"Oh, I'm not even from this country, and certainly not from the kind of country you guys are from," she laughed, pleased that her Western clothing apparently made her look to Curtis like a real cowgirl, not like a dude. "I'm Canadian, from Montreal, in town for a computer course, and I decided to see what a Western rodeo was like. Monty has been very helpful in educating me - even showing me how to judge bronc-riding," she said, giving Monty a sly nudge in the ribs.
"Well, Monty's as good a teacher as you could have. I've known his family for years, and known Monty since he was born, and he's one of the best young cattlemen I know. His steers usually top the market at auction, his place is one of the best-run ranches in our area, and his fences are always kept up," said Curt, serious now.
Embarrassed at this unexpected praise, Monty flushed slightly and replied jokingly, "And I'm expecting to find some of my fences between our places broken shortly. I bought 5 excellent Brangus bulls yesterday, and I'm sure you'll be wanting to get some of that good breeding into that herd of mangy Herefords you run."
Laura wasn't used to hearing grown men exchange insults, even good-natured ones, and was shaking her head and laughing as Curtis tipped his hat to her once more, and said, "Very nice to have met you, Laura, and Monty, I'm sure I'll see you back home sometime. You two enjoy the evening, now," and he smiled as he turned and wandered off to find the end of the ever-growing line.
"He seems like a nice man, your neighbor," Laura said when he'd left.
"He is. Curt is one of the best. But actually, all my neighbors are nice people. The ranches are so far apart - Curt's house is two miles from mine - that we depend on each other if we need something without driving to town for it, or if we get in a jam. When we work cattle, all the neighbors get together to help gather the cattle and brand the calves, and then the owner throws a big barbeque to repay them. Anyone who was nasty or unfriendly would have a pretty hard life of it out in the country."
The line had finally started to move, and Laura was silent as she thought over what she'd heard during the last few minutes. She could tell that Curt had been completely sincere when he had given Monty such high praise, and it reinforced Laura's high opinion of this man she'd only met last night. And the easy way the two neighbors had acted with each other, and Monty's description of the life with his ranching neighbors in the country, made her realize that life there must be much different from life among the varied types of people crowded together in the big city. Much different, and probably, she thought, much better.