Cowboy Day

It’s Cowboy Day!

And finally – FINALLY was able to get to one of the Snippets – Paula this is for you from WAY BACK!!

Thomas Sawyer stood in his families living room, feeling completely detached.

He had no idea who these people where.  Oh, he knew they were his parents, his siblings, hell even the siblings partners, but he had no idea who these people were.

Two years ago he was right at home.   Would’ve just leaned up against the counter, sipped a beer, laughing over ‘jokes’, and not a care of inappropriateness.

Now.

Now he stared at his family in slight horror.   How could they even think these things, let alone laugh about them.  It was wrong on so many levels.

“Thomas you seem distracted.”  His mother smiled at him, showing little concern for him, only the fact he wasn’t doing a his job being a good son.

“I’m fine.”  He gave her a tight smile.

“You’ve been distant since you came back from that foreign place.”  She had her hands on her hips giving him the ‘I’m mom and I know best look’.

“South Africa.”  Thomas  closed his eyes for a moment trying not to sigh.  “I was in South Africa.”

“Does it matter, that whole place is uncivilized.”  She sauntered off, snapping her fingers at him to follow.   

He shook his head before turning to make his way to his room.   

His bags were already packed, with a one way plane ticket back to Johannesburg.   

He had been an arrogant racists prick, yet the Clan had still taken him in, because of Quarterman.   His Mate.  And boy was he not worthy of him.  But he was starting to understand.  And well he didn’t like himself very much, but Owen pointed out he didn’t have to be that person.  So that’s what he has been working to change.   He left a letter to Alan, stated that he needed to be a better person for himself first before he could even think about being a better person for him.   

But he hadn’t realized how hard it would be, just being back in Texas.  It was like he suddenly saw through the thin layer of politeness to the dirty sicking reality of prejudice in all forms.   

“Boy where are you going?”  His father called out, a tone indicating he wasn’t to be argued with.

“Home.”  He said without thinking dropping his one packed bag, and backpack by the front door.  

“You are home son.”  His mother frowned, glancing at her husband.  “You must be tired from your trip.”

“Not really.”  Thomas glanced over to see his whole family staring at him.  All so blinded by their own false truths.  “Look I’m just going to leave, and we don’t have to have this conversation…”

“What conversation?”  His oldest brother had his hands on his hips, a spittin’ image of their father.

“That y’all are a bunch of racist, sexists, homophobic assholes.”  Thomas gave them a charming smile.  “I’ve sat down here for the past three hours, and all I’ve heard from you is how evil those illegals are and stealing our jobs.  The gays are destroying society.  The blacks are nothing but thugs and hurting poor business owners with their riots.  And god damn those women for being whores and wanting to control their own bodies.  So my questions to you.  What jobs?  What jobs are they stealing?  Cause last I checked you were paying them to mow your damn lawn, for pennies on the dollar.  And I’m sorry a same sex couple getting married doesn’t change your pathetic excuse of a marriage, especially considering you’re both fucking around on the other.  And you know maybe if you stop shooting innocent people, they would stop rioting.  And lastly if you don’t have a vagina you don’t get to tell someone who does how to use it.” 

“Shut your mouth boy!”  His father stepped up to him hand raised.

“Go ahead dad hit me.  Like you’ve always done when someone challenges your manliness.”  He sighed rubbing a hand over his face.   When he gets back to the Clan he’s apologizing to EVERYONE, even the animals including Tiny Terror for being a dick.  God how did even think like that.  “I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay dear we understand those Africans …”

“No, I’m sorry you’re all to blinded by your own prejudice that you don’t see how much of the world you’re missing.”  He grabbed his cowboy hat and headed for the door.  

“You leave never come back.”

Panic ripped through him.  No money.  No insurance.  No backup plans.

But the didn’t need it.

“What got into you bro, fall for African chick.  Suddenly you’re a flower hugging liberal.”  

“Actually it was some African dick, but okay.”  He smirked slipped his hat on and tipped it in farewell.  Before his dad could carry out his threat, he grabbed the bags and was out the door.  The taxi was already waiting as he grabbed his bags.  He wondered if he could still be a cowboy in Africa?