"Lonesome Dove..."

Are any of you familiar with this mini-series? ... and the book??

It's a story about a relationship between two men... Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call... who had worked together... lived together... served as Texas Rangers together...  they shared a lifetime of experiences... and for one last adventure, they set out for Montana with a herd of cattle.

Before reaching Montana, Gus is wounded while fighting Indians... and eventually dies from his wounds.  The entire story is a somewhat fictionalized account of a cattle drive that was headed by Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving.  In particular, Loving (Gus) was attacked by Indians, and died several weeks later of blood poisoning with Goodnight (Call) at his side.  Goodnight honored Loving's dying request to be taken back to Texas for burial. 

Read HERE about Charles Goodnight

and HERE about Oliver Loving.

In 'Lonesome Dove,' after the death of Gus, Call continues the drive to Montana with the cattle and to establish the ranch.  Afterwards, Call returns for Gus' body... and begins the journey back to San Antonio to fulfill Gus' burial wishes.  

Scooter would come to visit me in my office... and we would spend time screwing around discussing the hot topics of the day.  He had noticed my photos of Monument Valley that I have framed and hanging on my walls.  He always wanted to go... and I told him that if he ever got well enough to travel, that I would take him.

In the meantime, Scooter had heart surgery... things didn't go well... and he was sent home, under hospice care, to die.  In planning for Larry's death, decisions were made... and one was for him to be cremated.

I wound up getting a text message from one of Larry's sisters... stating that he had a request... he wanted to know if I would take some of his ashes to Monument Valley and scatter them among the buttes... I feel so honored by this request.

So... sometime this May... after classes are over... Scooter and I will make that trip westward together...

Much like that trip of Woodrow Call and  Gus McCrae...

He's my friend...

It's the least I can do...

~Jim~