Hats Off
Note: To the best of my knowledge and belief, this story is fair use of copyrighted material, as there is no commercial use and no loss of potential market or value of the original material will occur.
Johnny and Scott exchange useful advice, set early in the series.
Johnny watched his brother in the front pasture with a small number of cattle, trying to cut one out. Eventually, Scott stopped trying to outguess the steer, and let the horse do it, moving easily with the horse as it blocked the steer's escape and turned it away from the other cattle.
He came out looking pleased with himself to join Johnny on the patio, swiping his hat on the side of his pants before dropping it on the table. "Looking better out there brother. Ain't seen a man yet who knew what a cow would do better than a good horse."
"We'll be sharing the fun in no time."
Johnny merely smiled enigmatically and picked up Scott's hat. It was still that damn fool thing with one half of the brim turned up. Not the style here, not anything a man with sense would wear outside all day. He began picking at the threads on the upraised brim, and eyed his brother's face.
"You keep wearing this, you'll get burned on one side of your face. I can see it started already. Then you'll be half and half, like me." This was said with a bitter set to the mouth. He finished with his picking, and folded the brim down.
"There. Now the half and half is gone, you'll turn just one color. Not split in two anymore. One that fits everywhere." The bitter set of his mouth turned to a bitter smirk.
"Just like you."
Johnny frowned, and the smirk vanished. He would never be anything but a mestizo, half and half, never completing belonging anywhere.
Scott raised a hand slightly, in explanation, and rose. He turned the hat over in his hands, and smiled, as if he hadn't noticed Johnny's scowl.
"Half Mexican, half anglo, but all Lancer." The smile grew wider, and he left, setting the hat squarely on his head.
All Lancer. Johnny thought he could get used to that.