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August 16-17, 2002
Rodeo Mania
 Even
further down the trail, we find Buffalo K, Too Short and Frenchy
performing at their first rodeo. This long overdue adventure
returns Frenchy to her old stomping grounds of Spartanburg,
S.C. And you thought that Spartanburg was famous only for
its peaches!
 The
gals and Ropin' Rodger are directed to The Beacon, one of
the oldest drive-through diners in the country. (Although
you can no longer drive through.) They set up their instruments
in an empty corner and prepare to perform a "teaser"
concert to entice the lunch crowd to come to the Rodeo. One
of Frenchy's brothers, Gary, recommends the Chili Cheese Delight
(author takes liberty with product name) but warns them not
to eat the bottom inch. They decide to forgo that taste treat
and stick to the tried and true sweet iced tea and onion rings.
(The best in the World.) Andy, Mary, Gary, Ann, little Matthew
and Frenchy's Mom cheer them on as they perform their own
brand of cowboy music. When Frenchy was even younger, she
came here with the after school crowd to be seen. Back then,
she knew nothing of the cowboy life. Can you imagine?
 In
the early evening, our little cowboy band is buzzing with
excitement as they drive to the fairgrounds. A few rain drops
fall, but not enough to dampen their spirits or to keep folks
away. The grounds are wide open with a nice crowd in the bleachers.
Frenchy can see her Mom and little Matthew and Gary beaming
with pride, or something. After the terrific warm-up band
leaves the stage, Cowboy Envy breathlessly jumps onto the
flat bed truck and proceeds to wail. Okay, there is some misting
during Texas Plains, then a light rain on Back In The Saddle
Again. A few of the weaker audience members dash for cover.
It is during the third song, which they professionally and
bravely finish, that Frenchy's Mom tears away from the bleachers.
Cowboy Envy starts to jump off the flat bed stage, but the
flat bed is moving! Buffalo K, as it turns out later, is hidden
under a hastily thrown blue tarp. Frenchy discovers that holding
on to a mike stand on a moving flat bed truck is no good.
There's Ropin' Rodger, shielding his old accordion from the
relentless rain with his body. Thank goodness it's not the
shiny, new red one that will arrive from Italy in a few weeks.
The band reunites when the truck finally stops and they are
helped down by Wayne West. Wayne West was always Wayne West
and did not change his name to promote rodeos.
 On
night two of the rodeo, the flat bed doesn't leave the carport.
They are about a half mile from the fans in the bleachers
and only folks with strong binoculars and hearing aids could
see or hear them. No one from Frenchy's family is here but
she does connect with an older friend. (Curiously, they had
been the same age at one time.)
Cowboy Envy did get to see some Cow people rope and ride
and that made the whole ordeal almost worth it.
 On
Sunday morning Cowboy Envy heads back to Atlanta. Frenchy's
Mom loads them up with cookies and lemon sticks and jelly
beans. (The tiny remainder of these items will be found in
Frenchy's trunk weeks later, in a sorry state.)
Perhaps there's a dry rodeo in their future, where people
can see and hear Cowboy Envy clearly! Speaking of their future,
it's said that there could be a third CD.
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