2:00AM

As I came down Bear Mountain I saw a bedraggled cowboy standing in a ditch across the road. He was waving his hat at me frantically.
"WHAT TIME IS IT AND DO YOU TAKE DEBIT?" he hollered.. "2:03AM, AND YES!" I hollered back. I pulled the cab around and lowered the window.
"Where ya heading?" I asked. "Up to Table Mountain road to get my horse!" That was clearly a long way up in the Highlands: pitch dark rural hill country and directly away from where I wanted to be in downtown Victoria.

He was standing in the ditch and quickly washed his face in it before putting his hat back on.
"I jest came all the way from Duncan to get my horse. Shit where's my debit card? Dang it!..."
He rooted through his wallet becoming more agitated. He had no money, no cards.
"I'm from the Coopers, we've been racing here fer fourty years!" He jestured over his shoulder towards Western Speedway.
"Take a chance on me, ah got money in the house!"
"That's the wrong way for me pal, all my business is downtown."

He stuffed a colander into the green garbage bag he had with him.
"Ah jest came from the hospital! These are mah things from the hospital!" He began to move away in the direction of Table Mountain.
"You better get outta here before ah get mad," he said. "Goddamn three hour walk woulda been a thirty-five minute drive..." He continued to mutter to himself ambled off into the Langford night. I pulled away, bemused.


-- Post From Taxi