Stopping by on a Tuesday afternoon

Came home from Sioux City yesterday via Hwy 12, which hugs the Big Sioux River and thereby is, hands down, the most beautiful drive in our corner of the state. When, just for a few miles, the Loess Hills Scenic Drive veers east up a gravel road and ascends the hills of the Broken Kettle reserve, I usually leave 12 behind and look for buffalo. 

Sometimes, yes--sometimes no. I'm lucky if I see any really. The herd isn't huge--200 or so--and there's 3000 acres out there where the buffalo roam. Honestly, this guy just looked like some kind of looming shadow when I came up. I didn't think he was what he was but he was. I never expected to see just one. 

But this big fella' was all by his lonesome, working on the 25 pounds of grass he grabs daily. Barely raised his head toward me, in fact. He was just all busy with that good stuff all around him.

The story goes that when old bulls start to feel their time has come and gone, they just wander off by themselves for greener pastures. It's a kindly thing to do really. You don't want to cause any commotion or anything, you know? Just want to move off the stage in silence, without a stir. Life goes on. In't that the way it goes? 

Read that somewhere about old bulls. Don't know if it's true and didn't ask. Don't even know if this guy is as old as I thought maybe he was either. All I know is I didn't see hide nor hair of any of his friends and family--just him. He was nowhere near the herd. He'd wandered off over the hills.

So the two of us--we chatted for a while about how it is the younger generation sure as anything has to find its way yet or risk the whole mess going all to pot. He says he's a little verklempt about the fuss over "critical race theory" because he thinks idiot Republicans aren't going to let teachers tell his story anymore. After all, it's not a sweet one. I told him not to worry. I'd keep harping away. 

Then the two of us nodded our hoary heads, and I took off north. He kept loading up on prairie grass.

That's pretty much the whole story.