Where are the “Real” Cowboys?

So I was walking through town in the middle of the day earlier this week when I came upon a group of tourists fresh off the motorcoach.

There is just something about me that prompts perfect strangers from out of town to approach me with questions. I really don’t understand how they sense that I truly enjoy meeting them and have been known to end up late for an appointment or two because I lost track of time with a tour group. It must be my hidden superpower – sort of like how Bruce Willis is always at the high-rise office building or airport when the evildoers are planning their latest heist.

On this day, one of the members of the group approached me.

“Good morning, ma’am,” she said. “I was wondering if you could clear something up for me.”

“Well, I am sure that I could,” I responded. “As long as your questions don’t involve politics, religion or why every other show on television features zombies.”

“Oh, it’s nothing like that, I can assure you. It’s just that we heard that Cody was the place to go to meet real cowboys, and so far we have only seen that strikingly handsome man over there in front of your theater.”

“Ahh,” I replied. “That one I can answer. First off, that man is not a cowboy. I know him, but the real giveaway is the guitar he’s holding. He is one our local musicians, and I recommend you catch his show if you come back in the summer.

“The answer to your question, however, is that it is the middle of the day and the real cowboys are hard at work.”

I went on to explain that the life of a cowboy was a lot of work, especially with spring arriving. Cowboys spend many hours at less-than-glamorous jobs such as spring calving, meadow dragging, fence mending and irrigation in addition to feeding cattle and moving them to fresh pastures.

“There aren’t any apps to get those jobs done,” I said. “For the most part they are doing things the same way their fathers and grandfathers did. They understand that there is no substitute for hard work and just sticking with it until the job is done. It’s easy to see why most of them are in such good shape.”

“That makes a lot of sense,” said my new friend. “But do they get into town much?”

“They sure do. Your timing is just not very good. If you come here on the weekend I could take you to some places where we could enjoy true Western music, and these gentlemen would be happy to show you a dance step or two.

I also told her about an event coming up that many Cody cowboys would be attending. Songs of the Cowboys will be held April 25-27 at the Holiday Inn in Cody. The event features some of our region’s top talent. A couple of the performers from past years even won a Grammy recently.

For more information, go online to https://www.facebook.com/SongsOfTheCowboys or call 1-307-250-5241.

Until next week, I am lovin’ life – and humming a cowboy song – in Cody, Wyo.