Leaving Home
by
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The pony, named First Mate since Shane considered himself the captain, responded with an increased rhythm, familiar with the field over which he galloped, exercising care in placing his steps on ground recently turned making it soft in places, hard in others and scattered with lumps of dirt large enough to cause a pony to stumble.
Without a saddle, Shane relied on his experience to sit securely on First Mate’s back, his short legs spread over the pony’s belly, his hands gripping the bridle intertwined with the long strands of the pony’s mane. With all thoughts forgotten of the earlier confrontation with his dad, Shane sat up to yell “yippee” to the morning air.
Suddenly, First Mate dropped from beneath him. The pony stumbled, his head dropping, sending Shane sailing through the air, hitting the plowed field hard, rolling over several times before landing with his face pushed against the dirt. Behind him First Mate lay on his back, feet extended straight up into the air.
Shane rolled to his back, dazed by the abrupt end to his ride. He eased himself to his knees, nothing hurt except, perhaps, his pride. He turned to see his pony struggling to stand up on all four legs. First Mate shook himself violently and moved unharmed closer to Shane, who reached to grab the pony’s bridle, pulling himself to his feet. He patted his pony’s neck, smoothing the disheveled mane. Reminded of his mother’s advice, to avoid future insecurity always mount quickly after falling off, he jumped to swing his leg over First Mate’s back. Apparently, nothing damaged for either pony or rider, Shane headed back to the barn to return his pony to the comfort of a clean stall.
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About the Book
Shane Stenlund has always resented life on the family farm located a few miles west of Twin Pines and a few miles east of the North Dakota border. With his parents and older sister, Danni, Shane lives on a six-hundred-acre farm in Minnesota’s Red River Valley. To Shane, farm life is oppressive and boring. Instead of daily chores like picking eggs, feeding pigs, and milking cows, he dreams of life on the open range where he can ride his closest friend and companion, First Mate, his Shetland pony, or in the big city free from the onerous daily duties. His dissatisfaction is fueled by his perception of his older sister who, in his opinion, does nothing but fix her hair or smile at herself in the mirror. A Christmas vacation ski accident kick starts a series of events that intensifies Shane’s rejection of farm life. Unsatisfactory grades during his senior year and a devastating conclusion to the prom fuel his decision to leave home. Shane seeks refuge in the big city, ironically in his sister’s Minneapolis condo. With dismay, he discovers life in Minneapolis doesn’t mesh with his earlier vision of the freedom the city would allow. He begins to change when he meets Max Hawkins and Alisha Sanders, both homeless teens, and Nick Karpin, a local entrepreneur.
About the Author
Duane A. Eide taught high school English in Mound, Minnesota, for thirty-five years. He has published five novels, including I Know Who You Are, The Bargain, On Your Left, and When You Need Me. Retired, he and his wife travel extensively and have lived in suburban Minneapolis for more than fifty years.