What Yer Worth

Harold Roy Miller

My best friend Slim is a shiftless cowboy who would rather count sheep than cows.
When dodging a task, he’ll use every ploy to work no more than the law allows.

One Day we were hanging out at the local feed storeout of a job with no real plans,
when we heard the owner of the C Bar 4 needed a couple of full-time hands.
Now this man had a temper and was easily annoyed.He had no patience for a shirker.
If you expected to be gainfully employed,you’d best be a dependable worker.
He was a hard-nosed, no-nonsense man whose whole life involved his steers.
He expected his help to ride for the brand,like the cowboys of former years.
Nevertheless  He hired us on and said “Get unpacked.We have lots of work to do.
There’s tons of hay to be bucked and stacked and some horses we have to shoe.
“And there’s other chores to attend to,like mending the fences and such.
The reason I'm behind is because I had to fire my last crew for goofing off too much.
”Slim listened to the ever growing work list,then said “ Before I start with that hay.
I have one question.  Let me ask you this:  how much does this  job pay?”
The boss looked intently at Slim,and said “There ain’t no use to fret.”
I guess he was trying to motivate him.
He said, “What yer worth, you’ll get!"
Shocked disbelief spread over Slim’s face,
“You’re paying me what I’m worth?” he spat.
“Well boss, I’m sorry, but if that’s the case,
I just can’t live on that!”