Bette sat at her desk at the CAC drifting off into space as she thought about the events of the last few months. Her partner Tina had a miscarriage, she had huge success with the opening of the exhibit Provocations at the CAC, and had been unfaithful to her partner on more than one occasion. What was she thinking ***** around on Tina? What was she going to do now?

After Tina found out about the affair, she fled to Alices house. Alice was probably the only person Bette could talk to when she needed a friends ear or shoulder to cry on and she could always make Bette smile. But even Alice wasnt speaking to Bette. Frustration flooded Bettes body.

Bette searched her mind for answers but found none that would satisfy her. Her life was shattered into a million pieces. All fragments of memoriesmemories she cherished.

Bette had always been the one her friends came to for advice. The one they looked up to, the one with the perfect relationship and perfect life. Her friends held her up on a pedestal so high that when she stumbled and fell everyone looked down on her.

Bette reflected back to when she met Alice. Whew what a night that was! She smiled and leaned back in her chair. It felt good to pick up one of the shattered pieces and look deep inside.

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Bette was in Palm Springs displaying an art exhibit for a friend and stumbled into the festivities of the Dinah Shore weekend. THE Dinah Shore weekendthe annual event where girls from all over the country came to party, let it all hang loose, get crazy, and for someget lucky.

The music was booming, the ladies were dancing, the house was rockin as Bette drifted off to the back of the hall to get a drink. She scanned the room only to see 5,000 cowgirls wearing 10 gallon hats, cowboy boots and leather chaps. It was the 1980s after all and the movie Urban Cowboy had a huge influence on the music and attire.

As Bette continued to scan the room Alice caught her eye. She couldnt help but laugh out loud when she seen her. Alice was wearing a 10 gallon hat, a rhinestone studded vest, black leather chaps, and cowboy boots with rhinestones on the heel and toe.

Alice straddled the mechanical bull and rode it like there was no tomorrow. The bull was designed to gyrate back and forth at lightning speeds but Alice had the operator turn it on slow so she could display the playful mood she was in, and tempt, no dare someone to approach her. Alice had a sparkle in her eye that could only mean one thing; she was out to have fun.

Bette found herself getting warm and turned to go outside for some fresh air when someone caught her by the arm. It was the cute cowgirl that was riding the mechanical bull. Hey you Alice said. I saw you eyeing the bull. Im sure you could give us…ummI mean the bull a ride it wont forget. Whaddya say? There was no way anyone was going to get Bette on that bull, not tonight, or ever for the matter but Alice was insistent and egging her on until she couldnt say no one more time. Bette remembered thinking to herself who is this crazy chick?

Bette climbed onto the bull and had the operator turn it on high so she could get thrown off and be done with it. But as the machine grinded up and started rocking back and forth and side to side she found herself laughing hectically and enjoying the ride. And with Alice taking in every move, Bette was determined to ride it out for the full three minutes.

With this wild ride Bette met the craziest woman of her life, the one that could make her do the unexpected, the one who made her laugh.