Dude

Chapter 1

"Legacy, we have a new patient coming in today, a Carter Parker, he is 7 years old and has PTSD and SAD," dad says as he comes into the eight stahls where I am mucking out the horse stahls while the horses are out in the pasture.

Stopping mid-forking of the dirty hay and shit to glance at dad and nod. "Sounds good, when is his due to arrive and what horse should I use for him?" Continuing with my mucking on my last stahl so I can replenish the hay and water and head to the second horse barn to do the same to those eight stahls.

We have sixteen stahls and all are full; granted two of them are not ours, we are housing them for a woman who comes at least three days a week with her daughter to ride and take care of the horses themselves; not that we don't care for the horses, she says and I agree a good way for her and her daughter, Kenzie to continue to bond with Tango and Rocky.

"Use Midnight for Carter and he will be here at 4 p.m. when he is home from school," dad says and I nod as I place new hay inside the stahl before grabbing the hose to fill the water bucket.

"Alright," I reply glancing at my watch to find that it is already noon. I have to finish the other eight stahls and unload the horse feed along with the chicken and pig feeds from the back of my black 2013 Dodge Ram before 4 p.m.

"Good, while you set up and start working with him, I will obtain the information from his parents while you do that," dad continues.

"Got it, what time is Leif going to be home?" I ask dad, I'm always worried about my little brother, even though I shouldn't be, he can handle himself and he was never bullied at school unlike I was.

"He'll be home around 3:30 p.m. and there is no reason to worry about him, Leg," dad assures me clapping me on the shoulder as he leaves to checkon the horses before heading to the house where one of his clients will be arriving shortly.

Finishing up with this last stahl, I check to make sure this pasture gate is locked tight before taking the UTV, heading toward the second barn to start on my chores there; which should take me two hours and then I have a little less than two hours to distrube the feeds between the two horse barns, chicken coops and the pig pens, place the bags in the containers and head back to the first barn to set up Midnight for the new client.

Thinking of the new client and his discorders I can't help be relate to this young child on a small level; I don't have SAD but I do have PTSD from the severe beatings I've endured from school and all those boys who said I was a sin, a freak because I was gay and also work as a dude on a horse farm. I envy my little brother not in a bad way, since I'm thankful he doesn't have to endure the same abuse I did at school. Leif is straight and has a beautiful, funny, very intellegent and sassy girlfriend, Ariel; yes her parents named her after the character from Disney's 'The Little Mermaid'.

Two hours later I'm finally finished mucking out the last eight stahls and hope back in the UTV and head to my truck to unload the three different feeds to a trailer that I attach to the UTV before depositing them at the four different locations; two horse stahls, the pig pen and the chicken coop. Once finished I take the UTV back to the house and park it before walking to the the first horse coral and bring Midnight in and saddle and bridal him; finishing five minutes before a truck pulls in that is unfamilar, must be the new client.

The silver extended cab Chevy Silverado parks and the doors open allowing four people to climb out; maybe this is possible new clients since dad said it was parents and a child not a teenager, a child and two adults. Guess I will find out shortly since they are walking toward me since dad still has a few more minutes with his client and I can handle them as long as no one tries to touch me or makes any sudden movements.