Midnight & Daylight

In 2008, Mr. Fry hired a guy to do some dirt work for us, mainly setting the culvert pipe across the dry creek bed that divides our long, narrow property in half. As a birthday present, he also paid to have an area leveled and tilled for my round pen. Pix and the original story here.

The dirt guy (Dave) was a real Texas character with a twangy drawl as thick as guacamole. A conversation ensued in which he insulted my sweet little Jazu, saying Arabians were about the "ugliest, most worthless breed there is". About Poco, he said, "I wuz gonna ask yew if ya only rode THAT one at night." My reply: "Mister, you can insult my husband; he can defend himself. But if you're going to insult a lady's horse, the NEXT time I see you, it better be with your hat in one hand and a lead rope attached to a mighty nice pony that you intend on handing over to me in the other!" I was only half kidding. Apparently, he raises paints and QHs.

That story has made the rounds, and to this day, Mike calls Poco my "midnight pony" or just "Midnight". One day earlier this Spring, I returned home from having ventured down the road solo on Poco, and heard a truck slow behind me as I was opening the gate. I turned around to see Dave grinning at me.

"I see you been ridin' Midnight."

"Yeah," I said weakly, as he continued on his way.

Meanwhile, they needed some dirt work at Iron Ridge, and asked for a recommendation. I gave them Dave's contact info, and then forgot all about it.

Fast forward to last weekend, when I sold some stuff that's been laying around. After the people left, Mike and I were talking, and he said, with that twinkle in his eye that I adore, "Ya know, it looks to me like somebody is saving up for a daylight pony."

"And what would you say to that?"

(eyeroll) "Now what the hell am I gonna say?"

Woohoo, green light!

So last Sunday, I put some money down on Streaker Daltrey. Heather let it slip in conversation that Dave had been there, seen my Boyz, made the connection, and picked up where he left off trashing my Pokey pony to her and Jason! So now all my barn buddies know the story, too.

I suspect Mr. Fry will be dubbing the baby "Daylight".