Ennis Del Mar approached Joe Aguirre's old, dilapidate house trailer that served as a business office with a slow, exhausted step. He had every intention of catching a few winks of well-earned rest. He didn't expect for there to be someone already there, propped against the wall. It was a young woman, her coal black hair in tangles around her sleeping face. As Ennis studied her a yellow slit appeared beneath an eyelid. Slowly and stiffly the girl sat up and looked Ennis in the eye. Her eyes were an eerie, iridescent yellow, quite unnerving to look at. She slung her legs over the sides of the steps and yawned widely. She then slung her head in the direction of the road. About 30 seconds later a rusty pick-up truck rattled into the yard. Ennis stared at her, apparently her hearing was fine-tuned. A man stepped out of the truck and kicked the fender, letting loose a stream of curses while he was at it. It was after the three were ushered inside by Aguirre that Ennis noticed the man and woman were almost identical.
As Aguirre talked Ennis studied the woman, she looked directly at Aguirre's mouth as he spoke and mouthed the words silently to herself. It was now suddenly clear to Ennis; this beautiful young woman was stone deaf. Now Aguirre turned his attention to the three of them, "Think you can do that?" Then he turned to the woman and sneered, "We don't need no dumb deafs." The woman's yellow eyes narrowed and she began to hand sign quickly. The man next to Ennis laughed out loud, "Mr. Aguirre, she says she don't give a flying what you think, she'll do your job but don't need nothing else from you but her fair share of the pay." Aguirre didn't looked phased, "If you loose a single lambing ewe I dock your pay by half." The woman nodded respectfully, "Yes sir, deal."
By 3:00 that afternoon Ennis, Jack, and the young woman were acquainted, had their packs, dogs, horses, and headed up Broke Back Mountain with over 3000 sheep. The young woman had informed the men that she had no name; she just traveled from job to job She brought up the rear on foot with her shepherd's staff and three herding dogs while the men circled the flock on horseback. In addition to being deaf a bad back kept the woman from riding. Once night fell they took the sheep to a flat, sandy wash and decided to pitch camp about a quarter of a mile away. The woman told them she would sleep with the sheep, it was no problem. They agreed, just be careful.
As Ennis rode through the herd he became increasingly nervous, he couldn't find the woman or the dogs. He wanted to kick himself when he remembered she was deaf; however he found her, curled amongst three ewes and her three dogs. In the dark with no fire burning he barely saw her hair and the tips of her nose and ears. Next to her was an iron frying pan. Unfortunately for Ennis he didn't see it until it collided with the side of his head, he'd shaken her and it startled her. When he came to the young woman held a cold cloth to the side of his head while it lay in her lap. "I'm so sorry, you scared me", she said timidly. Next to her sat the food he'd brought, safe and sound. Ennis grunted as he levered himself into a sitting position, "Some aim", he grumbled. The woman chuckled, "I knew an Albino man who could play the piano by feeling the vibrating notes in his feet." Ennis shook his head, "That food's for you", he mumbled. The woman nodded absentmindedly and picked up the plate. After a moment she decided it was safe and gobbled the food in record time. Ennis stayed until she settled back down amongst the animals. "Safe sleep", he told her as he rode off into the night.
