Eric is awakened by his phone ringing, he looked down and noticed it was Hector. He answered the phone and asked, "you finally here?" He had glanced at the clock and noticed he had been asleep for just over an hour, and Hector had said he was right outside of the city.
"Yeah," Hector replied. " Damn truck blew out a duel and so I just limped it in. These yanks drive crazy and didn't feel like getting smoked on the highway."
"I'll be right down," said Eric. He grabbed his wallet and groggily headed to the lobby. He met Hector in the lobby and handed him a key.
Hector was not dressed much better than Eric. He was wearing jeans that had been cutoff into shorts, a Hawaiian floral button up shirt. He had a similar crunched cowboy hat and brown scuffed up cowboy boots. Everyone in the lobby stared awkwardly trying to figure out how these two hill billies could afford to stay in one of the finest hotels in New York.
"Leave your key with that guy," Eric told Hector. "He will park your truck, evidently it's some stupid policy. I'm gonna shower and change, you want to go out for beer, I'll buy?"
"After today, I think I need something stronger than a beer," he said as he chuckled. "We can mess with tire tomorrow, we're only taking the equipment trailer to the yard." Eric nodded in agreement as they went to go get ready.
After about 30 minutes, they were both ready to head out. Eric had put on his felt cowboy hat, it was white with dark brown hat band. He wore a dark blue pearl snap long sleeve shirt. His pants were dark blue denim cowboy cut fresh from the dry cleaners with a light starch and crease down the legs. He had a pair of polished black cowboy boots that were shined enough to see one's reflection. Last but not least he had a brown leather belt with star etched conchos with a gold belt buckle that said Palo Duro Rodeo Team Roping champion.
Hector also wore a white felt cowboy hat. He wore a white button up western style shirt, his jeans were black and he also wore black boots shined with a mirror look. He wore a basic western leather belt with a belt buckle that read Texas High School Bull Riding Champion.
The staff was left speechless as they noticed Eric and Hector walking through the lobby. They couldn't believe that these two gentlemen were the rough looking hill billies from earlier. One lady shouted, "I can pretend I'm a bull."
" wander how well that one can tie with a rope?" exclaimed another. The ladies were stunned and excited to see cowboys walking through the hotel they were residing in.
"I guess we're taking your goat," Hector said to Eric.
Eric smiled and simply said, "well some of us have good taste." They both laughed as they waited on Eric's truck to be brought to them by the valet. Eric pulled out his phone and search for a bar close by. He chuckled and showed Hector one called Wild West, it advertised a authentic cowboy experience in the city.
Hector laughed and said, "we have to go." The valet brought them Eric's truck, and they climbed inside and headed towards the bar.
When they arrived in the parking lot, they noticed the large wooden building. The main entrance had a large half of a wagon wheel above it that read, "Welcome to the Wild West. They both chuckled as they walked towards the door. Inside the main bar was an old western styled walnut wood bar with a copper top. The bar wall was a three large walnut decretive archways with decretive carvings. The bar stools were walnut high back stools with a rustic leather finish. The bar floor was a wood grained vinyl, but the dance floor was highly polished hard wood and the music being played was generic radio played country. For the most part, the patrons were all wearing cowboy styled hats from the nearest department store, designer button up shirts and pants. They were were wearing leather belts and generic buckles, ranging from a cowboy on a horse to just a basic longhorn. The rest of the patrons were dressed casually, some wearing polo shirts and shorts with loafers and others, t-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes. The women were either dressed in summer dresses or cowgirl attire feature flannel shirts and jeans, with a few that were wearing other attires.
The bartender asked what they would like as they walked up to their bar. Eric ordered a Lone Star bock beer and Hector order a Panhandle Red. The bar tender reached down and said, "we don't sell much of this, but just enough to keep it on hand," as he popped the tops and handed them each their bottles, "That'll be twelve dollars." They paid and went and found a table.
Two young ladies just barely 21 noticed Eric and Hector as they came through the door. They had noticed that their attire seemed a little more authentic then the others, most of all they noticed that their buckles were not any type of generic. One of them giggled and said, "they're cute, we need to go talk to them." The other giggled and agreed. After giving Eric and Hector a little time to get settled in, they made there way over to the table.
"Are you guys real cowboys?" asked one of the girls.
The other chimed in, "I've always wanted to meet a real cowboy."
Hector chuckled and said, " he's the cowboy, I'm just and old retired bull rider," as he pointed at Eric. "His momma is the one with ranch in Texas."
"I wouldn't call it a ranch, she has like 50 cows and a bull on 100 acres. I just help her when I'm not working," Eric replied. I just won a belt buckle with a a friend of mine team roping in our local rodeo.
The girls giggled and the first one replied, "my name's Kimberly." Kimberly's family was a wealthy family from New York City. Her family was best know for their engineering firm and construction company. They were responsible for the construction of a huge portion of the city streets and buildings. Her family's companies had in the last year engineered and constructed two major buildings in the main square of the city. Kimberly had light brown shoulder length straight hair, blue eyes, and thin lips with light pink lipstick. She wore a turquoise western style belted dress. "So what's your name?" she asked looking towards Eric.
"Eric Grange," Eric replied, as he touch the brim of his hat and tipped it.
Kimberly blushed as she said, "this is my friend Katie." Katie wore a matching turquoise dress and both ladies wore wide brim western fedora. Katie had blonde hair that fell to her back, her eyes were green and her lips were plump with dark red lipstick. Katie came from another wealthy family in New York, but her family owned one of the largest law firms in the city and a large portion of commercial real estate. Her family represented Kimberly's on the legal side and Kimberly's did the construction and engineering for Katie's, a very beneficial relationship for the two families. Kimberly and Katie were both students at Greenwhich State.
Most of New Yorks future entrepreneurs attended Greenwhich State. It was ranked as one of the best business universities in the entire country. Families sent their children here once they became adults even if they were not taking over their businesses just for the prestige.
Kimberly, Katie, Hector and Eric all chatted for about an hour. Kimberly grew more and more excited as Eric told her about his family and growing up in Texas. Despite going out for drinks, Hector and Eric barely drank down their first beer with all the chatting. Eric leaned back to stretch and bumped into a young gentleman causing him to spill all over him self. Furiously the guy yelled, " this outfit cost $1500!" as he glared at Eric. "Now my cowboy cloths are ruined!"
Hector was laughing so hard it took him a moment to get the words out, "if they told you those make you look like a cowboy, you need to go get your money back. You look more like a yuppie that ran out and got some cloths to go watch the rodeo." Hector continued to laugh, as he said, "I bet you couldn't tell the difference between the ass and head of a horse."
"Are you looking for a fight!?" the young man shouted as Hector stood up. The young man noticed the buckle Hector was wearing, and realized that Hector and Eric were the closest thing to cowboys he and his friends had ever seen. "How did you get that buckle?" the young man asked.
"By jumping on an animal that tried to stomp my head in and winning," Hector arrogantly replied. The young man and his friends apologized and chatted for a couple of minutes and went on their way. Hector and Eric each ordered a couple more beers as they continued to chat with girls.
After a few hours Eric started to get hungry and asked the girls if they would like to join him and Hector for a late night meal. The girls both excitedly said they would. "I'll call a cab," said Katie.
"Nonsense," said Eric, "y'all can ride with us." The girls confused, they weren't used to people having their own vehicles to drive. Their families had drivers or they took cabs everywhere, they both had driver's licenses, but have never truly used them. They all stepped outside and everyone waited while Eric went and grabbed his truck. The girls were amazed at Eric's truck as he pulled up to get them. Eric and Hector each opened a door for each of ladies and helped them in. Kimberly excitedly jumped into the front passenger seat and fought hard to keep herself from just randomly pushing buttons.
Hector had searched and found a place about 15 minutes down the road that's open late to get a quick bite. Kimberly asked Eric how he could afford such a nice truck which he replied, "I'm partners with Hector in his company. We own a small shop in Palo Duro, but stay busy almost all year." He didn't want to go to much into detail, so he left it at that.
They continued talking and just a few mini before they got to the restaurant, Kimberly asked Eric, "tomorrow my family is having a dinner for my birthday at seven, I was wandering if you would like to come. I know we just met, but it would excite my parents to see me with a date, so would you pretty please come with me?"
He thought for a second and said, "sure, I'll go."
She held back an excited squeal as she said, "great, the dinner is at seven, so if you want, you can come pick me up."
"That's no problem, I should be leaving the yard by 4, so I should have time to get back to the room and shower before I come pick you up," he said.
"What about you Hector?" Kimberly asked.
" I'm going to go find Eric and I a place to stay for the long term after we finish up at the yard," he said. "We're going to be here for at least six months and hotels are pricey, especially the one we're staying."
She pretended to be disappointed as she said, "it's ok, you can come hangout with us some other time." She was really interested in Eric, he was a young man and seemed so successful and hard working, but most of she just thought how cute she though he was.
They pulled into the restaurant parking, parked, and went inside. They all enjoyed a meal together and continued chatting away. After an hour, they had finished up eating, Kimberly put her number in Eric's phone and they all went their separate ways for the evening. The girls got a cab while Hector and Eric hopped in Eric's truck and drove back to the hotel. Eric went to the bathroom and changed into some gym shorts and a t shirt before laying down and going to bed.