This summer, we’ve been enjoying the free outdoor concerts in local parks. We’re regulars. Hence, we can identify the other regulars.
One of the other regulars is classic. He’s an older gentleman with a pretty cool walker. It has wheels, storage sections, and a spot to sit. But here’s the topper – the man wears a cowboy hat.
When Luke first saw him making his way across the park lawn, he was riveted, his eyes glued to this intriguing figure, hunched over, slowly making his way toward where we were sitting. Then the man stopped, turned around, and sat on his walker seat right near us. Luke was thrilled.
He turned to me and said excitedly, but in a hushed tone (thankfully), “Cowboy!” I don’t think it was Luke’s intent to be discreet – he was just in awe because he believed we were in the close proximity of a real, live cowboy.
I tried to explain that he probably wasn’t a real cowboy, that he was just wearing a cowboy hat, but Luke didn’t seem to care (or to believe me). Because, partway through the concert, the man had left his spot for a short time and when Luke noticed, he turned to me and asked sadly, “Where’d the cowboy go?” Needless to say, he was thrilled when the Cowboy returned.
Then, the next week, we went to another concert series at a different park, and there was the Cowboy. Luke was thrilled. But thankfully, he did not make a scene.
Until this week.
Luke and Charlotte were probably about 50 feet from us, dancing and running around a tree, when the Cowboy made his appearance, walking slowly across the lawn. His route took him right between the kids and us.
I was hoping that Luke wouldn’t notice. (Or maybe I was hoping he would, I’m not sure.)
But Luke did. And it happened to be when the Cowboy was directly between me and Luke.
Luke started shouting to me, “Dad! Dad! Cowboy! Cowboy!”
He repeated this several times, loudly and pretty clearly for a two year old, just in case I missed it the first few times he did it.
But the man didn’t even seem to notice. Calm, steady, unfazed. Cool as a cucumber.
I guess that’s just how cowboys are.
I hope you enjoyed today’s serving of ‘mac & cheese.’
