Whoa Buck!

Maybe it's because I'm older, or maybe it's because I'm from the country, but I grew up hearing and repeating this saying. I never thought much of it really, until I began hearing it repeated by my little grandson a couple of weeks ago. I guess someone way back when had a horse named Buck, and Buck must have gotten a little rowdy and had to be reigned in. I can remember both my father and grandfather trudging behind a horse and old plow getting their gardens ready to plant each spring and fall. Many was the time I heard the phrase "Whoa Buck" when that horse would lose his concentration or get a little ahead of the game.

This phrase was not limited to horses and mules, however. Let my grandmother's pots and pans fall out of the cabinet whenever she was reaching for something way in the back, and what would she say?..."Whoa Buck!" Or let the basket of clean clothes slip from your hands when you were struggling to get them inside after taking them off the clothesline tumbling white sheets and pillowcases into a pile of dirt and pine straw, and what do you say?..."Whoa, Buck!"

Well, it seems that the phrase has been passed on to a whole new generation. I got a call from Chelsey this past Sunday morning. It seems that while she was getting Mr. Randy ready for church, he decided to pick up the spray water bottle his Momma uses to fix his hair , pointed it at her, counted to 2, said "Shoot!" and sprayed her good. And what does he say as he throws his head back giggling?..."Whoa Buck!" I can almost see the twinkle in my grandma's eyes and hear my grandpa's chuckle. (Sorry Chelsey...I promise I didn't teach him the water bottle part :-)