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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Right and Left (07/31/14)

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• TITLE: Horse Sense | Previous Challenge Entry
  By Ann Stocking
  08/07/14
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James leaned against the Percheron, his sweat mingling with the lather on the gelding's neck.

"Come on, Ben, let's have another go, eh?" James went back to the hand plough, looped the lines around his neck and shoulders, and for the hundredth time that morning, yelled, "Giddyap!"

And for the hundredth time, Ben and Blackie plodded forward, their massive hooves making craters in the soil. James kept his eye on a tree ahead, as a marker, and when the team started to veer right, he called, "Gee!"

Blackie and Ben veered further right.

"Gee! GEE! Whoa!"

The team turned their great heads to give James a confused look. James slapped the lines again and hollered, "Giddyap!"

This time, the team shifted off course to the left. "Haw!" James yelled, and the team veered further left. "Haw! HAW! Whoa!"

The geldings stopped and again turned their gentle eyes on James. James pulled off the lines and walked along the wobbly ruts and rubbed their muzzles. "Come on, boys. Be good blokes, now. Away we go, nice and easy. Giddyap!"

After another series of frustrated commands, Ben and Blackie headed toward the Simpson yard and the barn.

"Ay, I know your tricks. Not going to work, fellas." James went through the whole procedure again, this time completing three lengths, but the furrows wandered and crisscrossed the field. And there was Mr. Simpson standing at the edge of the field, waving his cane. James detached the team from the doubletree and the plough, dropped the neckyoke, and led Ben and Blackie to the field's edge.

"You told me you could handle a team, son. That's a pretty poor job."

"I'm sorry, sir. I've farmed alongside my dad since I was a small boy. I'm just out of practice."

"I'll give you that, since you've been fighting them Germans and all. That'd unsettle anyone. Call it a day, Jimmy. Put the team away and come back tomorrow."

"It's James, sir."

But, Mr. Simpson was already shuffling away.

The next morning was a repeat of the first. Folks watched from the roadside, and James thought he heard laughter. Even the sun seemed to mock him, reddening his cheeks and ears. At lunchtime on the third day, Mr. Simpson beckoned to him from the porch. He's going to sack me.

"Sit, Jimmy." Mr. Simpson pointed to a bench. "I don't think you're a farmer."

"It's your horses' fault, sir. They aren't..."

"Ben and Blackie know their job. They been doing this for twenty years, nearly as long as you been born. No, Jimmy, you just ain't cut out for it, and it's a good thing you found out now before you went and bought yourself a homestead. You'd be in over your head."

"One more day, Mr. Simpson?" James turned away and wiped the dust from his eyes. "Please?"

Mr. Simpson was silent for a long time. "All right, Jimmy. Tomorrow is all I'm giving you. I've gotta get the crop in, and I'm running out of time. Put the team away now, and we'll see you tomorrow. Early, you hear, Jimmy? Time's a-wastin'."

Next morning, Ben and Blackie ducked their heads into their collars and headstalls, eager to get on with their task. "No nonsense, right, fellas?" James encouraged. "Today's the day, now or never."

He led the team to the field, set the lines, and called, "Giddyap!" It was fine and dandy until he came to the end of the row and tried to turn the team.

"Gee! Gee! Haw! Haw! Whoa!" Jimmy hung his head. That's it, then. His dreams lay in the dust at his feet.

"Jimmy!" Mr. Simpson was hobbling across the crooked furrows. Was the old man laughing?

"I'm an old fool, Jimmy."

"Sir?"

"You're from across the pond, ain't you, where you drive on the wrong side of the road? Well, you been driving Ben and Blackie from the wrong side, too!" Mr. Simpson cackled. "These are Canadian horses. They think the other way round. Go on, think about it, Jimmy, and give it another go."

James pondered for a bit, slapped the lines and called, "Haw," and the geldings stepped to the left, as they always had. "Gee," and they moved right. Well, look at that!

Mr. Simpson waved him away. "You'll be fine now, Jimmy. Carry on."

"It's James," James hollered back above the jingling harness.

"What's that?"

Gee for haw, haw for gee, Jimmy for James. Why not?

"Nothing, sir. Thank you!"

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