Cowboy country saying 'whoa!' to 'Brokeback'

"The story could be set in some fictional place, but it wasn't," says Ten Sleep native Bob Wood. "They made it personal. They plopped it down in a specific place. People in a small town take a lot of pride in who they are, and that's not who they are. This isn't New York. And then set it in 1963, right? In 1963, they'd make fun of a man if he wore shorts."

"I can't think of an area that would be more offended," says Rondo Fehlberg, who grew up in nearby Worland.

Dahl Mills, who sells beautiful horses on Broken Back Ranch, read the book from which the movie originated as part of her book club. "We all hated it," she says.

Author Annie Proulx says she got the idea for her short story — which led to the movie — in a Wyoming bar when she saw one cowboy watching a bunch of other cowboys play pool instead of looking at the pretty girls.

"My dad and grandpas are turning over in their graves," says Wood.

Ten Sleep residents won't be able to see the movie even if they want to. The nearest theater is in Worland — current show: "King Kong."

Says Bob Vines, managing editor of the local newspaper, "I would be surprised if ("Brokeback") plays here in Worland."

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Doug Robinson's column runs on Tuesdays. Please e-mail drob@desnews.com.