In this scene, a surprising misunderstanding erupts between Pegasus and Karen. As soon as they resolve it, they realize that they need help maneuvering the huge pickup truck and horse trailer through Christmas Eve Los Angeles freeway traffic.
When her Mama parked in the ranch’s gravel lot, Karen felt her heart sink as her ears heard the sounds of conflict.
“What do you mean, I have to get into the horse trailer? She’s not getting rid of me, is she?”
Pegasus’ voice carried to her through the still, early morning air.
“I don’t know,” came Rocky’s reply. “She just said to load you into the trailer by seven-thirty. I don’t know what she’s thinking.”
“Oh, Mama, what have I done?” Karen asked, as she leaped from the car and ran toward the horse trailer hooked up behind Tex’s big truck.
When she reached it, Karen paused for a deep breath and wished she had thought farther ahead. She had never dreamed that Pegasus would react to Rocky loading him into the horse trailer, but now she realized that his only ride in the trailer had been to Tex’s ranch, so of course he would see the next ride as away from the ranch, away from her, and into some dark oblivion, like the abandoned carousel.
“Wait,” she said. “Pegasus, I don’t want to get rid of you. I would never do that. I wanted to give you a special surprise as a thank-you for everything you’ve done for me. I wanted to take you to Disneyland for a day, so we could enjoy the Enchanted Kingdom, together. I am so sorry I made you scared! I never intended to frighten you, boy.”
She saw that her words had touched him, and that he understood she had not meant to alarm him.
“An enchanted kingdom?” he asked. “I do not know anything about it, but it sounds lovely and like the right place for you and for me. Let’s go!”
She watched as Pegasus walked into the trailer, and Rocky closed the doors.
“Ms. Katie,” he said to Mama, “Who’s gonna drive this here rig?”
Mama replied, “Tex said I could.”
Rocky frowned and paused before saying, “Tex grew up drivin’ a pickup an’ towin’ critters, so t’his waya thinkin’, everybody can do that. But it ain’t true, ma’am. Y’all don’t wanna make your first run through LA freeway traffic. I know how important this here adventure is to your Kitten’s development, ‘n’ I’d hate to see it go wrong on all y’all. Why don’t I do the drivin’, an’ you do the motherin’, and we can leave the funnin’ to Karen ‘n’ her hoss?”
“Thanks, Rocky,” Mama said with a smile. “To tell the truth, I was a little nervous about driving, myself.”
“OK,” he said. “Gimme me a minute to let Tex know I’ll be gone fer a while.”
©2021, Karen Lynn-Chlup. All rights reserved.
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