Foist the CowBoy Way forever

Working Trucks of Bryan TX
by Pat Darnell

This is about the transfiguration of working trucks down here.

When I commute to the job, I don't expect to be entertained. Today was entertaining. As I queued for the light at Boonville and Copperfield Roads, spread out in my front-window was the rear end of a 2006 - Dodge Ram 3500 - Mega Cab - Dually 4x4 - Laramie - RR. I said to my passenger, Fred, "Whooo-eeee, Frederico, look at all that stuff on the trailer hitch of that Dually. ..." Fred finds it a bit amusing.

Valero's GaAs Station at the same corner is sporting Regular for $2.89, and diesel for $3.02 ... I drive a 2001 Dodge Neon. Between the two of us Dodges we are somewhat carbon neutral. Talking to self, still waiting to turn left behind the Dually, say I:

"I am pretty sure these huge trucks are going to be valuable in the near future. People will be looking for these power houses as the automobile industry waivers on electro-dynamo hybrids, eh?" 

"So, the best thing to do is to get one of these cowgirl Cadillacs and hold on to it for a few years. We'll see about what happens in a future think tank of fish, okay Self?"

I am muy entertained; this is a great drive coming up. I squint to see: "What the devil is that on his trailer hitch?"

Usually a partner has one trailer hitch ornament. In the beginning simply  slit tennis balls; held the grease and kept the ball clean. Then caps like a boat propeller, ten gallon hats, socks, and I don't know what else.

I suppose if one is a real tiger out here today in his Dually, like this one on parade, he will have "three" ball hitch ornaments. On the left is a brass casting of balls of a bull, looking very out of place. On the right side is a bareback bull rider's cowbell, and many say you can never have too much cowbell.

"Fred, that thing in the middle what the devil is that? It looks like a rams head, but no." The third of three item on the hitch was a new one for me. I would have to get alongside with a better angle to figure out that shape.

Things from the hitch up only got better. The Texas Decorators License Plate said "FRGT 1," with a scenic Texas bluebonnet field background. The tail gate had not one ding on it. It was topped with a non-standard bed liner that went sidewall to sidewall, topped at the rails with balustrade two inch pipe, powdered coated and custom bent to accent the lines of the bed, and on up to the rear window.

His rear window had a custom fitted cowboy silhouette stamped out of deck metal and powder coated black. The scene was all about the cowboy way, showing romance, windmill, and wrangling cattle in its spanner. I cannot see one scrape, not any smudge, nor even a fingerprint upon all this applied art moss.

I'm still thinking I can get a look at that last hitch ornament, but not until we stop at the light at Elmo Weeden and Boonville Roads.

"Ah, its a well head, treble gear bladed, powder coated black cutting head. I'll be danged, Frederico!"

So this is Steers, Bells, and  Wells... rolling after-market personalizing craftsmanship of today's cowboy up Dually.

Good public art stops you in your tracks, while the best public art also opens up a new thought channel in your head. Especially today in our Eco-graffiti, reverse logic, throwaway objects, materialistic hobo, Moss Def spanner dirty hems, powder coated, unexampled 4 eating 4, RAM style, will we all remain rich and guilder bonded servants to our heritages?

It fits -- our Dually this afternoon -- it really fits; it is true that the discovery, extrusion, and [now, also,] spilling of Oil and Gas will forever foist our Cowboy Way : to pass off as genuine and worthy, costly and valueless, products the public needs in order to keep it alive ... Wah-laa!

And, it made the drive to work much more fun.
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