" T . JACK THE APRON MAN ” represents a first for the VOICE . It is a short story written by freelance writer J . Mervin Davis of Adamsville . Tennessee . The story is well presented and covers a phase of the horse business with which we are all familiar . His approach to the " thoughts of an oldtime blacksmith ” concerning the newcomers to the business is quite interesting and reveals an insight to the problems of this particular area of modern horse activity . Our thanks to Mr . Davis for his contribution .
THE EDITORS
T . JACK
THE APRON MAN
T . Jack was forty-five and his eyes were small with white circles close to the center that colored the once blue to a dull grey . He had tobacco-juice stains in the corner wrinkles of his mouth . A man of medium size , but his face was tanned red from the cold winter winds . His hands were large , the hands of a hard worker . They were fat not from too much drink , but from the hard work of using a rasp file and hammer . His left hand had been ground by a horse ’ s hoof into an anvil when he was fourteen and the nails on the index and little finger turned inward to form a hand that resembled the claw of an eagle . When he spoke , he stuttered slightly — only enough to make you think he had tipped a few too many drinks .
Those who knew T . Jack listened when he spoke about horses because he knew , and he hated the sight of those who couldn ’ t understand that a horse had to be loved to bring the best performance forward in any show .
T . Jack had just finished his beer when Bo Po came in and sidled up to the nearest seat . " Where have you been ? You told me you would be over to the stables three days ago .” " Care for a beer , Bo Po ?” T . Jack asked , motioning for the waitress . " Just coffee .” Bo Po nodded as the waitress approached .
" Look , T . Jack ,” Bo Po tore into T . Jack without taking notice of the crowded booths , " I have four horses in the barn that I can ’ t ride . I can ’ t train them , because they all need new shoes .”
20 VOICE of the Tennessee Walking Horse