Brokeback Mountain

[Wetzelbill]

The short story. -WB

Brokeback Mountain
by ANNIE PROULX
Issue of 1997-10-13
Posted 2005-12-05

They were raised on small, poor ranches in opposite corners of the state, Jack Twist in Lightning Flat, up on the Montana border, Ennis del Mar from around Sage, near the Utah line, both high-school drop-out country boys with no prospects, brought up to hard work and privation, both rough-mannered, rough-spoken, inured to the stoic life. Ennis, reared by his older brother and sister after their parents drove off the only curve on Dead Horse Road, leaving them twenty-four dollars in cash and a two-mortgage ranch, applied at age fourteen for a hardship license that let him make the hour-long trip from the ranch to the high school. The pickup was old, no heater, one windshield wiper, and bad tires; when the transmission went, there was no money to fix it. He had wanted to be a sophomore, felt the word carried a kind of distinction, but the truck broke down short of it, pitching him directly into ranch work.

In 1963, when he met Jack Twist, Ennis was engaged to Alma Beers. Both Jack and Ennis claimed to be saving money for a small spread; in Enniss case that meant a tobacco can with two five-dollar bills inside. That spring, hungry for any job, each had signed up with Farm and Ranch Employmentthey came together on paper as herder and camp tender for the same sheep operation north of Signal. The summer range lay above the tree line on Forest Service land on Brokeback Mountain. It would be Jack Twists second summer on the mountain, Enniss first. Neither of them was twenty.

They shook hands in the choky little trailer office in front of a table littered with scribbled papers, a Bakelite ashtray brimming with stubs. The venetian blinds hung askew and admitted a triangle of white light, the shadow of the foremans hand moving into it. Joe Aguirre, wavy hair the color of cigarette ash and parted down the middle, gave them his point of view.

Forest Service got designated camp-sites on the allotments. Them camps can be a couple a miles from where we pasture the sheep. Bad predator loss, nobody near lookin after em at night. What I wantcamp tender in the main camp where the Forest Service says, but the herderpointing at Jack with a chop of his handpitch a pup tent on the Q.T. with the sheep, out a sight, and hes goin a sleep there. Eat supper, breakfast in camp, but sleep with the sheep, hundred per cent, no fire, dont leave no sign. Roll up that tent every mornin case Forest Service snoops around. Got the dogs, your .30-.30, sleep there. Last summer had goddam near twenty-five-per-cent loss. I dont want that again. You, he said to Ennis, taking in the ragged hair, the big nicked hands, the jeans torn, button-gaping shirt, Fridays twelve noon be down at the bridge with your next-week list and mules. Somebody with suppliesll be there in a pickup. He didnt ask if Ennis had a watch but took a cheap round ticker on a braided cord from a box on a high shelf, wound and set it, tossed it to him as if he werent worth the reach. Tomorrow mornin well truck you up the jump-off. Pair of deuces going nowhere.

http://brokebackmountain.blog.bg/zvezdi/2006/02/06/jake-gyllenhaal.128

[Kali]

1. Hey Wetzelbill

Are you still in Tucson? Have you ever been out to the Singing Wind Book Store? It's a great shop on a ranch near Benson. Lots of western lit, natural history, Native American, plus kids and all kind of other stuff.

She has a good section of women western writers and when the movie came out I knew I had read that story in some collection I had bought at the Singing Wind.

[Wetzelbill]

2. yeah I'm still in Tucson

I've heard of that store, I just have never been out to it.

Yes she's written quite a bit about Wyoming and western life. She's fantastic. I first read this in a collection of short stories I got from the library a few years ago. I think right after I watched the film.

[nuxvomica]

3. Man, what a fine piece of writing!

I figure I'd just give it a look-see but I got hooked. I'll have to read some of Proulx's other work. Thank you very much for posting.

[Wetzelbill]

4. if you want

PM me your email and I can send you another one of her short stories. A little shorter than this one.

I think it's impressive how she fit so much into what is about 20 pages.

[nuxvomica]

5. Just sent it

Yes, a very impressive writing style. Economic yet generous in detail at the same time. I should pick up "The Shipping News" at the local bookstore.

[cwydro]

6. I LOVED the

Shipping News.

[nuxvomica]

7. My terrific local bookstore is holding a copy for me

It's a tiny store but they generally have the good ones.

[cwydro]

8. I've got to read that book again.