Bonus - The Poetry of Hoot Gibson

While this series has introduced us to countless extraordinary individuals, in terms of personality, few have proven as expansive as cowboy renaissance man, James E. “Hoot” Gibson, with whom we shared a beer at Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar. Considering this, it only felt right to give him some extra time to shine and are honored to share this special bonus episode in which you’ll hear a bit more of his life story, but best of all- some poetry.

TRANSCRIPT

(Please note as this transcript was obtained via a computerized service, please forgive any typos and grammatical errors)

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Evan: (00:00)
When piecing these episodes together, I make a point to have the subjects I talk to serve as my guides. This requires tremendous faith for the simple fact that when exploring a place, I rarely have any idea whom I'm going to meet. At the same time, that's possibly been the most rewarding aspect of this project as it's forced me to test the boundaries of my comfort zone and I've met some truly extraordinary people. But of all the personalities I've encountered so far, none have proven as expansive as cowboy Renaissance man, Hoot Gibson. So much so, it seemed a crime he was relegated to the role of a supporting player in my piece on Arkey Blue's Silver Dollar. So I wanted to make certain he got some extra time to shine and am now honored to share this special bonus episode, featuring a bit more of our back porch conversation, but best of all, some poetry. I'm Evan stern. And this is a bonus edition of Vanishing Postcards.

Hoot Gibson: (02:00)
Now is this all a vocal, or is this a visual?

Evan: (02:00)
No, it's all just a vocal, but I wish we had visual because you've got the hat, you've got the spurs, I mean, you are the real deal, man.

Evan: (02:23)
Born as he'll proudly tell you in the exact geographical heart of Texas, Hoot Gibson is the real deal. Looking him over and hearing him talk, I can see where at first glance some could make the judgmental mistake of dismissing him as a caricature. I mean guys like him only seem to appear in movies and old ones at that. But this is an identity he owns- so much so, he even answers to the name of a Hollywood cowboy- but he'll tell you there's a story to that.

Hoot Gibson: (02:55)
In the 1920s, there was a original Hoot Gibson. He done his own stunts and horseback in the silent movie days and, uh, become pretty famous movie star in Hollywood. Then later on in years, a Gibson's name was tagged a Hoot. If your name was Gibson, you're a Hoot. Because of his popularity. Well to make the shortest story I can. When I was at Tarleton State University, uh, I was working in the oil patch, you know, full-time school, full-time oil patch. And I run out of money one day and I had to go to the office of the drilling company, and I wanted my driving checks and, I wanted them payroll checks. And I hadn't been there in a couple of months. I run out of money and I needed some more money because my schedule was pretty well full. So I walked in there and I see this woman, I don't know her.

Hoot Gibson: (04:07)
And she said, "Can I help you, Sir?" And I said, "Yes, Ma'am, I'm, I'm here to pick up my money and my payroll and stuff." "Well, I've been here." She said, "I've been here for a couple of months." I said, "Yeah, I know. And I ain't been here in a couple of months" anyways, cut, cut, cut. If you could describe this woman, you could put her into two number four, wash tubs and she'd fill them both up. You know what I mean? But she was happy,. Fat and happy. She was a nice old woman. So, I got my money and everything and turned in my uniforms and I come back. Next time I come back to the office, I picked up my uniforms and she took the incentive of writing Hoot on my tag, on my, on my identification, on my work uniform. And from then on, I didn't argue with the old big old woman. I just, yes ma'am. And so I become a Hoot all through the years that was back in the seventies, but all through the years, even up to now, my banker don't even really know my Christian name. It's it's James, but I'll settle for Hoot because I am a hoot. I'm not the original. So that's the way it is right now. There'll be another one come along, probably

Evan: (05:44)
No slouch, Hoot graduated college with four degrees and had a decent career in oil and gas. But as we now know, the petrol business is one of boom and bust. And ain't exactly like what you might see on a Dallas rerun.

Hoot Gibson: (05:58)
And I went from bottom roughneck, all the way to doing consulting, work overseas in Pakistan during the Gulf war. I've been to Italy, I've been around. And finally I just, oil patch, boom oil patch bust. And I was, I just told Daddy. I said, I'm coming back to the ranch. I'm tired of fighting, trying to get money and do this or that. Um, I went through some personal wrecks and he said, "Well, you're going to be poor the rest of your life." And I said, "Daddy, I don't care no more." I said, I want to live the way I can enjoy it. So that's what happened.

Evan: (06:41)
Well, if you ask me getting enjoyment out of life is pretty darn rich. And in talking to him, it's clear, Hoot's found a passion in horses and in Bandera a home

Hoot Gibson: (06:54)
Ever since I hit the front door of Bandera, Texas, which was in '87, I was, uh, racing horses at Bandera Downs. I was a breaking and training and shoeing them and building fences. It didn't matter. I was just doing ranch work- period. Uh, I wasn't thinking about nothing, but the Bandera Downs and my horses and a race track, and the oil patch went to Hell and I didn't have no money and I didn't have enough money to even raise horses, but I was hoping I might get a winner on one of them. And I was focused on that when I first hit Bandera. But that kind of runs short. I guess you could say we had a drought and the pond went dry. Let's just say, there's not another Bandera. If there was, I'd probably go visit it a little bit. Bandera's just about the only small place that really fights to keep its identity as it is.

Evan: (08:16)
He gave up rodeos at age 49. The next year, though, in 2004, he rode his horse over 2,000 miles to Canada. As the trail boss of The Eye Reckon Freedom Ride- a nearly six month journey we barely even touched on in our conversation, but that's not altogether surprising as Hoot is a man of many interests.

Hoot Gibson: (08:37)
And I enjoy going to the honky-tonks. I've enjoyed dancing. I played a lot of music. I recorded. I do cowboy poetry.

Evan: (08:48)
Obviously I had to ask if he'd be willing to share a poem. Taking a long drag on his hand, rolled cigarette, he looked me in the face.

Hoot Gibson: (08:58)
Well, I'm going to give you an option. I'll do one. Do you want me to talk about horses, mules or men?

Evan: (09:12)
Men

Hoot Gibson: (09:16)
I don't know if I remember all that one or not, but it's not a real jerker. I mean, it's a true story about me growing up when I was very, very young, 15 working at a gas station, Texaco in Richland. I'll try to do it for you. I get a little emotional on it every now and then- because it happened to me, The guy we're talking about his name is Paul Wilkerson. Old Man Paul- forgotten back then forgotten still. He lived in a room that was attached to the mill. He'd walk into town, Richland Springs, ever day. I still remember, though I'm older, and I'm proud to say- he is my hero. You see when Paul was just a young man, his feet got run over by a wagon. Those feet never got fixed. They just grew back in lumps. Now Paul he'd work his way to town, dragging those stumps,

Hoot Gibson: (10:41)
Old Man Paul always had a week's growth on his face. He'd always greet folks in a gentleman's way, but they all shied and they'd stay far away. I reckon a bath would have helped him every now and then. His only bathtub was old Richland Creek and the walk was too much for his old cripple feet. I don't know or remember how Paul passed away. Wasn't how he died. Was how he lived every day. Made an impression on this boy. His red and gray hair. His hunched over back. His small stature and all makes me love that old man even more today because Old Man Paul taught me how to pray. So if you forget who and what's worthwhile, whenever you refuse to return a man's smile, remember there's a Paul with broke down feet and he's living just down yonder at the end of your street.

Evan: (11:54)
Then, feeling inspired, to my delight, he performed another for my intimate audience of one.

Hoot Gibson: (12:01)
And this poem, it's entitled The Top of the Ridge. The way I come by it- I was out there working Keystone. That was my horse. At the time I was in a burning pen, breaking in wild mustangs, trying to put a handle on them and- golly. I finally just sat down at that burning post and Keystone was standing over me. Hell, he was tired too. And I got to looking at that horse and I said, "What the hell would he be saying right now?" You know, I had a pencil in my pocket, couple of dollar bills, nothing else to write on. I started writing, what would this horse be saying right now?

Hoot Gibson: (13:01)
And I come up with a poem and the horse doing the talking and it goes something like this. I worked his way across that draw. And I was reaching for the top of that ridge. Off riding from day to day and riding pure hell on the edge. Too much slack in body and mind, it'll kill a feller's soul. So I can't stop. Now. That's all I know. Taking care of this cowboy while he's enjoying a chew, knowing real well, my work's cut out to do. Sundays are real good. Especially when he sets me a new round of shoes. Some days just weather bad, and they give off them rain soaked blues. He thinks everyday's nothing but good. He'd never make it alone. I know, I sure could. So, I'll take him anywhere he wants to go. And I'll bring him back home for tomorrow's show. I like his campfire.

Hoot Gibson: (14:07)
I like the smoke and the smell because that means I'm resting, and I ain't on that Ridge. A bucket of grain, a sweet leaf of hay. Sun's going down, I'm eating my pay. Well, we've been working it for years. I see that new colt he brought in. I just had me a talk with that baby. And I just had to kick back and grin. When that old man takes a dally, I'll bring that colt in. Well, we're fine tuned for this ridge and it's looking like a pretty day. I'm so glad of my boss, man, and that old cowboy way.

Evan: (14:55)
We agreed it was time for another round. But before heading back inside to pop another top, he blessed me with some wisdom and a mini sermon.

Hoot Gibson: (15:05)
The only thing that will end up in your life- a man is vanity and everything a man does, even if he's a billionaire, it will be left. He will go in the world naked and out of the world naked. And that is a vanity. God is not a vanity. We're worthless as shit compared to what he is. I don't know if you recorded that or not, but I won't run backwards on what I just said. And he did teach men how to make a beer and enjoy the son of a poochie. He just said, don't get sluggard with it. It's good to cook with, too. It is. Beer and wine's good to cook with. You don't got to drink it all.

Evan: (16:03)
There's one man and one man only to thank for this episode. And that is of course the remarkable and generous James E hoot Gibson. Mr. Gibson, I thank you for sharing your time, talent and trust. At the end of our talk, I bought a book from him written by Bandera resident, Mary Allyce, that documented the epic trail ride he led to Canada. It's called "Riders on the Storm: The True Story of the Eye Reckon Freedom Ride." And if you're interested in ordering a copy, send Mary an email at, eyereckon@aol.com. That's E Y E R E C K O n@aol.com. I also thank you for listening and if you've enjoyed what you've heard and haven't already please subscribe, it helps us grow and guarantees you will never miss a release. And as always, if you know someone in your life who might enjoy what we're up to, it would mean a great deal.

Evan: (16:59)
If you could take a moment to text them and share this episode for now, the plan this season is to release episodes twice a month, and we'll be back again on the second Thursday in May. But if interested before then I'll be speaking with Mike Brennan on his podcast, Creative Chats. So if you're curious to learn more about what I'm up to behind the scenes, stay tuned to Creative Chats, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts. Our theme music was written and performed by max Kraus and Emily Young. I'm Evan stern. And I hope you'll join us next time for more Vanishing Postca

Photo courtesy of Marshall Clayton