Unbroken Horses

            Friday had to be laundry day since I was down to my last pair of underwear. I also needed to fill out my income report for Ontario Works, which is something I won’t have to do once I start getting my pension next year. On top of that I won’t have to have half my income deducted if I choose to work. After filling out the report and getting my clothing and bedding packed up I rode first to the mailbox to post the document. Then instead of going to the Laundromat I started absent-mindedly riding towards the supermarket. I caught myself, rode around the block and up Dowling to Queen. After putting my things in the wash I headed for the supermarket. I bought seven bags of black sable grapes, a bag of oranges, three avocadoes, some Irish Spring soap, a bottle of mouthwash and a carton of soymilk. At the express, an off duty cashier who'd come to chat with my cashier exclaimed, "Look at all those grapes!" I think that people think I'm crazy for all the grapes that I buy.

            I was the only customer in the Laundromat. Maybe that’s why the late middle-aged Japanese couple that manage the place both said goodbye to me when I left, or perhaps I’ve just become familiar to them.

            I had some nuts and soymilk for lunch.

            I got caught up on my journal.

            I wrote critiques of the poems submitted by my group members.

            I had two potatoes with gravy for dinner and for dessert I had a banana with strawberries, soymilk and honey. I watched an episode of The Rifleman.

            In this story Lucas’s brother-in-law Johnny shows up at the ranch. It’s already been revealed to us that Johnny is a wanted man but Lucas and Mark don’t know that yet. Johnny is a champion bronco rider. He breaks a horse for Mark that threw Lucas. Some locals want Johnny to break a horse named Lucifer for a man named Stacey. They figure it will stop Stacey from being so arrogant. Johnny secretly makes a deal with Stacey to lose the contest for $500. Lucas finds the wanted poster with Johnny’s picture. He’s torn between sticking by his late wife’s brother and turning him in. Finally after talking with Mark, Johnny decides that he’s not going to lose for Stacey and that after the contest he’ll turn himself in. He breaks Lucifer and then surrenders.