mariposa, I hope life got better for you after that incident. Sometimes it does take a jolt like you walking away to make people think about their behavior. It sure isn't 'the cowboy way', as true cowboys and real men have manners around both women and cattle! Always have, always will. Those who don't, haven't earned the title.
The first cattle working rule on this ranch, and the predecessor Jones and Berry ranches has always been "if you are in a hurry, slow down", meaning pushing cattle (or people!) too hard just causes a wreck!
Last week, we attended the funeral of a great friend who grew up neighbors to, and as a very young man worked at, the Berry ranches. Part of his eulogy, and he lived it well, "...Neil was a great story teller with a great sense of humor and entertained everyone while rounding up or branding or working cows. Neil also had great cowboy "etiquette". He would ride ahead to open gates. His manners were impeccable, especially around women. He never met a stranger and had no enemies."
Shorty feels privileged that he and Neil rode together often in those years (Berry's were his (Shorty's) grandparents and uncles, cousins) and were friends to the end. It is awfully hard for an 80 year old cowboy to see his friends from earlier days lose their health and 'ride off into the sunset' the hard way, in nursing homes and hospitals.
But having only good memories of working cattle 'the right way' and memories of the friendship and respect of those old friends does help.
It would be a better world it we all succeeded in keeping, or mending relationships and/or forging new ones on a better basis. Life gets awfully lonely for mean spirited people, is my guess.
mrj