As a child he devoured books on the cowboy life. He read western catalogs and he dreamed about Gene Autry's Cowboy Code. His dad made time once to take him across country by train so he could see cowboy country for himself, putting reality to his imagined images.
He defined his life by the cowboy code, those unwritten laws which shaped the 'old west'. He was not judgmental and didn't 'take down the little guy'. He tried to be considerate whether he interacted with a child, an adult or animal.
I came into his life in his 40's and the cowboy was ingrained in him.
the cowboy way -
the wild west drew him in
a world all his own
standing in suburbia New York c.1944.
he dreamed of cattle drives
roping
and dusty ten gallon hats.
a decent horse would be his companion,
constant, faithful.
he had read that to be ‘a man’
strong and honorable
he must live life
the cowboy-code way.
he dreamed.
he dreamed of galloping hooves
a world of unfenced rooms
and livin’ the cowboy code.
he dreamed he would find worth
respectability
and be a part of a team if only he lived ‘right’.
he always lived up to his parents expectations
but added the cowboy code:
live each day with courage
take pride in your work
always finish what you start
be tough, but fair
talk less
say more
and know when to draw the line.
he bound himself lifelong to this code.
no one is perfect
but in our 43 years he did his best
living with his own boundaries
a personal boundary as good as any fence
his ethics
his life,
talk less
say more
live the cowboy code.
My cowboy: a man of courage, pride and honor. Here he is from 8 to 80. He started painting at 70 and particularly loved the cowboy scene.