Beyond the Portal: In Quest of the Double Mountain Fork Brazos River

By Joe Gonzalez

Would you want to go back in time? If your answer is yes, what would you give to go back in time and be able to re-live something from history’s past or re-live something from “your” own past. Have you ever asked yourself the question, “Could there a hidden portal somewhere on this earth where one can enter it in order to take a trip into a forgotten place and time? And, if you do find that hidden portal, would you be brave enough to enter it, not knowing if you will be able to return? Would you be brave enough to see where it takes you? Would you be able to find it back in order to get back to the present? What if it is not there anymore? What if you only had a certain amount of time to get back? What would happen if you missed that window of opportunity? What then? And, what if you decided to stay and not go back to the present? Could you do it?”


Cotton accidentally stumbles into a portal during a freak lightning strike close to the North Fork Double Mountain Brazos River. The year is 1965. When Cotton wakes up, he finds himself in the year 1865, right at the end of the Civil War. Stonewall’s wolf, Thunder, is with him. He has gone through the portal right behind Cotton. Cotton realizes that he is about to be shot by a Union soldier. Cotton and Thunder are not in Texas anymore. They are in Louisiana, just east of the Sabine River. Cotton and Thunder must now figure out how to get back to Texas before his mom misses him. In their efforts to get back home, Cotton slowly begins meeting some very important people that will end up being a part of his past.


Follow the dangers and miscalculations Cotton must now face. What dangers will Cotton and Thunder, along with his friends, will now have to face in order to survive the wilderness that existed at the end of the Civil War when there were no trail or very few trails to follow in order to get from location to another. Will Cotton and Thunder be able to get back to Texas? Will they be able find the portal in time to get back to the present? Will they stay in 1865? Who will the strangers be and how will they be able to help Cotton? Who will end up saving who? Will Cotton and his new friends stay together and make their way back to the Brazos?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9781664170438

Joe Gonzalez

I am a retired police officer by profession. I was born in Harlingen, Texas. Our family migrated to West Texas in the early 1960's. As a pre-teen, I shared time with my two older brothers selling popcorn up and down the aisles inside a movie theater back in Harlingen. When we grew up, we went to work in the cotton fields hoeing weeds during the summers and picking cotton in the fall. We were back in the fields during the onion and cabbage harvest season in the early frosty mornings of fall in order to help our parents put food on the table. Back when one could earn twenty five or thirty cents an hour, working ten hour days in the hot summer sun, was no fun. But it meant growing up, feeling grateful for what God gave us and sleeping with a full stomach. At times, it was fun because it also meant making new friends who were doing the same thing for their parents. It was an honest way to survive poverty. Thanks to our parents, who always wanted us to finish high school, we all graduated high school at New Deal ISD, which is in Lubbock County, Texas. I attended Texas Tech University but eventually, dropped out in order to marry my high school sweetheart. After 49 years, I still love her with all my heart. She is still the apple of my eye. She is my best friend and my life is complete having her at my side. My jobs went from working the fields, working at a slaughterhouse, a meat market, a warehouse, and driving the big rigs. From there, I went to work for the Lubbock Police Department as a street cop until retirement. During my years of working, many friends have touched my life. The fact that friendships make a huge part of our lives, is what inspired me to write this book about dreams and friends and what they do to pass the time. We’ve all had those types of friends. I am also a writer and a regular commentary contributor to the Lubbock Avalanche Journal Newspaper which publishes my op-eds in the Sunday commentary pages every three or four weeks. My wife, Orelia (Cookie) is, and will always be, my inspiration. And having her as my biggest critic, I am thankful to her for allowing me to continue to write my stories and my books. Thank you for all of your unconditional love and support! I love you forever and always!

Book preview

CONTENTS

About the Author

The Soul of My Life

A Meeting on the Brazos

Saving the Day

Rules about Strangers

Johnny Rebel Meets Billy Yank

Sandy McSandy aka Dirt

Happy Trails Are Freedom Trails

Dreamcatchers, Teepees, and Trails

Wilderness, Longhorns, and Buffalo

A Hauntingly Nostalgic Night

A Good Night for Surviving

Crossing the Frontier

Hey Bud, Can You Spare a Light?

If Walls Have Eyes, They Probably Have Ears

The Truth of the Matter Is . . .

Silent Tears without Shame

The Mighty Sabine River

Bartering at the Dinner Table

Bumpy Roads and Granny Downey

Wagons Bound for Jasper

Trouble in Jasper

Shoelace Comes Home

Lufkin and the West Texas Railway Stop

Swimming the Neches

Is There a Doctor in the House?

Two Tumbleweeds and a Farm

The Crepe Myrtles of Waxahachie

Trouble at Mountain Creek

Rattlesnake Country

West Texas, East of the Brazos

Possum Kingdom Lake

Dancing Under the Stars

Unleashing Hell on West Texas

Raphael

Survival Tactics and Floods

Finding the Portal

There Is No Place Like Home

Epilogue

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I AM A retired police officer by profession. I was born in Harlingen, Texas. Our family migrated to West Texas in the early 1960s. As a pre-teen, I shared time with my two older brothers selling popcorn up and down the aisles inside a movie theater back in Harlingen. When we grew up, we went to work in the cotton fields, hoeing weeds during the summers and picking cotton in the fall. We were back in the fields during the onion and cabbage harvest season in the early frosty mornings of fall in order to help our parents put food on the table. Back when one could earn twenty-five or thirty cents an hour, working ten-hour days in the hot summer sun, was no fun. But it meant growing up, feeling grateful for what God gave us, and sleeping with a full stomach. At times, it was fun because it also meant making new friends who were doing the same thing for their parents. It was an honest way to survive poverty.

Thanks to our parents, who always wanted us to finish high school, we all graduated high school at New Deal ISD, which is in Lubbock County, Texas. I attended Texas Tech University but eventually, dropped out in order to marry my high school sweetheart. After forty-nine years, I still love her with all my heart. She is still the apple of my eye. She is my best friend, and my life is complete having her at my side. My jobs went from working the fields, working at a slaughterhouse, a meat market, a warehouse, and driving the big rigs. From there, I went to work for the Lubbock Police Department as a street cop until retirement.

During my years of working, many friends have touched my life. The fact that friendships make a huge part of our lives is what inspired me to write this book about dreams and friends and what they do to pass the time. We’ve all had those types of friends.

I am also a writer and a regular commentary contributor to the Lubbock Avalanche Journal Newspaper which publishes my op-eds in the Sunday commentary pages every three or four weeks.

My wife, Orelia (Cookie), is and will always be my inspiration. And having her as my biggest critic, I am thankful to her for allowing me to continue to write my stories and my books. Thank you for all of your unconditional love and support! I love you forever and always!

This book is very fondly

dedicated to

Fred, Homer, and Tino

RIP

See a rainbow, make a wish

Touching Heaven’s granted wish!

THE SOUL OF MY LIFE

Like a thief in the night, you came into my life and stole my heart.

Under the stars, we promised our love till death do us part.

I was a young teenage girl, still searching for my future in life.

You were a bit older when you asked to make me your wife.

You climbed the highest mountain to show me you could.

I blossomed into a woman, as next to you, I always stood.

You made me so proud to be called your loving wife.

Along came our children, fulfilling the loves of my life.

Patiently, we raised our children with love, honor, and pride.

Our careers flourished throughout one eventful ride.

You always looked after my wants and my

needs through thick and thin.

You kept your solemn promise of loving me till the end.

You always shared your time and your love with our kids.

They each grew up taking huge steps in spreading their wings.

They followed our footsteps pursuing their own destiny,

Respected your wishes and guidance, effortlessly and willingly.

You always showed love and care for our extended families.

Mom and Dad opened their hearts slowly, carefully, and cautiously.

You became the seventh brother my siblings never had.

My life was you, and to our children, their wonderful dad.

God called you up and now you’re with Him resting peacefully.

Your race is done, so please wait for the rest of us patiently.

My heart is broken but God gave me strength to set you free.

God gave me you, so know that forever together, you live in me.

A MEETING ON THE BRAZOS

"D ON’T MOVE, BY god! I’ll blast you from here to eternity! You’re in my territory!"

Who said, ‘Don’t move?’ You be talking to me, stranger? Why? Who are you? What’s wrong? What’d I do? Is there a snake in the water? Is it a water moccasin? Please don’t tell there’s a moccasin snake in this here water. I hate snakes! My mama knows I hate snakes. My boss knows I hate snakes. Even God knows I hate snakes. Especially a killer moccasin snake! They are poisonous, ain’t they? Can you scamper it away? Take good aim, and kill it, now!

The young voice said, "No! There ain’t no moccasin snake in the water. At least, I don’t think there’s one. Let me put it this way, I don’t see one from here, from where I’m standing at. But I could be wrong, though. There could be one or two! I ain’t in the water there with you, so I don’t know for sure. But you is, buddy boy! And one other thing, my friend, you be trespassing on private land. You’re on private property. This here land belongs to my great-grandpa. He’s owned this here land for over sixty plus years! He’s owned since before the turn of the century! Sixty-five or seventy years to be exact! I’m a fixing to shoot you full of lead for trespassing. I’ll have you know you’re fixing to be my first kill. Just so you know, okay? I suggest you start a conversation with the Lord! Be sure and tell Him what you done to deserve today’s killing."

The young kid in the water replied, "You say I’m on your great-grandpa’s land? This area here is ‘his’ plantation? You all say you’re fixing to shoot me? Did I mention I probably got turned around and lost my way? Answer me this, did I do something bad or wrong to you? Why don’t we just try to do something good out of a bad situation? What do you say? Are you sure I’m the one you’re looking for? Maybe it was someone else. You could be mistaken, right? I mean, anything is possible! Let me introduce myself, my name’s Stonewall! You do know the Stonewalls, don’t you? We came here at the end of the Civil War! We’ve been living here since then! I swear to it on my granny’s Holy Book!

"Anyway, everybody calls me Stonewall when they ain’t mad at me! Jackson is my last name! Do we know each other? So where is you grandpa at? Is he with you, boy? He owns all the river or just half of it? If he owns the land like you said so just a minute ago, why you wanna shoot me? That is, since I’m in the water! This here where I’m standing at is the river! My mama told me they call it the Brazos River. My mama once told me God made the oceans and all the rivers in the world. She told me this river starts out by the Atlantic and the Gulf. I ain’t been there yet, so it must be a long ways from here. I don’t know. Mama told me God owns all the rivers in the world. So how is it that you say your grandpa owns this river? Are you sure he meant this river? Who he buy it from? God? Maybe he just owns the land under the river! I mean, the dirt and rocks and all the stuff under the water. Are you sure he owns this whole river, water, and all? I mean, you could be mistaken, you know. My mama once told me that Granny has lived in the house upstream forever. Her ancestors built the house when they got done with the Civil War. That’s about a hundred years ago! What I’m saying is, I come fishing here lots of times and I ain’t ever seen no one around. You’re the first one ever who’s come around since I’ve been a kid. I think I’m sixteen now. Don’t rightly know since I’ve got no papers to show you no how. No one’s ever come by and told me to stay away. No one’s ever told me your grandpa owned this here river, either. Maybe you’re mistaken. Does he own all the fish that swim up and down through here too? Maybe your grandpa owns another river, you reckon? Maybe your grandpa owns the river at the end of this one river . . . Maybe he owns the river at the other end of the Brazos. The Brazos goes every which way, you know. There’s the North Fork, the Double Mountain Fork, and the Salt Fork, I think. You know, you could be mistaken. You wouldn’t be lying to me, would you? Hey, I told you my name! What’s yours? Maybe I know you! Maybe I’ve seen you around."

No, I ain’t mistaken, bud. Grandpa calls me Colton! You best just call me Colton too! How come you ain’t raised your hands up yet? What you waitin’ on? Can’t you see a’ got a rifle on you? It’s aimed right at your back, you know. If I miss you, I got me a sling shot too! I’m pretty good with it! If you ain’t quite sure what a slingshot is, it is also a bean or a pea shooter! Take your pick. But I’ll tell you, I shoot steel ball bearings! They hurt and they sting! So just give me one good reason to show you how accurate I am with my fireball!

"Heck, I don’t even know if you even got a gun on you, Cotton. As for your slingshot, I’ll take your word for it! I already have one bad eye! Then again, you could just be a foolin’ me, right? It wouldn’t be the first time either. I’ve been fooled a time or two before! I was once told I wasn’t the brightest bulb in the room! For the longest time, I tried figuring out what that meant! Years later, my granny told me what that meant. It took my breath away! I was embarrassed! Someone did make a fool out of me! But that’s a story for another time!"

Stonewall continued. Anyway, going back to my bad eye. For right now, just keep your slingshot in your pocket, okay? When you see me, I don’t want you to be scared. That’s why I’m going to tell you this one short story. I picked up this snake one time when I was five or six. Granny told me it was a rattler. She told me to throw it away. So I chunked it away. It wasn’t, but I didn’t know that. My granny then started laughing and told me it was only a garden snake. Believe me, I learned my lesson then. So I don’t go ’round picking up any kind of snakes anymore. I don’t care what color they are or how little or short they may look to my naked eye. I don’t even care to see how long they are from ten feet away. I see ’em and I run! I don’t hesitate! I don’t wait either. I don’t care whether they rattle or not. A snake’s a snake to me, Cotton. I see ’em and I run as far and as fast as I can. Like I said, I don’t care whether they rattle or not. I just run. I’ve been afraid of snakes ever since. I am still looking the other way right now, you know. Now, why don’t you let me turn around just a bit, okay? Let me see what kind of rifle you got pointed at me. You say you got a gun on me, right? I mean, like right now? Why? Who’s with you, boy? And, why you wanna shoot me here in this fine river? Why, I ain’t done nothing to you. I ain’t doing nothing but trying to fish me a couple of cats. I actually need to catch me one more cat. One’s for my grandma. Another is for my eighty-five-year-old boss man, and I’m trying to get one more. It’d for me. Right now, I’ll catch anything and I can be on my way, if that’s okay with you! I mean, it don’t have to be a catfish! I can catch me a long-legged frog and be on my way, if that’s okay? It’ll be dark soon, and I got to get back to the ranch. They gonna be lookin’ for me when today’s sun starts going down. They may even come a-looking for you too. I’ll tell you that right now, Cotton! Granny’s got a pretty good eye. She’s got her a musk . . . I mean, a shotgun!

Colton replied, Yep, I got a gun on your back. And once again, my name is Colton! It ain’t Cotton! It’s Colton, you ugly dummy! What, you got water inside your ears? Maybe you also got a pound of wax inside of ’em too! It’s a shotgun, actually. It’s loaded with a handful of wild geese buckshot too. If I fire, I’ll shoot you full of little bitty stones all over your back. Your black back’s gonna be burning for a week or two! I may even aim and shoot you on your black buttocks if you try moving an inch! Right now, I’m aiming my sights right at your upper back. So I can probably hit you hard and solid pretty good. You may just have to take a detour and go see Jesus today. My guess is, he’s probably waitin’ on you right now! Your name is probably at the top of the page! Here, in a little bit, I might add he’ll probably be saying, ‘Hello, Stonewall!’ Anyway, why you need three of them cats if they are for you and your granny? Why you gotta take one to your boss man? Why don’t ‘he’ come get his own fish? What, you gotta feed ’em and cook for ’em too?

Stonewall stated, Well, can I at least turn around to answer you and see you before you send me up to see Jesus before I eat supper tonight? If you shoot me, who’s going to eat my cat? You? You like catfish too? Anyway, I like the name Cotton! I’m just gonna call you Cotton whether you like it or not, okay? You are white, ain’t you? You sound white! I will tell you though, that is, I only have one good eye. So don’t be scared when you look at me now, okay? I’m warning you now. Promise me you won’t shoot. Least not yet. Anyway, you sound like a nice kid. How old you be? Sixteen? Seventeen? You can’t be too much older than me! What do you say I turn around, okay? Now, whatever you do, don’t pull that trigger, you hear? I ain’t got nothing but a string on my trigger finger! Nothing else! We certainly don’t want anyone killed today. By that, I mean, me! You know what I mean? We don’t wanna mess up your grandpa’s river with all kinds of blood, guts, and stuff. I don’t wanna mess up the river with blood like Moses did in the Good Book of Mama’s Holy Bible. So I’m gonna turn around really slow, okay? I’m gonna let you know right now that I’m standing on a very slippery rock. So if I make any sudden move, it’s because of this slippery rock I’m standing on! It’s covered with slimy stuff, and it’s very slippery, okay? I don’t wanna slip and drown either. Jesus, don’t me calling me, now! I don’t hear him calling me, yet, I don’t think!

Colton replied, Before you turn around, are you a drifter, a runaway, or maybe just running from the law? Are you telling me the truth about your grandma? I guess you can go ahead and call me Cotton! I’ll go ahead and let you. I’ll just call you Stonewall! So how come you’re out here all by yourself? You ain’t got no brothers or sisters? Where’s your ma and pa? They out there working somewhere? How come you only mentioned your grandma? You ain’t got no more grandpa? He done blow the whistle? Is he done left this world? Where’s the rest of your kinfolk? Anyway, you live out here or are you just passing through? How come you got some kind of red string around the back of your head? And by the way, I ain’t sixteen nor seventeen like you said. I’m fifteen going on the high side of eighteen!

Stonewall responded, You even know how to count, boy? You know, I could ask you a thousand questions too. What you doing way out here all by yourself anyway? You’re a long ways from town, ain’t you? This here is ‘wild’ country! There’s a bunch of us hiding out here behind weeds, rocks, and in this here river! You know, I hate talking to the wind. I hear your voice, but I’d at least like to get a good look at you, Cotton. You actually sound like a nice kid. Tell you what, I’m gonna start turning around really slow like, okay? I ain’t got nothing on my hands except for a fishing string tied to a stick. The red string around the back of my head is tied to a patch I wear on my right eye. I’m totally blind on that eye. The other eye ain’t too good either or I would’ve seen you coming out of the woods. What I mean is, right now, I can’t see you at all. I will tell you one other thing though: I have a very faithful friend who is probably very close by. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he is already eyeing you right at this very moment. He is probably behind you. He ain’t made no noise ’cause I haven’t told him to. But he is probably right behind you even if I can’t even see him. One other thing, Cotton, since we are both slowly becoming really good friends just talking here, I don’t want him to scare you or startle you. You know what I mean? I don’t want you to shoot me if he startles you! But if I make a special sound or say a special word, he’ll hurt you really bad. And, I don’t want to do that. Even though you got a rifle or shotgun on me, I’m kind of beginning to like you. What do you say we just let bygones be bygones and we kind of shake on it, okay? Why don’t we just get formally acquainted and become good friends from here on down?

Cotton stated, "Right now, the only friend I got is this here shotgun I’m holding in my hands. If you’ve got a friend standing behind me, how come he ain’t said nothing yet? And, how come I ain’t heard nothing? I know there ain’t nothing behind me. I think you’re just full of sticky stuff. You know what I mean? I say that bad eye you got has you all messed up inside your bonehead! Ain’t nothing behind me. I can guarantee you that. I’ve been known to have eyes on the back of my head! I even got 20/20 vision on the back of my head!"

Stonewall then stated, Only if you say so, Cotton! Let me ask you, have you even looked behind you? I mean, have you ‘really’ taken a very good look behind you? Have you turned around to see if anything or anyone is behind you? I take it you haven’t seen his shadow behind you or beside you! I tell you, it’s there! You may not see my friend, but he’s watching you right now at this very moment. I’d bet my life on it.

Cotton replied, Nope! I’d a heard something by now if anyone was behind me. I got very sensitive hearing. You did say anyone or ‘anything,’ right? Either way, I’d know something by now if anyone was behind me. I’d a smelled something by now too. I got a good nose too. I’d a probably shot ’em dead by now too, if someone tried to sneak up on me in this here woods. I’m a good shot. I may not be a Davy Crockett or a Robert E. Lee, but I’d a killed me something by now if what you say were true.

Stonewall smirked and stated, That’s what my great-great-great-grandpa used to say! Well, you may be a good shot, but are ‘you’ a quick shot? I’m talking about a split second shooter! Are you? According to my grandma’s stories, my great-great-great-grandpa used to be! He fought in the Civil War. He even fought with the Union Army. He had a high regard for General Robert E. Lee, but he knew that General Lee was a Confederate. But enough of that, I will say that one signal from me and you’re a goner. I’m kind of being nice to you right now ’cause I like you already! So looks like we’re both looking at two different ends of the stick. You got a gun on me, and I got a faithful friend sizing you up from top to bottom. I got a feeling my friend is faster than your shooting and your trigger finger. He runs and he jumps faster than you and me. I don’t think your reaction is as fast as ‘my’ shadow’s reaction. My friend is my faithful shadow. Let’s say I give you a couple of minutes to make up your mind as to what you want to do. Better yet, let’s give each other a couple of minutes to think about this, okay?

Cotton stated, "Let’s say, I give you a few more seconds to say your last earthly prayers. You can start with dust to dust and then skip on to the ashes to ashes part! A few angels are already waiting for your carcass! They’re probably flying all around your sorry butt! It ain’t gonna be the blackbirds!"

Stonewall hollered, "Wait, wait! What, you gonna bury me too? Why don’t you just wait a few more seconds there, buddy! Let’s neither one of us get too overly anxious now! Let’s not get all riled up either! Look, I’m beginning to lose my balance on this slippery rock I’m standing on. I’ll tell you now, I can’t swim worth a lick. I can wade through water, like in the low spots, but I really can’t swim at all. I know I’m standing on two very slippery rocks as it is. That’s probably why I look tall, but I ain’t. If I fall backward, you’re gonna have to come in the water and save me. By the way, right now would be a good time for you to take off your ten-dollar Timex watch and place it somewhere where it won’t get water in it. That is, unless it’s waterproof. Oh, I need your promise you’re gonna try to save me. But if I drown, you’re gonna have to take these fish up to the ranch, fry them yourself, and feed my granny and, like I said, feed Granny’s eighty-five-year-old boss man. Then you’re gonna have to explain to them why I ain’t ever coming back home walking on my own two feet. You can tell ’em I drowned in this here Double Mountain Fork shallow part of the Brazos River, and that my puny little body got swept away because of the swift currents. Because you couldn’t swim either, you didn’t want to try and save me. Hopefully, they won’t hold it against you. Hopefully, my granny won’t put a bad spell on you! Oh, she’ll do it! She’s done it before! I’ve heard people say she can still talk to the dead! You can ask her about that later! For now, just tell ’em I’ll probably end up down by the entrance to the Gulf. Somebody down river will just have to fish me out later if the sharks or alligators don’t eat me first."

Cotton replied, For your information, this watch is a genuine Bulova! It was Dad’s gift to me! He ain’t here no more, but it’s mine, I tell you! It wasn’t a ten-dollar watch when he bought it, and it is not a two-dollar Timex either! Anyway, before you go and get yourself drowned, I’m reminding you and telling you right now, I don’t know how to swim. So, you’re out of luck, bud, if you think I’m going in after you to save your miserable life. I ain’t gonna be doing you any good if I go in after you, and I ain’t going to be doing myself any good either if I try going in the water. I don’t hear God calling me to go with you! If you go, you’re going on your own! So you’re on your own, buddy! Dying is not on my agenda! I don’t plan drowning today. We’re both gonna be, like they say, ‘S-O-L,’if one of us or, if we ‘both’ drown here today! Know what I mean, bro?

Feeling nervous, Stonewall pleaded, I hear you. But my foot really is slipping! Just as he said this, his right foot slid down the slippery rock he was standing on and his foot became wedged between two huge rocks. His body immediately fell backward into the running river. All Cotton heard from Stonewall was Thunder! Stonewall tried letting go of the homemade fishing line, but he’d wrapped the end of it to his two middle fingers. He automatically began slapping the water with his hands trying to keep from going completely under the cool and fast running water. His head went under fast and began bobbing up and down within a couple of seconds. Help! he hollered as he kept bouncing in and out of the water. I’m drowning! Help! Help me, boy! Help me, please! I’m drowning! I’m going down fast!

Cotton looked frightened. He then hollered, I told you, I don’t know how to swim! Doggone it! What in the world were you thinking, you bozo! Hang in there! I’ll see what I can do! You big idiot! I didn’t come here to save your ugly you-know-what! Cotton took off his watch and stuck it inside his back pocket. He then said to himself, I told you to hang on, you hardheaded fool! Without thinking, Cotton automatically let his shotgun drop to the ground. He looked around hoping to see someone close by that could help. He looked frightened and scared out of his wits. He quickly began looking for a way to go into the running water without getting into the deep end so as not to drown himself. As he began looking quickly for some rocks to walk on, or a shallow area close by, from out of the blue behind him came a large black-and-gray wolf dog jumping into the river. The wolf dog scared him half to death and made him freeze where he was standing at while staring at his rifle lying on the ground which was now about ten feet away. The wolf dog somehow ran past him and jumped into the river, swimming directly to where Stonewall was. It took the wolf just a few seconds to get to Stonewall’s location and somehow managed to get underneath him.

As the dog’s head stayed under water, Cotton now wondered how long it would be before the wolf dog drowned also. Cotton now knew that he would have to try and save both of them—Stonewall and his canine. He knew he was in a very serious predicament. He felt responsible, and he had no one else to blame but himself. He quickly jumped into the cold waters of the Brazos without giving it a second thought. As he jumped in, for sure, he knew this was totally against his better judgment. He didn’t want the blame of someone drowning just a few feet away in front of him even if he was just standing there by the riverbank. And because of him not being able to swim, he didn’t want people pointing fingers at him for the rest of his life for not having done something heroic to try and save someone’s life, or for not having done something to prevent it. And for sure, he didn’t want to remember this day for the rest of his life if, in case, this guy actually drowned right in front of his nose, either. So he forced himself to jump into the river.

The water was abnormally cold for mid-September. The Old Farmer’s Almanac had predicted a very cold winter that may even be coming early. Getting in the water told Cotton that the prediction might just be right this time. The cold waters of the Brazos River felt colder than normal from just a couple of weeks back when the outside temperatures were still in the mid-eighties to low nineties. The running water felt like it was already in the forties. That wasn’t good at all. Frostbite and pneumonia were now in the back of his mind.

SAVING THE DAY

T HE RUNNING WATER was rushing by pretty strong and pushing Cotton sideways. His body weight was not enough to keep him from falling into the water every couple of seconds. A couple of times, Cotton lost his balance, causing him to lose his footing and go completely under water. Cotton finally hollered out loud, "I better not drown, you miserable Stonewall! If I do, you’ll never hear the end of me! I’ll haunt you until you’re old and hunched over! Even my guardian angels are going to be coming back to haunt you! I promise I’ll haunt you all the way back to the Civil War and Robert E. Lee! You’re going to wish your great-great-great-grandpa and his shotgun were here to save you from me! I don’t care if he fought for the Union or for the Confederate Army, but you’ll wish he’d settled somewhere else besides here in Texas right next to the Brazos! So how in the world did you make it to the middle of this river anyway! Is your dog alright? I haven’t seen him come up for air in a good while! What kind of dog is he anyway that he can’t even save his own master? He ain’t no ‘real’ wolf dog, if you ask me! He didn’t drown on you, did he? If it drowns, whose going to save the two of us?"

Before he knew it, Cotton reached Stonewall’s location. Feeling like he was freezing and totally out of breath, Cotton somehow grabbed on to Stonewall’s back of the head to keep him from going completely under water. Cotton managed to put one foot on top of one of the big rocks. He then forced Stonewall’s body to stand upright. Stonewall took a deep breath. Cotton saw Thunder’s head come up for a huge gulp of air. Cotton smiled and stated, There you are, boy! You must have huge lungs there, buddy! Cotton took a good look at Stonewall. His eyes were bloodshot red. He then stated, You’re black! Heck, I thought you were white, I mean, Anglo! You mean I’ve gotta save me a black man! I guess you know this goes against my principles! But I’ll do it! Just so you know there ain’t no hard feelings with us! Let’s see if we can get you unstuck now! Don’t worry, you ain’t drowned yet! Take a deep breath! You say one foot is lodged or cramped in between two rocks?

Stonewall replied, My left foot is stuck between two huge rocks. I can’t see ’em, but I feel ’em! I think my foot is twisted between them pretty good. I hope it’s not dislocated or broken by now. I can’t really feel a thing anymore. My body is going numb! So is my foot! I think I’ve gone numb. Could be my foot is already frozen from the cold water. I don’t think I can even move it an inch. Whatever you do, don’t break any more than what it might already be. Please, I can’t afford to have a broken foot. I promised Granny I’d sign up for school this coming Monday. I don’t want to let her down. I done missed the first two weeks. Today is Friday, isn’t? I aim to graduate this coming year! I plan on going to college and study to be something important. Nineteen sixty-five ought to be a very good year! LBJ is promising America a whole lot! We shall see! I also heard we may go to the moon! That was Kennedy’s promise to the world! My grandma told me that a hundred years ago, my great-great-great-grandpa settled down on this land right after the Civil War finally came to an end. I want to work downtown too. I’m tired of working out in the fields! I’m going to make something out of my life! But I’m black! We all know things are different for black people. I know you wouldn’t know about things like that!

While Stonewall was talking, Cotton was busy going in and out of the water trying to dislodge Stonewall’s foot from in between two huge boulders. In the end, Cotton pulled hard on Stonewall’s foot in an upward move. Stonewall’s foot came completely out of his shoe. Just as Cotton pulled, Stonewall’s body fell backward into the running river and just like that, Stonewall started floating away. Stonewall now found himself trying to set both feet on the bottom and was finding it difficult to do. All of a sudden, the bottom of the river was getting deeper and deeper. Stonewall’s feet were not long enough to touch the bottom. Stonewall began to scream. Just as he gave out a loud scream, he felt Thunder’s body lift him up. Stonewall managed to grab on to Thunder’s neck. Thunder began swimming toward the shore with Stonewall hanging on to his side.

By now, Cotton had managed to pull Stonewall’s shoe from in between the rocks and was now headed back to the riverbank with Stonewall’s shoe in his hand. Within a couple of minutes, both Stonewall and Cotton lay on the riverbank. Thunder lay right beside Stonewall while staring at Cotton.

Thirty minutes later, Cotton stood up and walked toward Stonewall. Cotton asked, Are you okay? How’s your foot? It’s not broken, is it? Hey, I got your shoe. It’s still wet, though. By the way, it’s got an awful stink to it. Here’s a hint, your shoes need airing out a bit more often! You reckon you can put it on? Your foot’s not swelling up on you, is it?

Stonewall replied, It’s a bit swollen, but I don’t think it’s broken. I may have to wait on putting on my shoe. I don’t think I can walk on it right now. It may take a day or so before I can put any pressure on it. It’ll be alright in a day or so, I’m sure. It’s not the first time this has happened. Right now, I need to hurry up and head back to the house. Granny is probably waiting on me. I may have to find me a long stick to use for a cane so I can get back home. Otherwise, I ain’t going to make it.

Cotton looked at Stonewall and stated, I’ll go see if I can find you a tree limb strong enough to hold you up. Just wait for me here. Your dog isn’t going to go after me, is he? I don’t want him to think I am a bait or an easy target for his own dinner. Without waiting for a reply, Cotton stood up and began walking toward the mesquite trees nearby. Stonewall hollered, I’ll take care of your rifle!

Five minutes later, Cotton came back with a strong sturdy stick about four feet long. Stonewall began shaking his head as he saw Cotton walking back toward him. Stonewall began talking loud making sure Cotton would hear him. Why, you sneaky little lying cotton ball! You and your rifle! You were going to shoot me dead! Why in the world did you lie to me? I’ll have you know I checked out your rifle! Did you not say it was a shotgun? Do you even know the difference? Did you not say it was loaded with buckshot? The dang thing is empty! This old thing doesn’t even have a hammer! Why did you lie to me, Cotton? Do you even know how to load this here rifle? It’s a 22 caliber rifle! Did you hear that? It’s a 22 caliber rifle! Did you even know that? That’s a little bitty bullet! Did you know that too? So what do you have to say for yourself? Have you ever even fired a rifle or a handgun? I almost drowned on account of you! I’ve got a mind to get up and whoop your butt! I’m a pretty good fighter! I got strong hands! A pair of stone fists too! I don’t care if my foot hurts or not! Lie, lie, lie! Cotton was silent and now standing in front of Stonewall.

Stonewall continued, I ain’t going to do it! You know what, I ain’t even mad at you! I’m just blabbing! Forget everything I just said. I’ve got a feeling me and you are going to be good friends before this is all over and done with. I’ll tell you what, I’ve had my say! I ain’t saying another word about this! It’s over! It’s in the past! Just like that, everything is forgotten! What do you say, we move on from this little misunderstanding. If you’ll help me stand up, I’ll just go my way and you can go your way. My dear old granny is probably wondering whatever happened to me by now.

Cotton stated, What about your third cat? Didn’t you say you needed to take three catfish back to the house? You’ve only got two! Don’t you need one more! As a sign of good faith, I’ll catch it for you! Give me your string! I’ve caught fish before! I’ll have you a cat in no time! Stonewall handed the string to Cotton. Five minutes later, Cotton hollered, Gotcha! One more catfish coming up, Stonewall! And that makes three! There! I done saved your life twice in one day! I’d say, you owe me, big guy!

Stonewall managed to stand up before Cotton came out of the water. Stonewall was smiling by the time Cotton reached to where he was. Stonewall had a smile from ear to ear. Three cats! I do believe you caught the biggest one, Cotton! Granny’s gonna be happy! That’s for sure! If you’ll hand me that stick you brought me, I guess I’ll be on my way, Cotton! You go on about your life, and I’ll go back to my side of the Brazos. I’ll do my best to stay upriver from now on and stay away from your family’s property line. You won’t catch me trespassing no more! I done learned my lesson, Cotton! You taught me a very meaningful lesson I will never forget! About a half a mile upstream, I can cross back over to the other side. It’s shallow and I can use the rocks to cross without getting too wet. Anyway, this cane will help me balance myself and keep me from falling.

In a way, Cotton felt responsible for Stonewall’s condition. Cotton knew he had to make it right. Hey, Stonewall! You wait just a minute! You’re going to lean on me, and we’re both going to cross this Brazos together. I’m going to help you get back to your home. And I ain’t taking no for an answer. I got you in this mess, and I’m going to make sure you get home safe and sound to your granny. It was my pride that got the best of me! I aim to make it right! We’re walking back together! If you’re ready, let’s go! Cotton got on one side of Stonewall so he could have something to lean on. Stonewall grabbed the stick from Cotton and held on to it with his other hand for balance. Cotton strapped his rifle over his other shoulder. Thunder began walking upstream on Stonewall’s side.

Cotton started a different conversation. Tell me about your special dog, Stonewall.

Stonewall smiled and replied, Why, you’re talking about Thunder! I guess you’ve already guessed that I probably named him after a thunderous storm we had back in late fall. That was last year. Well, yes and no! Let me explain. I was coming home from school last year when I heard two dogs fighting. Or at least, it sounded like two vicious dogs to me. One turned out to be Thunder’s mama. The other was a mean old ugly male wolf. Thunder’s mama fought till the end trying to save her young one. From a good distance, I stood by and watched them tear each other apart for a few minutes. By the time their battle was over, Thunder’s mama lay still on the ground, bleeding from the neck area. Once the other wolf left, I waited to make sure it was safe to come out. Thirty minutes later, I came from behind a huge boulder to check on the dying female wolf. By the time I got to her, she was no longer breathing. She lay dead. She’d lost all kinds of blood. I picked up the dead female and placed her down under an old mesquite tree. There was a pretty good shade there. I walked away. Stonewall took a deep breath.

Cotton asked, Then what? Surely, that’s not the end of the story!

Stonewall, took another deep breath. "I still get emotional from time to time, Cotton! I ain’t done telling you my complete story yet! Be patient! I was about thirty feet away when I heard some uglier sounds coming from up in the sky. Huge buzzards! They were already circling up in the sky waiting for me to get out of sight. They were gathering around waiting for me to leave so they could come down and eat that poor old mama wolf! That’s when I heard the whimpering sound of a young pup. I turned around in all directions trying to find the little pup I’d just heard. I kept hearing the sound! I just couldn’t find it! It was driving me crazy. I was hoping those buzzards didn’t come down and kill the puppy too! I began jogging by going around in circles trying so desperately to find that little pup before it was too late. Under a huge rock, I finally found that little wolf pup. By now, it was scared to come out! Seeing me probably didn’t help either. At the same time, those buzzards were down on the ground and beginning to poke on his mama. I ended up crawling down on my belly to get under that huge rock in order to get to that little pup. I could tell it was still nursing. I’d say it looked to be about three or four weeks old. I finally managed to grab it by the head and pulled it out from under that rock. I stuck him inside my jacket. Just as I did, it started thundering and lightning. This heavy rain started coming down on me hard. By the time I reached the house, I was drenched to the bone! But that little wolf puppy was as dry as a popcorn fart! It had fallen asleep by the time I reached the house. I took it straight to my room, laid him under my blankets, and kept all quiet about it. I thought I was safe."

Stonewall continued, The following morning, I woke up to the smell of frying bacon. I looked all around trying to find that little wolf pup. It had vanished into thin air. I couldn’t find him. I thought maybe it might have run out the front door and gone back to the woods to try and find his mother. Granny was in the kitchen getting my breakfast ready. She was standing over by the stove and looking out the window. I walked in the kitchen trying really hard not to make a sound. Without her looking back, she told me, ‘It done ate! You’ll find that wolf pup right outside the door tied to the front porch post! If you’re aiming on keeping it, you better feed him yourself and name him. And, if he ever kills one of my chickens, you’ll be eating it for supper!’ Stonewall continued, Right then and there, I told Granny his name was Thunder. She just smiled and told me that was the name of her great-great-granddaddy’s horse when he was in the Civil War. I had never heard that story before about my great-great-great-granddaddy. She never said another word about it. She just smiled and went on about her business. Anyway, I walked him over to the chicken pen on a leash everyday so he could get used to being around those chickens. When I finally felt that I could trust him, I took away the leash. He would run around them in circles, but he never did try to mess with them. He would even help me round them up late in the evenings. We became inseparable. He followed me anywhere and everywhere I went. A lot of times, I would simply give him hand signals. I will tell you, Thunder’s pretty intelligent.

Cotton stated, It sounds like Thunder’s pretty incredible. I’m sure he’s warned you about people, snakes, or even other dogs many times. I’ve never had a dog of my own. I wouldn’t mind having me a dog like Thunder. I’d say he’s pretty special! Seems you’ve got you a friend for life, if I do say so myself! I know he saved you from drowning today.

Stonewall stated, Thunder saved me from a rattlesnake bite about six months ago. You know, they’re all over the place around here. If you’re daydreaming or not paying attention while walking through the woods around this place, you’re going to get bit every single time. They lay really quiet until you’re within striking distance. This one time, I was gathering some firewood for Mama’s firepit when I heard the rattle. I knew I was inches away from it. I was down on my knees picking up this pretty good size bundle of firewood. Well, wouldn’t you know it, that rattler had made her home right underneath that pile of wood. Good thing, Thunder was standing right next to me. He must’ve known something I didn’t. It was like he was waiting for it to become visible. Dogs have a very sensitive nose, you know. They smell things we don’t even see, not even from a very short distance. As soon as Thunder heard the rattle, it leaped straight into the rattler’s neck just as the snake jumped to get me. With one ferocious bite, the rattlesnake’s head came off. I saw it fly off. I had never seen that before. It took me a few seconds to realize that Thunder had just saved my life. I had never been so scared in my whole life like I had that one time. Once Thunder saw that there was no more danger, it came and stood by my side waiting for me to do something or say something. I was still in shock. I was speechless and frozen. I couldn’t even move an inch. I had a brain freeze! By now, I had dropped the firewood to the ground. I couldn’t even move my legs. Thunder finally barked. It was like as if he knew that I was in total shock. After his bark, I turned to look at the dead snake. The body was a good six feet long. It was still moving, but by now, I knew it was harmless. I’ve never been bitten by a rattler, but I know a rattlesnake bite can kill you. I finally petted Thunder from head to toe and told him, thank you. I guess one of them bites can also kill a dog, or maybe even a wolf, right? Anyway, Thunder seemed to be alright. Maybe he was lucky too! But he was also my forever hero!

Cotton replied, I would say so too, Stonewall! I also a had a near-rattlesnake bite two years ago. Dad killed it as I stood there frozen in my tracts. I was walking about ten feet in front of Dad when I heard the hissing sound of the snake. A split second later came the sound of the rattle. I’d heard it before. I’d seen folks bitten before. I’ve also seen pictures of dead people from a snake bite. Daddy had always told me not to move an inch if I was to ever hear the sound of a snake’s rattle. Like I said, I froze to death at the instant I heard it. Next thing I heard was Dad’s shotgun blast. It was a bull’s-eye shot. That snake’s head was there one instant and gone the next. It was an awful feeling seeing that squirming snake on the ground trying to find its head.

Stonewall was about to say something when he heard an unusual sound. Stonewall put his forefinger to his mouth as he looked at Cotton. Stonewall quietly said, Hush! I think I just heard something. Thunder’s ears were already standing up straight. Stonewall got down on his knees to hold back Thunder and keep him from running, barking, or howling. Cotton got down on his knees close to Stonewall. Cotton asked, What you hear? Someone talking? Was it a wolf? A snake? Stonewall put his forefinger against Cotton’s mouth. Hush, Cotton! Just listen really close! It sounded like a man’s voice! Just keep listening but keep really quiet! What’s a man doing way out here? Only thing to do out here is fishing! Something’s going on!

Cotton replied in a whispering voice, Let me climb these rocks on my hands and knees to see what’s going on up there. I’ll let you know something here in a little bit. Be sure to keep Thunder as quiet as possible. Keep him down here, no matter what happens. It could be someone with a gun. Don’t let him go to the top and startle whoever’s up there. I’ll be right back! Get ready to run home in case I holler at you! Stonewall gave Cotton a thumbs-up sign.

Cotton looked for the easiest way to climb up to the top after looking and sizing up the rocks. Once he figured out the best pace to climb, he began crawling up and trying not to make any noise. Quietly, Stonewall held on to Thunder by holding him around the neck and snout. As Cotton began his climb, he began to hear a man’s voice. The voice sounded angry. It sounded like the man was upset over something. Cotton was not yet close enough to make out what the man was saying or angry about. Was he talking to someone there with him or was he talking to himself? Cotton did his best to climb the rocks as quietly as possible. But then, as Cotton reached his arm forward, his right foot slipped, and a large rock was dislodged from its position and began falling and rolling down to the riverbank. Stonewall grabbed Thunder, and both ducked behind a huge boulder when he heard the rocks coming down. Cotton crouched closer to the stones. Just then, Cotton heard someone say, Who’s out there?

RULES ABOUT STRANGERS

C OTTON HEARD THE voice say, Who’s out there? You better come out! I ain’t going to say it again! You best come on out! I’ve got a gun and I’ll use it! You’ve got three seconds to make yourself visible!

Just as Cotton was about to stand up and say something, he heard a moan and then heard the blast of two gunshots being fired rapidly, back-to-back. The next thing Stonewall, and Cotton heard was Help! A rattler! Help! I’ve been bitten! Help! Someone help me! Someone please help me! Cotton stood up and hurried up the slope. About twenty feet away,