Cowboy Up Page #6

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You know, Ray swears

Zapata was luck of the draw.

Yeah.

What do you think?

Me?

I thought you might have me

set up for the ass-kicking

I deserve.

What's this?

It's Dad's address.

It's not far from here.

You got your work

cut out for you.

Hey, Hank.

I could really use your help

with this one.

Ely, you gotta lighten

your load.

All that sh*t you've been

hanging on to for,

Jesus Christ,

God only knows how long.

You gotta let it go.

If you wanna ride Zapata,

you've gotta drop everything

and everyone

that isn't you.

Then you'll be fine.

We both know

you can ride anything.

You'll be fine.

Hey.

I'm sorry.

That's a start.

You be careful.

And I love you.

ANNOUNCER:

It don't get better than this.

What the hell?

-What time is it?

-It's late.

You guys got the shits

of a life.

Least ways, you didn't bring

no camera with you this year.

What the hell?

Suppose you better come on in.

Come on.

Same thing every year.

I know when it's finals time,

when you reporters start

coming round.

-I'm not a reporter.

-What the hell are you then?

-I'm a bull rider.

-Oh! A cowboy, huh?

I used to ride bulls,

real ones.

Not this corn-fed,

feedlot pussies you see

nowadays.

Come on, sit yourself down.

Have a seat.

Go on through.

Get kids like you

in here asking for advice.

I don't got much to tell them

except you gotta fight

that damn bull

like he's just crawled out

of your sweetheart's bed.

You gotta hate that sucker,

and then you gotta hate him

some more.

It's a goddamn war,

is what it is.

And you're a damn fool

if you think it's otherwise.

Let me show you

this here thing.

Now, where is that...

Where is that thing I put...

There it is.

Wait a minute now.

Look at this.

That's Wyoming, 1969.

I won that.

I was out the night before

with the boys, tomcatting.

That's a hell of a town

for that.

We left that bar,

went straight to the rodeo.

I didn't know whether

I was coming or going.

And damn me if I didn't win

that damned thing.

You just sit right here.

Wait one minute.

I got something, I just put

my hands to it here.

Where the hell did I put

those sons of b*tches?

There they are.

Well, almost out of them.

I got one left.

You can have it.

There you are, son.

What do you think of that?

Just a minute. Just a minute.

Let me have that.

What did you say

your name was, cowboy?

Ely.

Ely?

Ely what?

Just Ely.

Just plain old Ely?

There you go.

"From Reid Braxton

to just old Ely."

Now, son, you take care

of that. That's gonna be worth

a lot of money someday.

Want another beer?

I'll get you another beer.

Yep, one more beer coming up.

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello?

Wow, you're there.

-Ely?

- Afraid so.

-Where are you?

- Somewhere near Vegas.

Been up all night?

Is there still a chance

for the two of us?

You're the one

that's gambling.

Am I?

-Good luck tonight.

-Thanks. I'll need it.

You're watching, right?

I don't know.

But good luck.

I miss you.

Bye.

ANNOUNCER:

Ladies and gentlemen!

I welcome you to the P...

B...

R!

This is the final round

of the Professional

Bull Riders'

World Championship!

Forty-five world-class

bull riders

started this competition

last Thursday

and after three go-arounds,

the top 15 heroes qualified

for tonight's finals!

And here they are!

Heath Hanson.

Carl Hudson.

John Mortenson.

Andre Nelson.

Chris Shaw.

Donny Ray Howard.

Ely Braxton.

Each and every one of them

can walk away

with over half a million

dollars worth of prize money

tonight

if they make it through

the eight seconds safe

and sound.

But it won't be that easy,

as you know.

Because each and every one

of our heroes

will ride the rankest,

the meanest bulls known

to mankind!

Give our heroes a hand

and include them

in your prayers!

God bless them,

and God bless America!

PAM:
(ON TV) Welcome back

to the PBR Finals,

live from Las Vegas.

Donnie, the action

has been exciting.

Do you have any predictions?

DONNIE:
Well, Eric Black's

been on a run since Cheyenne.

And you know

what momentum means when

you come to the PBR Finals.

Best bulls, best bull riders.

But you gotta take

the injuries into account.

Like Weathers and Franks,

they're hurting.

You gotta look to Ely Braxton.

PAM:
He's gotten by one bull

but what about this draw

in the next round?

DONNIE:
It's the classic

good news/bad news story.

He knows the bull because

he belongs to his brother.

The bad news,

the bull's Zapata. Unridden,

and maybe the most dangerous

animal on earth.

PAM:
He's got his hands

full, but what makes that bull

so tough?

DONNIE:
Pam, he's got

a lot of moves,

but in reality, he's just

so dangerous, it makes

it real hard to concentrate.

PAM:
As we wait for that ride,

let's move

to chute number three.

Ely Braxton!

(BELL DINGING)

(ALL CHEERING)

Whoo!

Get him off!

(SCREAMING)

No!

(SOBBING)

Ma!

Hey, Zapata.

Get out of the way, Joe.

Rose!

Ma!

-Wait, think about this.

-Rose, Rose.

Mom, put the gun down.

Come on, put the gun down.

Please. Come on.

This isn't going

to bring him back.

It's okay.

Come on.

I'll take care of this, okay?

Come on, put it down.

Come on, it's okay.

(SOBBING)

All right, Joe, come on.

Let's go.

You sure you wanna do this?

Yeah. Let him out.

That's what he would've done.

Yeah.

Come on.

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