Bullheaded

his head down, almost yanking the kid over his head. Because of the hat Johnny couldn’t see his face, but the kid avoided a disqualifying slap of the bull by crossing his free hand in front of his body. Although his movements were awkward and he bounced up and down as though he was churning butter, Bobby Blue managed to stay on top of the bull for the full eight. The buzzer saved him right before he was sent sailing over the bull’s head. In midflight its horns caught on his chaps and the bull tossed its head, sending him spinning through the air like a Frisbee.
    “Oh fuck.” Johnny was already in point position ahead of his teammates and on the spot when the bull charged, trying to present himself as an easier target than Bobby Blue. The arena went dead silent when Bobby Blue landed facedown in the dirt and didn’t move, enabling Johnny to hear every snort and blow from the bull coming at him and the distant clang of a metal gate. He tried to lure the bull to the right, but the animal wasn’t buying it and Johnny couldn’t let the bull trample Bobby Blue into the dust, so he was stuck between them, dancing lightly from one foot to the other and waving his arms in hopes of putting the bull off. Both Reese and Vern were running and yelling in the background, trying to get the animal to turn away.
    The bull pranced toward him, stiff legged, and Johnny could feel the damp heat of its breath on his face when the bull suddenly charged. A flash of orange told him Reese had shot the gap between them. The bull turned its head to look at Reese, catching Johnny’s loose shirt on its horns and whisking him off his feet. Then he was flipping through the air for what seemed like hours. The air was forced out of him when he landed, but he scrambled to his feet and darted in front of the bull before it reached Bobby Blue lying prone in the dirt, making himself a human shield for the fallen rider. This time he had no time to maneuver out of the way, although he managed to twist away from the horns at the last moment. When he took the glancing blow, he felt the impact in his solar plexus. He grabbed a horn and the bull shook its head, yanking him off his feet and sending him crashing into its flank.
    As he slid down the hard slab of beef, the bull turned to hook him instead of staying on Bobby Blue. Johnny rolled in the dirt frantically, trying to get away, knowing his teammates had his back but still pumped with enough adrenaline that he felt he could tackle the bull on his own and get him under control.
    Reese ran in behind him, yelling like a crazy man. The bull’s attention wavered for only a moment and then Vern jumped in and shouted, finally making the bull turn away from Johnny. Reese joined Vern as they tried to drive the bull to the gate, yelling and waving their hats.
    But the bull was not in a good mood that day and decided not to cooperate. He ran straight at Vern, trying to hook him as he leaped up onto the fence. Johnny had managed to scramble through the dirt on his knees, and threw himself over Bobby Blue before the safety man on horseback cantered into the fray and threw a loop over the bull’s horns. Then it was all over as the bull calmed down instantly and was led out by the safety usher.
    “You all right?” Still panting for air, Johnny knelt by Bobby Blue but didn’t touch his head or shoulders just in case. The younger man rolled onto his back with a groan.
    But Bobby Blue’s eyes were wide open and he was spitting dirt out of his mouth. The look on his face was one of glowing adoration, and if Johnny could have caught his breath, he would have laughed.
    “Thanks, Johnny. You saved my life.”
    “Or maybe just a bone or two. All part of the service.” Johnny grinned at the signs of returning intelligence. “You probably have a slight concussion. Nothing that’ll keep you from riding, but the medics are on the way to check you out.”
    Bobby Blue sat up and put his hand on his neck, shaking his head gingerly. The crowd went crazy, bursting into applause, yelling and stamping for the cowboy, relieved he was up and moving. Bobby Blue lifted a hand in response to the outpouring of emotion. “Hell of a job you have.”
    “Yeah, just another day at the office. I wouldn’t jostle your brain around like that right now.”
    “What little I have left.” Suddenly they were grinning at each other as if they were old friends.
    Johnny stood up and offered a hand. Hastily, Bobby Blue grabbed it and