Page 4 of Lady Luck’s Kiss

CHARLIE

Charlotte was excited to collect her cash winnings, more so than her tickets. Her tickets were “Gold Buckle seats”. She had originally laughed at the description until she saw the faces of the radio employees. They were downright hostile and not shy about it.

“If you don’t like rodeos, why’d you even call in?”

“You can forfeit your tickets and we’d be happy to give them to someone who wants them,” the blonde at the counter snapped.

Stunned by the vehemence that came from the two ladies, Charlie assured them that she wanted the tickets.

She gaped at the estimated value on the form she was about to sign as she saw the cost. Then she bit her tongue to keep from asking for the monetary value of the tickets instead.

She gratefully accepted them and ran from the office, tickets in hand.

Hopping in her old pickup truck, Charlie rolled down the windows and pulled her hair back in a ponytail.

She tucked the tickets in her wallet and zipped the enclosure to make sure they wouldn’t fly out as she drove from town.

Perhaps she would just go instead of scalping them.

Scalping them was illegal and if she couldn’t afford the cosmetic items for her project car, she sure couldn’t pay for them if she had to pay a fine or bail money.

Instead, she called her friend and invited her to go with her.

“Rodeo? Seriously?” she heard Beth’s voice chirp on the other line. “You never get out and now you are going to see a rodeo?”

“I do so get out! And it’s a yes or no question, Beth. Yes, you want to go? Or no, you don’t?” Charlie asked sarcastically in the phone.

“When is it?”

“Lemme look,” she said, feeling a bit stupid for not even looking at the tickets.

“You bought tickets and didn’t check the date?”

“I didn’t buy them. I won them on a radio contest,” she replied absently, thumbing through her wallet between gas receipts and such. She couldn’t imagine the chaos she would have at the bottom of a purse if her wallet was any indication.

“Shaddup! You actually won something?” Charlie held the phone from her head and flinched as Beth screeched into the receiver in shock. It really was odd that she won but it was definitely due at some point. Beth didn’t have to be so darned shocked about it. Her surprise was a bit insulting.

“I know, right?”

“No way! You never win anything, dork.”

“I won these! And they are for September 12 th ,” Charlie gasped. “Crap! They are for tonight!”

Sheer panic set in almost immediately. She had to get ready and make sure there was no one waiting at the shop when she got back. If there was, they absolutely had to leave the car this time or buy out her tickets. She never won and, for the first time, she was going to enjoy her prize!

“Good thing I have no life,” she heard Beth say in a monotone voice. Here we go, Charlie thought. It was a slippery slope for her friend sometimes and if she got in a funk, everyone knew it. Thankfully, it was easy to coax her out of it as well.

“Sure, you do!” Charlie protested, “Seriously though, it’s short notice. Do you want to go?”

“Yeah, I’ll go with you. Have any clodhoppers?”

“Any what?” Charlie asked, laughing at the term.

“Boots! Clodhoppers are slang, girl. I knew you never got out from under the hood of that car, either that or the carbon monoxide from the shop is getting to you.”

“Har-de-har-har and no. No, boots unless they are my steel-toed boots for work. Would that be all right?”

“Good gravy, no! C’mon over and I will loan you a pair of mine.”

“You don’t mind?”

“As long as you don’t step in a cowpie, no, I don’t mind. You know I’d do anything for you. It’s the least I could do in return.”

“No cowpies, I promise.”

“See you in a bit then and beer is on me since you have the tickets.”

Hanging up the phone, Charlie left the apartment, started up the truck and pulled out onto the road.

She drove for a time before pulling off the main drag to the side road where Beth lived.

She saw the older Nissan 280x in the driveway and itched to get her hands on it, but Beth’s roommate never brought the car to her.

She didn’t even know if it ran. Charlie knocked on the door and Beth yanked it open with a wide grin.

“C’mon in, big winner,” she drawled loudly and held the door for Charlie.

“I don’t know about ‘big winner’ but…” Charlie teased and held up the tickets.

“These are ringside seats. We are gonna be sniffing horse sweat all night long! Yee haw!”

Scrunching her nose, Charlie said, “Since you put it like that,” she hesitated, thinking of the last time she went to a zoo and the stench.

“Horse sweat and sexy cowboys!” Beth said, winking. “The two will cancel each other out. And with enough beer, you won’t smell a thing,” she told Charlie firmly. “Put those on.”

Charlie eyed the brown and black boots that stood in the corner. She was wearing a summer maxi dress that buttoned up to her bosom and she was completely sure that those boots were not designed to be worn with her dress.

“I think I will wear my sandals,” she said, peering at her feet.

“No, you don’t,” Beth said with a grin and threw a pair of socks at Charlie from around the doorway where she had disappeared a moment ago. “No sandals or you will be covered in dirt by the end of the night. The boots will look great and if you unbutton that top button…”

“I will look like a tramp falling out of my dress?”

“No, you will look like a single woman trying to wrangle herself a cowboy,” Beth said, finishing her original thought.

Beth took that moment to come around the corner in the tightest pair of jeans that Charlie had ever seen. “Dang, Beth! Did you paint those on?” she said, shocked at the outline of her friend’s body.

“No, but if you are looking, then some of the cowboys will be, too,” she said aggressively and winked at Charlie.

“Well, that much is true,” Charlie admitted and put on the socks and boots.

She had to admit that she could see why people wore the leather boots.

They were extremely comfortable and felt better than her favorite sneakers.

Looking down, she was surprised to see that she liked the look of them as well. “Not bad.”

“Right?” Beth agreed, pulling on her own elaborate boots that had flecks of blue on the panels and a strange print to them. Charlie later found out that they were Beth’s favorite boots and made of ostrich skin.

This was Beth’s domain today they would be in: cowboys, rodeo, country music, etc. Charlie would be looking around at everything today just to absorb the experience, if nothing else. She was out of her element. If you asked her what the torque specs were for an intake manifold, she could tell you.

But this?

This was new…and a bit exciting!

Beth was happy to be going and, frankly, that is why Charlie adored her. Beth’s enthusiasm was infectious and exhilarating. When her friend was happy, nothing bothered her and everything made her smile. When Beth was in a mood, she quickly perked back up.

Charlie loved that about her friend.

Beth locked arms with her and yelled “Bye!” loudly towards her roommate, whom Charlie had yet to meet or see. The two practically ran to Charlie’s truck, excited to be on their way.

The rodeo was nothing like Charlie had ever seen before.

So many vendors and booths crowded the line of tents circling around the arena.

Charlie had thought it would be outside and she was shocked that it was big enough to command the need for usage of the large arena.

Beth bought herself a large turquoise set of earrings and a pair of much daintier ones for Charlie.

“In exchange for the ticket,” she explained.

“I thought you said beer was the price you’d pay,” Charlie said with a grin. She really didn’t indulge except occasionally. For her to have two beers in a week was unusual and it sounded like Beth had planned on Charlie setting a record today.

“I meant beer, too!” she affirmed and grabbed her by the hand, dragging Charlie to another vendor who gave them each a large plastic boot with a handle on the side.

Each was filled with the cold, foamy, bitter liquid.

There was no selection, it was what they had on hand and it was honestly pretty darned smooth, surprising Charlotte.

Several air horns went off and a loud announcement over the speakers announced that the rodeo would be starting in the next thirty minutes.

This was their signal to make their way to the seats.

Glad she had thought to braid her hair once they arrived, she was surprised at the difference between the outside versus the inside of the arena.

It was cool inside and a pleasant difference from the hot September sun.

They went through security and down deep inside the bowels of the large arena that was lit with fluorescent lights.

She could see the dirt floor below as well as several metal gates on large stalls.

The stalls sat empty for the time being but would soon be occupied.

The seats were amazingly close and just behind the metal stalls.

“Great, they are fantastic seats. We get a bird’s eye view of a horse pooping!”

“Ha, ha,” Charlie teased back. “I didn’t pick them, but it’s pretty neat to be so close. I can do without the horsey-doo, thank you very much.”

“I’m just yanking your chain,” Beth joked. “I’ve never been this close up before.”

“Me neither,” she agreed and silently toasted her friend with the half-empty boot. Her head was spinning already from the foamy, tart brew. She vowed that she was going to refill her boot with water or anything else other than a beer.

“This stuff is strong. Want to finish mine?”

“Live a little, you prude. Drink the beer, watch the show and hook yourself up with a little something hot to trot! You asked for the beer and you deserve a bit of fun,” she teased as the crowd began to roar excitedly.