When I was growing up and spending time on my grandpa's ranch we would sometimes have very long days of riding that involved driving the cows from the open range back to the ranch. This day usually involved the whole family and was a big job.

One day Charlie and my mom moved a smaller number of cows and must have decided they didn't need the whole crew, so the kids all stayed home. They were gone for most of the day, and when they got home Charlie had this story to tell.

He looked me dead in the eye and told me he'd brought me a surprise from the range. Now, you have to understand, the range is a pretty cool place. We've found lots of great things out there, including some indian artifacts.

Filled with anticipation, I couldn't help but notice that Charlie's shirt pocket was wiggling. After what felt like forever, Charlie unsnapped his shirt pocket and revealed that he'd brought me a lizard. But the best was yet to come. Charlie, who was in my mind, the best rider/horseman on earth, told me this story of how he came upon this lizard and decided to bring it home for me.

It was a hot day, and Charlie really didn't feel like going to all the trouble to get off his horse and catch the darn thing. After all, lizards are fast. On top of that he was riding a green horse, which made the idea of dismounting and chasing a lizard around even less appealing.

If any of us kids had been there I'm sure he'd have told one of us to get off our horse and catch it. Charlie was well known for having us kids catch and tack up his horses.... after all, getting a kid to do the dirty work's a lot easier. Charlie would just say the word and whatever kid was handy had a horse caught and tacked up ready to go for him. But back to the lizard story.

After thinking over his options Charlie decided to rope that little lizard. Now Charlie was a good roper. He used to practice roping us kids. The kids would run around and Charlie would rope us, often from a horse. That's how I learned that ropes are hard. They actually kind of hurt if they hit you in the head.

So Charlie threw out his rope and caught that lizard on the first try before the little critter ever saw it coming. Some might say Charlie was a great roper, but roping that lizard proved that he's the greatest roper ever.

Anyway, I had a lizard.

I remember telling this story to a friend when I'd grown up, when suddenly for the first time in my life I considered the logistics of such a feat. A faint shadow of a doubt overcame me. Was that kind of roping really possible?

After thinking long and hard I've decided to believe that yes, it was possible, and I'm sure after reading this post you'll believe too.