I have lived up, down, in the middle and on both sides of the USA, but I was raised in the West. I’m not a farmer or rancher, but as I was growing up I had a chance to spend some time “learning the ropes” from my relatives who were both. You had to be hardy, smart and tough to make it in either place. Savvy skill-craft was prized, and so was an even disposition. You had to hold up your end of the bargain or you were sent packin’.

There was also a code, an unwritten agreement that bracketed your conduct. Lying, cheating or stealing were absolute no-fly zones, and you had to offer the other guy a “fair chance” in just about everything you did. I know some people will pass off my code recollections as myth, but I was not hanging out in Hollywood with A. Ladd, G. Cooper or J. Wayne – just with real people living real lives. In fact, responsible conduct was a major contributing factor to their sense of community and stewardship of the land. And, there was a word woven into their daily lives that is so old fashioned — I feel compelled to dust it off just to use it in this sentence — RECIPROCITY — the “soul-coal” that stoked many barn raisings, harvests and roundups.

In light of the recent news of a MAJOR FAILURE of institutional leadership @ Football U (or u name it) that dominated last week’s headlines and Sunday’s news programs, I thought it might be timely to share a few relevant “rules of the trail” that I know have been valuable to myself and others who aspire to become respectable, responsible citizens and leaders in their own right.

Be kind to kids and your horse

Don’t take any wooden nickels

Own a sharp knife and a sharper set of eyes

If you have some… share some with them that ain’t got none

If your best dog bites you more’n once… he ain’t your best dog

Doing the right thing ain’t courage… it’s just doing the right thing

Don’t make friends with rattlers… them that ain’t got feet…or them that do

A “howdy” and a smile cost you nuthin’… don’t make nobody pay to git one

If you Rodeo… 8 seconds can change your life and if you don’t… they still can

An honest day’s work for an honest day’s dollar means a lot, but your honest word means more

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