April 9, 2017: Del Rio News-Herald * LOCAL * Letter to the Editor * Tilting at windmills


Letter to the Editor,

Tilting at windmills

Somewhere in Val Verde, a cowboy named Don Quemado lives; he always has a rifle and drives an old pick-up truck, Rosina.

He travels with his faithful companion, a sheep-herding dog named Pancho.

He is a cowboy in the Wild West who defends the helpless and destroys the wicked, all for the sake of his damsel in distress, Dulcina.

One day he catches sight of a ridge with giant monsters lined up to overtake the populace of Val Verde.

“There”, he tells Pancho, “are the monstrous giants whom I mean to engage in battle for God’s good service, to sweep so evil and vile a breed off the face of this good earth God has given us to preserve and protect”.

Pancho merely tilts his head sideways in a quizzical manner.

“I see you do not understand what we are truly fighting against”, Don Quemado tells Pancho.

Pancho sheepishly responds with a whimper, never one to question his friend, but seeing only modern, energy-producing windmills and not giant monsters, he nevertheless prepares to go into battle.

Don Quemado takes his rifle off the rack and rolls down the window on his old pick-up truck. Revving up Rosina, he races towards the giant monsters, hell-bent on destroying those hideous monstrosities that do nothing but spoil God’s good earth. 

The Wild West was meant to be wide open spaces where cowboys could travel along looking for adventure. 

Don Quemado is a one-man fighting machine, shooting his rifle and riding Rosina up and down the ridge. 

He is the legendary cowboy hero who forever vanquishes the giant monsters and clears the land for only sheep to graze and sheep-herding dogs like Pancho to chase after.

That is the life of a courageous cowboy. 

The residents will forevermore recount the heroic deeds of Don Quemado, and the love of his life will see her knight in shining armor defeat the giant monsters and return the valley to its former glory days of only native plants growing and sheep and goats grazing.

Marian Casillas, Ed.D.
Val Verde resident