"Lonesome Shorty" from The Book of Guys

As we approach the 25th Anniversary of the publication of Garrison Keillor's short story collection The Book of Guys, we are revisiting a few of the stories from the book with new introductions from Garrison. Here's what Garrison had to say about "Lonesome Shorty":

Written for The New Yorker, this story inspired the radio serial "Lives of the Cowboys" on A Prairie Home Companion, with Dusty and Lefty, Lefty's lost love Evelyn Beebalo, and the villain Big Messer, which takes place in and around Yellow Gulch, Wyoming. It's Samuel Beckett for fourteen-year-olds. The cowboys suffer extreme loneliness, which drives them to visit town, where, in a short time, they are disgusted by society and return to the godforsaken plains, where, in due course, they suffer extreme loneliness and return to Yellow Gulch, only to be disgusted.  That's how life seemed to me when I was fourteen.

 

Excerpt:

The summer before last, I was headed for Billings on my horse Old Dan, driving two hundred head of the ripest-smelling longhorns you ever rode downwind of, when suddenly here come some tumbleweeds tumbling along with a newspaper stuck inside—I had been without news for weeks so I leaned down and snatched it up and read it trotting along, though the front page was missing and all there was was columnists and the Lifestyle section, so bouncing along in a cloud of manure I read an article entitled “43 Fabulous Salads to Freshen Up Your Summertime Table” which made me wonder if my extreme lonesomeness might not be the result of diet. Maybe I’m plumb loco, but a cowboy doesn’t get much fiber and he eats way too much beef.

You herd cattle all day, you come to despise them, and pretty soon, by jingo, you have gone and shot one, and then you must eat it, whilst all those cattle tromping around on the greens takes away your taste for salads, just like when you arrive at a creek and see that cattle have tromped in the water and drunk from it and crapped in it, it seems to turn a man toward whiskey. I thought to myself, Shorty, you’ve got to get out of this cowboy life. I mentioned this to my partner, old Eugene, and he squinted at me and said, “Eeyup.”

“Eugene,” I said, “I’ve been cowboyin for nigh onto two decades now. I know every water hole between Kansas and the Sierra Nevada, but consarn it, I miss the company of my fellow man. Scenery ain’t enough for me, Eugene, nor freedom. I’m sceneried out, pardner, and freedom is vastly overrated as an experience, if you ask me. I got to be with people. I’m a people cowboy, not a cow cowboy.”

Continue Reading Lonesome Shorty >>>

Purchase The Book of Guys >>>


817 comments

  • HOW CAN I WON LOTTERY WITH SPELL CALL/WHATSAPP NUMBER: +27717403094
    I had to write back and say what an amazing experience I had with psychic medium Abdul for his powerful lottery spell. My Heart is filled with joy and happiness after he cast the Lottery spell for me, And i won $340,000. His spell and prayers changed my life into riches, I’m now out of debts and experiencing the most amazing good luck with the lottery after I won a huge amount of money. My life has really changed for good. I won (seventy five thousand dollars)Your Lottery spell is so real and pure. Thank you very much for the lottery spell that changed my life”I am totally grateful for the lottery spell you did for me psychic medium Abdul Basser and i say i will continue to spread your name all over so people can see what kind of man you are. Anyone in need of help can email Abdul for your own lottery number,because this is the only secret to winning the lottery.
    Email:basserabdul59@gmail.com
    CALL/Whatsapp number: +27717403094
    Website: https://africanancientspells.mystrikingly.com/
    https://uaeplusplus.com//pages/registerNew/companyRegistered.aspx?ID=zhSdCzxgmk8=
    https://streamable.com/41l6w0

    lovespellsmoneyspellsmagicringspowerspellsprotection.wordpress.com

    Gina
  • I want to use this medium to share my incredible manifesting with psychic medium Ibrahim, who truly changed my life. For a long time, I struggled with homelessness after losing my job as a nurse. Life felt like an endless battle, and I spent many years trying to win the lottery, hoping for a better future. But despite my efforts, I had no success and was growing increasingly frustrated. That was until I came across an amazing testimony from a woman named Racheal, who shared how psychic medium Ibrahim helped her win the National EuroMillions jackpot. I had always loved playing EuroMillions, but winning seemed impossible for me. However, after seeing Racheal’s story, I decided to reach out to psychic medium Ibrahim prepared a special spell to help me with guaranteed lucky numbers. Within 34 hours, he provided me with the winning numbers and instructed me to play. To my amazement, I won £156.656 million in the EuroMillions! Thanks to psychic medium Ibrahim, my life has been transformed, and my financial situation has changed for the better. I will never forget this joyful moment, as it has been the best thing to ever happen to me. If you’re struggling and seeking a way out, never give up. psychic medium Ibrahim can help you, just as he helped me. Keep your faith and take a chance – your life could change too! contact him at profibrahim98@gmail.com

    WhatsApp +27785149508.

    Website:https://africanspellcaster.mystrikingly.com
    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s1ewUeVVAHk
    https://write.as/ibra/
    https://rumble.com/v6up0ez-finding-the-best-psychic-in-your-area-27785149508.html
    https://uaeplusplus.com//pages/registerNew/companyRegistered.aspx?ID=fqaUj4kc2u8=

    Harriet
  • I am here to spread this good news to the entire world on how I got my ex love back. I was going crazy when my love left me for another girl last month, But when i meet a friend that introduce me to psychic medium Ibrahim the great messenger to the oracle that he serve, I narrated my problem to psychic medium Ibrahim about how my ex love left me and also how i needed to get a job in a very big company. He only said to me that I have come to the right place where I will be getting my heart desires without any side effects. He told me what i need to do, After it was been done,In the next 4 days, My love called me on the phone and was saying sorry for leaving me before now and also in the next one week after my love called me to be pleading for forgiveness, I was called for interview in my desired company were i needed to work as the managing director. I am so happy and overwhelmed that i have to tell this to the entire world to contact psychic medium Ibrahim On his WhatsApp.+27785149508
    Email. profibrahim98@gmail.com
    Read more on his Website
    https://africanspellcaster.mystrikingly.com
    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s1ewUeVVAHk
    https://write.as/ibra/
    https://rumble.com/v6uozw1-connecting-with-affordable-psychics-what-you-need-to-know-27785149508-.html
    https://uaeplusplus.com//pages/registerNew/companyRegistered.aspx?ID=fqaUj4kc2u8=

    Houston
  • Hello everyone, I’d like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to Prof Ibrahim, a powerful psychic medium Astrology who helped me reunite with my ex-lover after a painful breakup. For 10 long months, I thought our relationship was over, but Prof Ibrahim psychic medium brought us back together. Within 28 hours of the spell being cast, my ex reached out, apologizing for the hurt and promising to make amends. I was overjoyed and welcomed her back into my life. If you’re facing similar relationship challenges or other difficulties, I highly recommend contacting Prof Ibrahim. His spell casting abilities are truly remarkable and powerful. You can reach Prof Ibrahim via WhatsApp:Tel: +27785149508 /
    Email:profibrahim98@gmail.com
    https://africanspellcaster.mystrikingly.com
    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s1ewUeVVAHk
    https://uaeplusplus.com//pages/registerNew/companyRegistered.aspx?ID=fqaUj4kc2u8=
    https://write.as/ibra/
    https://rumble.com/v6up0ez-finding-the-best-psychic-in-your-area-27785149508.html
    powerfulspellcastertraditionalhealer27785149508197.home.blog

    Joel
  • Are you in need of a revenge spell? Do you want the person that has harmed you get what they deserve? My voodoo revenge spells will do just that. Cast it to punish your enemies with misfortune, curses, hexes & bad luck in their lives. Can be specific or general depending on the outcome you want. My spells exact suffering on a person who has genuinely caused you to suffer or has caused you to lose something you hold dear.
    Ruin someone else’s life with misfortune revenge spells that will wreck havoc in the life of your enemy or rival. Cause someone to have bad luck with love, money or business with my powerful misfortune revenge spells. Whatever a person tries to do after this spell will not prosper for a fixed period of time. Has someone taken away your lover? Did your ex-lover treat so bad & cause suffering in your life then dump you for no apparent reason? Did a love rival breakup your marriage or relationship? Did someone curse your love life giving you a string of bad relationships & marriages? My powerful love revenge spells will give you revenge against a specific person who has caused suffering in your love life.
    Revenge spells to punish someone until you are fully avenged. Revenge spells to teach someone a lesson they will never forget using voodoo revenge spells. My spells of revenge will inflict serious harm on your enemies, so do not use my revenge spells unless you are sure. Revenge spells for cheaters & your enemies. Revenge spells and curses to help you get the ultimate revenge. Voodoo revenge spells for cheaters, ex lovers, your enemies & people who want to harm you. Give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot & to punish your enemies with revenge curses & spells for revenge.
    If someone has truly wronged you and you want to get back on them with the ultimate revenge spell, then try this witchcraft death revenge spells. The most precious asset we have is life so the death revenge spell is by far the most powerful revenge spell in the world as it will lead to the death. I only cast the death revenge spell when you have given me all the proof that the person you want to cast upon deserves death as punishment. Spells for revenge to cause your enemy to have sleepless nights & frightening dreams. Banish bad dreams & nightmares if someone has cast bad dreams revenge spells.

    : +27785149508
    EMAIL:profibrahim98@gmail.com
    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/s1ewUeVVAHk< br />https://photos.google.com/album/AF1Qip OW2O3Qs4DZ8RHkSGMVeW7qCgxM5zPbPni6-KS1,https://africanspellcaster.mystrikingy.com,
    https://uaeplusplus.com//pages/registerNew/companyRegistered.aspx?ID=fqaUj4kc2u8=

    prof ibrahim

Leave a comment