Bridgette

Jimmy McKinney, the wrangler, first saw Bridgette by the fence. She was picking the muck out of the ruts in her shoes with a nail. Jimmy was excited at the scene, it reminded him of a horse cleaning its own hooves – a hoof cleaning horse would be prized. Although Jimmy was a shy boy he had experience with the opposite sex, i.e. had been shut down, embarrassed, laughed at, and ignored, so was well prepared for what Bridgette might have in store for him.

He walked up to her and said: “Cleaning your shoes, eh?” She continued cleaning her shoes without regard to Jimmy, so he said the same thing, but louder this time for a wind had picked up and was blowing the trees about. “CLEANING YOUR SHOES, EH!!!”

Bridgette stopped cleaning and looked up. “Yeah,” she said, “I heard you the first time. It’s really not that interesting. Why don’t you fuck off.”

“Pardon?” he said.

“You heard me, dick-wad. Now fuck off. Can’t you see I’m busy,” and she resumed cleaning her shoes.

“Uhhhh…. Have you seen Alfred? We think the McCoy’s may have stolen him.”

“Listen, whoever you are, I don’t like you, you’re bugging me, and if you don’t turn around and come back to where you came from I’m going to stab you with this nail, chop you up and feed you to the pigs. How does that sound?”

Jimmy’s eyes filled with fear and he stepped back tripping a little. He walked back to the other side of the fence. Bridgette resumed cleaning her shoes. He stood with his back to her and looked into the forest imploying the trustful strategy of whatever I can’t see can’t hurt me. Above the wind he listened for an approach from behind, but thankfully heard none. With much trepidation he turned to face her. She was still cleaning the muck out. Edgar Jimmy’s old uncle came walking up beside him.

“I saw your exchange. It didn’t go to well, did it?”

“I don’t know. Does a threat to my life count as bad?”

Edgar didn’t answer Jimmy’s question – it being rhetorical, but said: “She’s tough. Her parents were drunks. She ran away. You should stay away from her. She’s only here because all the men are gone into Suffolk fighting the Hatfield’s, and we needed someone tough who could handle Stanley.”

“Don’t worry, Edgar, I’ll stay away. I don’t want any of that anyway. I have brighter pastures to tend to.”

Edgar furrowed his brow and gave Jimmy a look of disbelief. They both knew he was lying. Bridgette was the only girl around without grey hair, or some kind of disease, she being from the north.