Ol’ Dobbs 
by Mike Moutoux    

Ol’ Dobbs said he was the last of his kind

Been a buckaroo as long as he could recall

In fact, if he couldn’t do the job a-horse-back

He didn’t want to do the job at all

 

We last saw him spring of Ninety One

The foreman was layin’ out a job for us to do

He said we’d be diggin’ postholes for a drift fence

“And Dobbs”, he added, “You’ll dig too.”

 

Now, Dobbs did not get angry at this

And arguin’, well, it wasn’t the old man’s way

He smiled and said, “Son, I mean no disrespect,

But I reckon I’ll just draw my pay.”

 

“I hear there’s work up Montana way

They say the ranges are the finest anywhere

I’ve always wanted to see all them mountains

Send you a post card when I get there.”

 

We got a card from Dobbs that Fall

He said Montana was no place for him to stay

Said in spring there’s lots of horse-work to do

But in summer they wanted him to bale hay

 

Next we got a card from Canada

Seems Dobbs found a spot to spend the winter in

He wrote,  “These boys spend six months just settin’ in a chair,

Come spring, I’m headed north again.”

 

The postmark said, “North Pole” and the note

Had a picture of Dobbs with a herd of funny deer

He wrote, “The folks up here are real nice, but no one ranches,

After Christmas, I’m rollin’ out of here.”

 

The cards came in from all over then

Russia, China, and Tibet to name a few

There were stories of Yaks and Mongolian somethin’s

Said he’d roped a musk-ox or two

 

Ol’ Dobbs was stayin’ one jump ahead

Of changes to a world he couldn’t abide

He looked for work all over the map---honest work

For a cowboy that just wants to ride

 

We were talkin’ about Ol’ Dobbs last night

Figgered he was old and prob’ly passed of course

We’re not sure what the angels do up there in Heaven

But we’re sure one is doin’ it from a horse.