It was pretty late in September
and I was over the Billings way
I was riding fence for Freddie White
on the west end of Rockin Bar J

Well night time can fall pretty early
come along bout that time of the year
I started me up a little fire
and was cleaning up some of my gear

That’s when I heard a “Whoo-up in camp”
softly floating over the pine trees
At first I thought it was ole Freddie
come a ridin’ out to shoot the breeze

“Come on in” I yelled right back to him
My hand sittin firmly on my gun
When in rides this old bearded cowboy
Looked to be bout a hundred and one

Well he said his name to be Johnson
So with that I passed him my name too
Asked him if he’d like to sit a spell
Maybe share a little of my stew

For I had gauged him up to be a
descent and right honest man you see
Cause he seemed to hold himself just right
and by the soft way he spoke to me

So after we tossed down our bedrolls
and we had hunkered down near the flames
That’s when Johnson pulled his red eye flask
we started toasting old cowboy names

Those names like Billy Brooks, Bose Ikard
Goodnight, Conrad Kohrs and Otto Franc
Olly Loving, John Chisum and more
Each name said, we tipped the flask and drank

As all the old cowboys tend to do
we reminisced bout the olden days
about all the things we used to do
and living the good cowpuncher’s ways

How these here youngsters nowadays ain’t
got no clue bout how things used to be
When a man could go from here to there
live and ride the range completely free

Johnson had seen just fifteen summers
when he started his first cattle drive
sixty more winters have passed him by
he said his luck had kept him alive

For him riding herd out on the range
is the only life he’s ever knowed
He said he would never trade that way
for no diamonds, jewels or gold

Well just about dawn the next morning
After we shook hands and parted ways
I knew that I too would never leave
behind me, these good old cowboy days

This story, Johnson, Freddie Keys and the Rocking Bar J Ranch are all fictitious.