Gentle readers, we know what we don’t know! Know what I mean? Ya know?

It’s kinda’ like this the way I have it figgured. I think we all know that we don’t know what we would have known if circumstances had been different. For example: I often wonder way back on that cold December morning in 1982 if I had decided to just go over to my ranch office and do paper work instead of deciding to help the cowboy crew get caught up on doctoring some sick steers we had just received. After all it was cold wet and very muddy and ole’ Jiggs was one big ole’ pony if he were to have a wreck in all that mud. The night before I read that story about that ole’ “waddie” that broke his leg in a hoss wreck and had the presence of mind to cut his boot off before his leg swelled up.

I saddled my pony, went to work in some traps close to the house and in 15 or so minutes I had that 1,450 pound hoss down on top of me and yes, I had a broken leg and a separated foot. Today I suffer from traumatic arthritis in that limb and will from now on.

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What if I hadn’t made that decision to move my family to Colorado some 28 years ago? Would my little darlin’ wife still be alive? Would I be writing a weekly column, drawing cartoons and riding a Harley? See … I know what I don’t know. Most likely I would not be drawing cartoons for public consumption or writing a weekly column and most certainly I wouldn’t be riding a Harley.

What if I hadn’t gotten so disgusted with my corporate job all those years ago and made the decision to change directions and hang the suit and tie in the closet and go to punchin’ cows for a living? I know that I would not be the man that I am today if I had to trade all the experiences I have had, good and bad, for staying a “townie” and acting more civilized like town folks do.

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What about you Buckwheat? Have you ever sat back and reflected on the “what if’s” in your life and your “comings and goings” for all of your adult years?

Of course you have and you are just like me … you know what you don’t know! I reckon that’s the way it is supposed to be. Will Rogers once was quoted as saying, “It ain’t no more difficult for a man to be in two different places at the same time than it is for him to come back from some place he ain’t never been!”

Stay tuned, check yer cinch on occasion and remember to stand tall for all of the right things and I’ll c y’all, all y’all. ❖