Boots and the 6's

Thursday morning.

Jaymme and I started toward the courthouse.  The wind had picked up this morning.  It was plenty cold.
I began to meet some of the office folk.  Everyone was really friendly.  It was a neat experience.  I had never worked in an office before, but it was everything and more from what I have seen on television...  the 9-5, occasional visit from a co-worker/friend, eating lunch together discussing the latest and greatest, etc.

I heard a set of spurs coming down the hallway.  Not as loud and brisk as Ross's spurs were.  These were a bit more gentle. casual sounding.  It must have been Boots, my next tour guide.  Boots O'Neal... he is a true legend, just like Ross.  The National Cowboy & Western  Heritage Museum, in Oklahoma City recognized Boots with the Chester A. Reynolds Award in April.  Amongst other things, this award honors the strong commitment of individuals and groups that live by the connected ideals and hard work of ranchers and cowboys.  "Dedicated to or promotion of the ideals of, honesty, humility and integrity that are closely identified with the American West".

One of the first things I had noticed about Boots was his humble smile and his clear, blue eyes.  He took me around the town, explaining it's affiliation with the 6's ranch.  Most everyone living in the town, worked at the ranch, or the school.  He took me to the headquarters.  The main house was beautiful.  Three stories of earths grand stone.  I was impressed to learn the ranch had been passed down to women in the Burnett family since 1900.

After taking a peak inside the supply house/convenient store, the rodeo ring and ranch housing, we I was honored to be invited into the headquarters main house.  The woman, Louise, who had brought me supper the night I met Jammye, was working in the office there.  It was a great surprise to see her again.  She invited me to have dinner with them at the house.  Of course I accepted... all the food I have had in these cookhouses have been nothing but hardy, homemade, heaven.  After a small gander around the beautiful mansion, and meeting the people that make the ranch function, we headed over to the horse barn.  He took me to another cookhouse, for the people that work with horses specifically.  It also smelled delicious and had a pleasant feel of security.  The women exuded happiness.  After making some coffee and enjoying the all around jolliness, we headed back outside to walk around the barn, towards the clinic.  It was a lot to take in, but well maintained, clean, and organized.  Boots was having a ball telling people we encountered around the ranch about my story, of riding a bike for the past year.  He is a simple, hard working man... just like Ross... in yet they seem to be quite different people... in fact almost opposite in a way... although, they have been buddies for about 30 years now.

After walking through and watching how the ranch is run so smoothly, he showed me how Anne (the owner of the 6's) takes such good care of her loyal staff.  He told me about his wife, who passed, now, 7 years ago.  Of course I started to tear up listening to him about her... his love is still there 7 years later.     The love for his duties keeps him going.  You can tell, he still has a passion for riding and roping.  He thrives with the people around him.  He is a steady and balanced man.  I feel very fortunate to have crossed paths with him and honored I was able to visit with him for a few hours.