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My husband Shane and I went bowling with some friends one and was bowled over by the fact that this guy spoke about his
weekend. My husband went to the bar to get a pitcher to share, adventure that happened fifty-five years ago as if it happened
but he didn’t come back right away. I thought it was strange only yesterday. Shane expressed that he felt an immense sense
that he was taking so long, so after a while I went to check on of pride to know that his grandfather had made such an impact
him. I turned the corner and saw him bellied up to the bar – not in this fellow's life and the power of that one experience has
drinking. He was gripped in an engrossing conversation with an stayed with this gentleman for decades.
elderly gentleman, so I left him to it. After many skipped turns,
he finally emerged. We continued our visit with friends splitting This occurrence had me thinking about the expedition of life.
pins, spinning bowling balls, throwing strikes, and eventually We are born, we get educated and/or we go to work, we live
headed home. Our entire ride home echoed of Shane’s our lives, and then it's over. We can talk about making money
conversation with this man. His perfect game didn’t come from and things like that, but the most amazing thing a person can do
a 300-score game, but rather a coincidental connection with a is to make a positive impact on someone else’s life. I can only
complete stranger. hope that I come across one situation where fifty-five years from
now someone remembers me and an experience we shared that
While ordering at the bar, the older gentleman glanced over moved them profoundly. How incredible would that be?
and asked Shane where he was from which Shane proceeded
to tell him where we live. The commonality of our last name I grew up in a ranching and rodeo family where reciting stories of
enticed the man to list a roster of people and ask Shane if he the past was a daily affair. My grandpa passed away when I was
was related to any of them. Shane turned down each name eleven, but I remember the stories he had told, and more vividly,
and mentioned that he had grown up in Montana. The elderly I remember all the stories folks told about him after he was
gentleman told him that he had the best hunting trip of his gone. So much of us comes from those who have had an impact
lifetime up in Montana. Shane loves hunting. He was involved on our lives. I think stories should be listened to and retold. I've
in his family's outfitting business for most of his youth. Shane heard my dad's rodeo adventures more times than I can count,
asked him where he had hunted and it just happened that it was but I always enjoy them. Why? Because my dad's face lights up.
in the same area that Shane had grown up in. The elderly man It’s easy to tell that he takes pride in that time and that it was
said that he remembered his guide's name was Corky. Shane’s the highlight of his youth. He has allowed me to partake in his
hair stood up on the back of his neck and I could see all the hair experiences and know the people that have positively affected
follicles on his arms being raised like the snap of a chilled breeze his life through his stories. Not everyone will share the intimate
just hit him. He asked if his guide's name was Corky Hedrick and details of their lives, but by listening intently to their stories they
the man nodded. Corky Hendrick is Shane’s grandfather. Now, will reveal some insight to who they are and their history.
I've been known to turn away on many occasions when hunting
stories start to occupy the conversation, but I was pulled into this Here is my question for you: what are the stories you share, and
moment and blown away by this coincidence. better yet, what stories do folks tell about you? Think about it for
a minute.
Hunting narratives carried the exchange and Shane even knew
some of the tales this guy was telling him. Shane couldn't believe The one thing I know for sure is that we have no control over what
that this fellow had kept these stories so vivid in his memories people will repeat about their encounters with us. I used to ª

Rodeo LIFE 75
All photos by Cheyenne Glade Wilson