Bull-Bison Rodeo, Part I

I was drifting west through old Wyoming, to see if ranches were hiring, it had been some weeks since I’d gotten work, sought a new scene to see what it might bring. I was somewhere just east of Yellowstone, the sun settled, it soon would be dark, in the shadows I saw a great bison grazing on grass, just outside of the park. He was a tall and robust animal, with huge horns and a big, shaggy coat, I took out my phone to snap a picture, the flash of light stuck the beast like a blow. With an angry roar, he began to charge, his sharp hooves churning up the soft earth, I shrieked like a fool, then turned and ran, my two legs pumping for all they were worth. It was a hopeless, lop-sided race, I had no chance of beating such a beast, and from the drumming filling my ears, it was clear he was nearly upon me. I do not know what possessed me to jump, must likely it was just blind panic, but I leapt and his horn snared my backpack, then he started, jerking around, frantic. He bucked me about, the whole world flashed, moving much too fast for me to see, then I at last landed flat on his back, and the bison took off, running quickly. But run as he might, he couldn’t get clear, the pack-strap was twisted around his horn, I was too jumbled to try and grab it, and could just cling to this beast mad and scorned. In the bucking and twirling I saw lights, and though I could hear the roar of a crowd, then shouts of surprise as we drew closer, what the hell could be happening now? Next came a sound like snapping metal, it was the breaking of some soft of gate, then the beast stopped, finally I flew off, what I found I couldn’t anticipate. I saw up slowly, great pain in my ribs, and found myself in a small rodeo, two cowboys before me, and a large bull, who sized up the bison for a go. On all fours I scrambled fast for the rails, the beasts charged in a bellowing clash, those cowboys tried to lasso them both, but the titans were moving too fast. Bison and bull, their horns locked in battle, back and forth went the squabbling pair, the crowd just roared louder, loving the show, whether this was planned they did not care. I reach the rail, and folks helped me over, was still so shook up that I couldn’t stand, some people called for the paramedics, one laughed,’That was more than eight seconds man!” CONCLUDES IN PART II.