Luci Zane

Old Zino Luci Zane

A story that reveals both the strengths and sacrifices of Old Zino, a Mexican-American man, and of his mentoring Joe Gandy, a white autistic youth, while living on the very fringes of modern American society in the canyons of the High Plains, of the Colorado outback. Joe lived the life of a 1970s cowboy. His family joined his 1870s-style, hardscrabble subsistence, hiding and thriving in the sticks. Remote America through the eyes of the disenfranchised."... He grabbed his lever action rifle in its saddle scabbard and walked out to Banjo, his horse. He attached the rifle to the saddle. He never wore spurs, never used a quirt or whip, and usually did not even wear gloves. These things were standard equipment for the other cowboys. Joe had never seen the point. When anyone teased him about his lack of equipment Joe would quietly retort, "Horses are gentle animals. They are easier to manage for longer periods of time with soft words and a sweet treat now and again."Other cowboys would laugh at him and shake their heads in disagreement. He never argued about it. Just above the horizon directly south he spotted a tiny dark dot. The dot moved slowly a few times."Guess that could be one of our cows... sure did wander far, if so... wasn't expecting any this far south," he thought to himself. Joe patted the horse on the neck and said, "Get over there, Banjo! That's probably one of ours."He kicked into the horse's flanks and braced himself as Banjo sprinted into a full lope for the dot, miles away in the distance. ..."