SEPTEMBER 1997 BACK ISSUE

Part of Horse Previews Magazine website. Posted on 9/1/97; 10:00:00 AM.

The Black Hat

by Berent Vangsness

A stranger was sitting alone in a little mountain restaurant. It was hard to tell what he was from his appearance: tailored cowboy boots, slacks, white shirt, tie, quilted jacket, and a broad brimmed black hat.

As he walked to the cash register to pay his bill, someone said, "Ride Em, Cowboy", from one of the booths filled with young people preparing for the Christmas holidays which were only a few days away.

The stranger turned, with hat in hand, walked over to the booth, and in a friendly tone said, "Did this hat cause you to make such a remark? I am sure your wouldn't have said what you did if you had known to whom this hat had belonged."

Just then a man came off his stool at the counter, "What's going on here? What's the trouble? What's going on?"

"No trouble. No trouble at all. But if you would like to join this group, sit down." The confident manner and quiet tone calmed his drunken belligerence, and seeing there was no cause for action, he stood by.

"I would like to tell you all a little story about this hat. It belonged to a real all around good American. He was a rancher, construction worker, war hero (long forgotten by now), salesman, artist, writer, engineer, teacher and friend. Yes sir. I am proud of this hat," he said, as he put it on like a crown, with his graying hair shining beneath the big rolled black brim. "Yes, I am sure you wouldn't have said what you did if you had been alone. The reason you did was to amuse an audience. Also, one you could hide among in a timid and cowardly manner. You look like a fine young man, but what you need is wisdom and tolerance. Not only on your part, but also from those around you. May God bless you someday with wisdom. Merry Christmas to all of you!"

With that, he walked across the room & out the door into the cold stormy night.

"Wow, who was that?" said a girl from the next booth.

"I don't know. I never saw him before."

"I don't know who he is, either. He was just sitting over there when I first saw him."

"I don't know him either, but I wonder...you know, he just might be the man who owned the Black Hat."