Boys Being Men
By T. Delaplain
Dear Momma,
I’ll send home my pay when we gets to town again. Mighty hard for Dad to keep food on the table when he’s got his head in a bottle and his fists up.
The Army camp ain’t bad and the chow is good. I spend half my time green breaking and the other half picking wounded soldiers outta the dirt. I save the dead broke mounts for the guys who’ll listen but I can always find a nasty green broke mare for the others. I reckon it ain’t Christian but it makes for some great stories.
Love,
E
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Photo credit to Nathan Sowers
My Dad was 14 years old when he left school to work. He kept his family of 12 fed with meager pay as a Calvery horse whisperer. A green broke horse means that they’ll accept a saddle, on a good day. Dead broke means, the horse accepts a saddle and in general is bomb proof. Many a story came out of those days of working for the Army. An arrogant city slicker rarely got the best of a smart ass Montana boy.
Saddle up and write a 100 word tale at Friday Fictioneers.
The less~than~articulate speech makes it more believable. The fact that it’s from real experience adds quite a lot to it too.
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Thank you
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Great voice, Tracey
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Authentic I hope for a 14 year old ranch hand in the 1930’s. Thanks Neil
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Beautiful–and funny. Thank you for the translation. And it’s good to see you back. 🙂
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Thank you, I never wander too far but it’s nice to be back with my Fictioneers. I like to keep you all up to date on your Western US vernacular.
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LOL. Serves them right. You got it right about Montana boys.
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I inherited that Montana sass with a little Nevada Wild Wild West flare. Ha ha
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Intriguing little snippet Tracey, well done.
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Thanks Iain
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I really appreciate your explanatory notes at the end–helped clarify this wonderful story.
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I just can’t stick to 100 words. Thank you
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Love this very original take, Tracey! The voice is fabulous.
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Thanks Dale. My parents often fell back on this type of speech when they went home to Montana. My cousins will often write this way on Facebook. Nevadans actually have Californian accents, in general.
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😀
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Love this Tracey! Love that voice, love the colloquialisms, the MC’s views on the army and on the men who irritate him. One of my favourites this week
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Ironically, my father was drafted in WWII into the Army at age 26 and served in the European theater as a heavy equipment operator. He lived an interesting life. I was born when he was 42.
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It certainly sounds like an interesting life!
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A great tale made all the more interesting by your footnote. Nice one.
Click to read my FriFic tale
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Thanks Keith. I love to re-tell my Dad’s stories. I think he might have approved, despite my embellishments. The Irish are big on embellishment. Ha
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Enjoyed this and thanks for the background.
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I’m glad, thank you for riding by.
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Dear Tracey,
How happy I am that this photo lured you back to the FFFold. There’s a whole back story in the first two lines. Thank you for the explanation or I’d still be scratching my head. The voice sets the stage. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thank you. Some western vernacular just isn’t common knowledge. I like to keep y’all informed. Thanks for indulging my extra words.
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A well told story with sprinkles of your families truth.
I enjoyed both the explanations and where you took the prompt, Tracey.
Welcome back from the wedding festivities …
Isadora 😎
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Thank you Isadora. As you know, there’s nothing better than seeing your child find the perfect mate. It was a lovely wedding.
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You all looked stunning. She’s a beautiful bride. I’m sure they’ll have a wonderful life together … which as you say … is all we really want for our children.
Blessings to all 🙏🏻 Cheers 🍷
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I love the voice in this story, Tracey and also the fascinating “horse” vernacular, e.g. dead broke and green broke.
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You never know when these phrases might come in handy. Ha ha Thanks for riding by.
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Tracey, I can guarantee those phrases will get used – I loved them. So simple and vivid.
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interesting story. i find it credible enough. well done.
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I love your stories from your dad’s colourful life!
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Thank you
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“Mighty hard for Dad to keep food on the table when he’s got his head in a bottle and his fists up.” What a great sentence! You tell us so much about the youth and his family background with those few words. Nice story, and I like that you’ve told it in letter form.
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Thank you
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I tried to comment on your FF post but your site wouldn’t allow me to comment. I’m using an iPad so I think your theme is not mobile compatible. That can be a problem obviously. It also loads slowly and the pages jump around when I try to comment. A different theme might be better. It could be my device but I’m not having trouble on anyone else’s blog.
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Thanks for the tip-off Tracey. I’ll have to investigate!
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Great local color. You captured a time and place and difficult situation in a down to earth voice. The vernacular helped us see the trials of his work and his family’s plight. A plain spken voice gets the job done in 100 words!
Enjoyed hearing from a “snowbird. “. We get plenty here in FL!
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Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
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Oh, I also meant to say nice play in the title on the phrase “Boys will be boys”
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Excellent piece, Tracey. I love those old stories. My great grandfather passes a few to my dad about his time in the Civil War. Lice was a huge problem. At night the soldiers would remove their clothing and hold them in the smoke above a fire. The dropping lice popped like popcorn. However, I’m sure it was only temporary relieve from the infestation they all suffered.
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Ugh, lice. Thanks for stopping by my homestead.
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Love the voice in this and thanks for the author’s note. It helped me appreciate the story even more.
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Thanks Dawn. I needs to keep y’all informed.
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A really brilliant voice. Such an interesting piece.
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Thank you
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Very convincing voice, and thanks for the translation of the mounts. Plenty of scope for settling a score there, I think.
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Thank you, nothing like a spooky mare to put someone in their place.
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I love the voice you used and the letter form. Nicely done! I also enjoyed the explanation “green broke” and “dead broke.” Thank you for sharing a bit of your family history. Your dad’s to be admired in supporting his large family at such a young age. =)
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It was really about survival for his family and I know they were grateful. He never once complained about it, at least to me. I think he was glad to get away from the beatings.
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I’m sorry to hear that after working so hard for his family he had to endure abuse. And he never complained about it to you. A strong person indeed!
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I love the voice too.. I needed the background, but what heroism to sacrifice yourself like that… our stories had some resemblance in that way…. though mine was pure fiction.
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You and I are often on the same page with a photo. It’s strange actually. Thank you for stopping by.
Tracey
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Love the story, and especially the personal one. My Dad was 12 when his father was killed. He took over the role and raised his siblings and tended the tobacco farm. Later, he became a semi-driver, and drove the Canada run until he stroked out behind the wheel one snowy November day. I’m told I have his fierce determination.
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Thank you for sharing your stories with me. I have known tragedy as well but I give you the best of my family because I can. My father saved me from the hard life. I am eternally grateful. And I can be fierce. I see that in you too.
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Thank you, Tracey. Sorry so long in replying. It’s been hectic here, and had to replace my computer twice in one week. Check out my write this week and scroll down to our new family addition. 🙂 ❤
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Beautifully written and thanks for the explanation i would have no idea otherwise!!
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The voice in this piece sounds so authentic. Thanks for the explanatory notes!
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