Chapter 55: Committee

"Sarah, I asked you to come because we need your help and advice. I want to start a riding class for 12- to 15-year-old girls."

"Fine with me. You mentioned that a while ago. Why the turnaround?"

"Jane Pinski. I told you I found her crying. It's really gotten to me. I want to teach riding, that's what I like to do — what I'm good at. But if I do this, I want the class to help these girls deal with the bullying and all the hassle they face in school from the boys. I've been thinking about it, we've been talking about it here and haven't gotten far. We thought you could help."

The day had been hot. Now, a warm evening breeze entered the windows, freshening the air. They sat at the dining table after one of Mary's suppers, wearing shorts and tee-shirts or anything cool. Sarah wore a halter top and shorts.

"You don't fool around with the easy stuff, Mary. You never have since I've known you." Sarah closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Actually, there are two problems. One is the aggression of the boys. The other is the petty tyranny the girls practice on each other. These are only possible because none of them has the self-confidence to deal with themselves or others from strength."

"Okay. We have to build confidence, strength. How?"

"I understand why you've had trouble with this. It's not just that it's a difficult problem, it's that you haven't had to face it yourselves.

"You could fool me," Anne said. "I thought I had."

Everyone agreed.

"Yes, but you are all exceptional, especially you women. Your parents took the time to give you self-confidence, independence of thought and the courage to act on your reasoned belief. That's one reason you're able to sustain your unconventional life-style."

"What do you mean, Sarah?" Mary asked.

"Look, it doesn't take much brains, once you've been in this house and with you all, to know that you live together, sleep together, probably don't wear clothes much. Don't forget, this isn't my first visit. Yes, you are a serious study group, as you say, but that really serves as window dressing for the rest of it. The business you've started is gravy... Now, I'm glad to see this. It's what I was looking for long ago and never found. You don't think your idea is new, do you?"

Saul said, "I did at first, but I know better now. How come you understand so much of this?"

"Saul, when I got out of college in the 60's, I joined a commune, one of those idealistic group-living arrangements where everyone slept together, wore funky clothes and smoked pot. I met my husband there; we were members for five years before we left and got married. When he had a heart attack at 45, I took our savings and insurance and bought the stables.

Anne got up, began clearing dishes from the table. Saul helped. "Sarah, it's coffee time. Want to try something new?"

"What do you suggest, Anne?"

"We have a specialty, cappuccino nudo. It's served and drunk in the nude."

"Can I have a double?"

When their clothes were dealt with, they took their coffee into the living room, snuggling on the couches and armchairs. Sarah sat on the sofa next to Mary and Will.

"How are we going to do something for these girls, Sarah?" Mary persisted.

"I think you may have found one solution already, Mary. You recall the time you took the Wednesday class for me?"

"Yes. I made the better riders help the others get as good as they were."

"I call that mentoring. You got them to put aside any petty dislikes and help one another. I think that's one technique you can use."

"Mary, how about competition?" Alex suggested.

"They're already competing with each other too much, Alex."

"No. I mean, can you make competition in Western Pleasure Riding a goal that brings them together?"

"Oh... Yes, I guess I could, but shows are all events for individuals."

Sarah said, "Mary, here's a scenario. You get each girl to specialize in some aspect of competition, then mentor the rest. They can all compete as individuals, if they want, but you get the show promoters to let you stage them as a group demonstration where they have to be a working team to excel."

"Sort of like the Denver Belles?"

"What's that?"

"About fifty girls in uniform on horseback carrying flags. They do fancy riding routines at rodeos. Frankly, I find them boring as hell."

"I'll bet they are, even though that kind of riding is not easy... No, I was thinking more of something based on the Western Pleasure Riding events themselves. Perhaps a team of five or six riders executing one of the more difficult events in synchrony. Wow them with skill, precision, teamwork and total control of the animals."

"Hey, I like that. You know, Will. After all us competitors have done our best, I bring out six little girls who knock your socks off doing the same things as a team."

Anne said, "How will you knocking the audience's socks off help the girls, Mary?"

"Good question, Anne," Heather responded. "To my mind, they'd have to learn enough discipline to master the skills, they'd have to learn to work as a group — to trust one another."