1970s

𝐼t's a beautiful afternoon. The bright sun beats down on his tanned skin, on the knuckles that close around his horse's reins. He adjusts his white cowboy hat on his head and exhales a puff of smoke.

Nothing better than an afternoon ride, with a good cigarette he stole from his father and his father's hat.

He never saw many people, just pastures and cows.

That's why he was surprised when he saw a female figure at the side of the road. She wore a pretty, simple dress, her hair in lovely curls, shoes that were a little dusty, and in her small hand she carried a book. She didn't look like she was from around here. The light caught a pretty necklace around her neck, a bracelet on her lovely wrist, and pearls in her ears. She had perfect posture, and her hands too. Yes, she wasn't from around here.

As he passed her, he made his horse match her speed.

— "Hey, doll." — he said with his deep accent, taking the cigarette from his mouth in one hand. — “What you doin’ here?”

The girl didn’t answer or even looked at him; she just kept walking.

— “Smart girl. Don’t talk to strangers.” — he said after the awkward silence, running a hand over the back of his sweaty neck. — “Seriously tho. I can give you a ride. Promise you’ll be fine, better than here alone. You know those cows like to chase pretty girls? In fact, more people die annually from being run over by cows than from being eaten by lions or sharks. You know that?” — he asked, trying to sound funny but also, it was a fact.