Bull Rider Read Free

the dirt road.
    “Dad put a calf down last night,” I said to Mike. “It was real sad.”
    “Why’d he put it down?” Mike asked, taking the bait.
    “Well, its mom ate too much salt out at the salt lick. It was born with two heads, and it was trying to walk in both directions at once.” I said it just as calm as pie.
    Mike’s eyes went wide. “Two heads, really? Did you take a picture?”
    I burst out laughing and punched Mike on the shoulder. “Got you again, yeah, I did.”
    Mike punched me back. “I knew. I did. There’s no two-headed calf, not in Salt Lick, anyway. You’re just full of gas.”
    I grabbed Mike’s arm and shook him till the bus driver slowed up and glared at us in the rearview mirror. So I pushed him away and stared out the window. I didn’t see any two-headed cows, but there were regular cows. Plenty of them. They didn’t look up, didn’t even twitch.
    Sun beat down on the mountains. Sagebrush bent in astiff wind. The road turned, and Salt Lick peeked through the cottonwood trees—Salt Lick, population 675, except on school days, when the bus brought sixty extra kids to town. It was a lousy day to be going to school when I could be training my colt or riding my skateboard. Instead there was Killworth to face and a whole day of sitting in class in front of me.
    When we piled off the bus, Lali waited for me by the flagpole. “Tie my shoes, Cammy.”
    “You’re big enough to tie your own shoes. Remember how Grandpa Roy showed you about the loops being like bunny ears?”
    “I want bunny ears,” Lali said. I knelt down to tie up her sneakers.
    “Let’s pretend we’re bunnies now.” She started hopping around.
    “Hold still, Lali. I can’t do this while you’re jumping.” I finished and tied a double knot. “Okay, go, or you’ll be late to first grade.” She waved as she walked backwards toward her class.
    I ran to my own class, in the junior and senior high building, and managed my one macho move—showing up at Mr. Killworth’s room just as the bell rang. I slammed down into the chair just in time. But Mike and Favi were late.
    “What exactly is it that’s more important than getting to class on time?” Killworth asked.
    “I dropped my backpack and everything fell out. I’m sorry,” Favi said.
    “Was Mr. Gianni in your backpack too? Is that why he was late?”
    “He was helping me pick up my stuff,” Favi said.
    “And he can help you clean desks at lunchtime. Now take out your social studies books, all of you.” He wrote “August 27th” on the board.
    With Killworth we were lucky we all didn’t have to clean the whole school. He nodded to me. “Cam, read out loud starting on page thirty-seven.”
    I flipped through the pages till I found the place. The Great Depression was a hard time for families. Drought ruined farms, banks closed, and workers lost jobs. Some families had to start all over while others clung to their traditions to get by….
    Just then, an office helper poked his head in the door and held a note toward Mr. Killworth. “What’s that?” Killworth grumbled. He read the note and said, “Cam, you are needed in the principal’s office.” His voice turned oddly gentle. I stared at him.
    “Take your things, you won’t be back today.”
    Everyone looked at me. Something was really wrong.
    CHAPTER THREE
    G randpa Roy stood by the counter in the principal’s office holding Lali by the hand. His face was gray.
    “What’s wrong?” I asked.
    “We’re on our way, then,” Grandpa said to no one in particular. He straightened his cowboy hat and led Lali out. I followed.
    We got in the truck. Grandpa opened the half door to the little seat behind the cab and belted Lali in. I hopped in next to Grandpa, and since he never talks until he’s good and ready, I waited.
    But Lali didn’t. “Grandpa, Cammy says you can tie my shoes like rabbit ears.”
    “He does, does he?”
    “Yes, and can I get a rabbit? I want a black-and-white one,