out instructions each time Zan rode by.
"Sit tall. Shoulders back. Let go of the saddle horn and put both reins in your left hand," Nick said. "Grip with your knees. Heels down. Toes in."
Zan was getting it. He was sitting a hard trot with almost no bouncing. He looked like he was part of the saddle.
Nick was amazed.
Would you look at that? he thought. He's a natural. It took me a whole summer at Camp Wa-Tonka to learn to sit the trot. He's doing it on his first try. He's got a natural seat. No fair.
When Josephine tried to slow down, Zan urged her on.
"Oh, no you don't. This is too much fun," he said.
He poked her ribs with his heels. The mare eased into a slow, rocking-chair canter.
"Wow, look at that! Look at me!" Zan called. He turned the old mare into a wide figure eight. "Won't be long before I'm riding Trace. Ha!"
Nick could barely force himself to watch.
Chapter Two: Raising the Money
Cassidy called Nick.
"Hey, Nick. How're you doing?" she asked. "There's not much going on around South Haven. The peach harvest is almost over. Boring."
"Corky, the owner of the stable where I work, is going to host a riding program for kids with disabilities. Have you heard of that kind of thing?" Nick asked.
"No, I haven't. But if it gives kids a chance to ride, it's got to be okay," Cassidy said.
"Yeah, that's what I said," Nick agreed. "But we need to get one more horse. And we have to sell t-shirts and candy at a kids' rodeo. We need to make enough money to pay for feed for the new horse we haven't got yet."
"I've been in some kids' rodeos. They can be fun. When is it going to be?" Cassidy asked.
"Two weeks from this Saturday. There's going to be barrel racing, bull riding, team penning, stuff like that. They even have mutton busting, where little kids ride sheep," Nick said.
"I know what it is, Nick. I told you I've been in some," Cassidy said. "I wonder if I could come? Maybe enter Salim in a couple of events."
"Hey! That would be great," Nick said. "I miss Salim. And Galaxy, too."
"Well, excuuuse me. You miss my horses but you don't miss me?" Cassidy asked.
"I sure would like to see you again, too," Nick said. "And what about Ramón? Could he come too?"
"That's an idea," Cassidy said. "You know, they usually need pickup riders for the bronc events. I'm pretty sure Ramón would be interested. We're all done picking for the season. Work has slowed down to nothing at our orchard."
"Great! There's this guy I know, Carlos. He and Ramón would like each other. And I'm sure Sara would like to see Ramón again," Nick said.
"How is she doing?" Cassidy asked.
"She's learning English really fast," Nick said. "But I think she still gets homesick. For Mexico. And for you guys in South Haven."
"I bet," Cassidy said. "Tell me about the kind of horse you need for those special kids. It would have to be gentle, I guess."
"Yeah. I guess. Gentle and calm. But willing to respond," Nick said.
"Got it," Cassidy said.
"Well, I got to go," Nick said. "Let me know if you can make it over to this side of the state. If you need a place to stay, I bet my Aunt Josie would put you up. You and Sara."
"Thanks, but I'd just as soon bed down in our truck, near the horses. Maybe Ramón can stay with your buddy, Carlos," Cassidy said.
"Whatever," Nick said. "See ya."
Nick's aunt and mother were in the kitchen. He had to wait for a break in the discussion before he could interrupt.
"...so I asked my instructor if I could do something for extra credit to make sure I get a B," Nick's mother was saying. She made a familiar sucking sound through her teeth. "That's why I'm doing this report."
She finally noticed Nick in the doorway.
"So, what do you want, standing in the doorway like that?" she asked.
"Is Sara here?" Nick asked.
"She's in the girls' bedroom showing Anne Marie her new haircut," his mother answered.
"She got a haircut? But it was so long," Nick said.
He suddenly felt embarrassed. He hadn't realized that he liked Sara's straight, black hair.
"Well, don't act disappointed when you see her," Aunt Josie warned. "She's very sensitive about it. She wanted it short, like the other girls at school. Anyhow, I think it's real cute."
Nick could hear the two girls coming toward the kitchen. He plastered a sweet smile on his face, in case he didn't like Sara's new look.
"Ta-da!" Anne Marie said, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat. "The new Miss Sara!"
Sara did look different. But different and nice. Nick could tell she was pleased with the haircut.
"Muy bonita," he said.
"Yes, I think it very pretty," Sara said.
At the edge of the driveway, Nick found the crack. He bent his knees, raised the ball over his head, and lofted the shot.
Swish. Perfect.
He thought of Cassidy coming to the rodeo.
Swish.
Wouldn't it be fun to ride Trace against Cassidy and Salim?
Swish.
"Neek," Sara called. She walked along the front sidewalk. "I am wishing my childrens can ride horses by Corky's."
"Your children?" Nick asked, then remembered. "You mean the children you visit after school. The children with disabilities?"
"Yes. Very nice childrens," Sara said.
"Pueden montar los caballos?" Nick asked.
"Sí. Yes. They all can sit on a horse," Sara said.
"How many kids are there?" Nick asked. "Cuantos?"
Sara counted on her fingers. "Doce. Twelve. Six childrens study with teacher. Read about horses... Mientras?"
"While," Nick translated for her.
"While six childrens ride horses," Sara said. She stopped to think of the words. She twirled her hands in a circle around each other.
"Then they switch," Nick said.
"Yes," Sara said. She nodded in agreement. "They like so much. They happy. Especially Meredith. Very nice girl."
"But we still have to find another horse and raise the money for feed. Can you help us?" Nick asked.
"Sí. Claro. I mean, yes, of course," Sara said. She laughed with happiness and squeezed Nick's hand.
He missed the next three shots.