Joe

I was 21 years old living in the south. Life was great; I had a steady job in an oilfield, a cozy house, and a girl I loved who I've been very intimate with. One day a new face was hired to work along with me, named Joe. In my tiny town where the residence new each other, I can proudly say I've never seen this man before in my life.

The man was popular with the ladies. Even got a few girls to fool around with him behind their husbands and daddies backs. Sure as hell ain't introducing *him* to my girl.

Time passes and my girl says she's pregnant. My goodness was I both overjoyed and anxious for the future. And by tradition, I gotta make a modest woman of this fine young lady! Only problem was, since then she had this lingering darkness to her and this raised some concerns. One morning before work I question her on this and she breaks into tears. She met Joe and the child is likely his! She no longer feels like she could be with me after her affair. I demanded she leave my house and never return. In a rage I grabbed my shotgun and stormed to the oilfield in hopes of finding Joe there.

I see him and I hit his face with the butt of my gun with all my force. Before I could pull the trigger on this womanizer I was apprehended by my coworkers. Joe's eye was swollen like a boll of cotton. He ran away and I never heard from him again..... months later my brother visited me and asked why I've been so depressed. I tell him,

'If it hadn't been for Cotton-Eyed Joe, I'd been married a long time ago....'