Totem Pole

“Precisely. And the first thing you need to understand around here is that there is a pecking order here. Everything falls into order. Those in the riding stables, like you, answer to and respond to anyone above them. Above you are the race track operation employees and above them are my dressage equestrians. And at the top of each of the separate operations are the men who ride. And I trust you can understand what I mean by the “men who ride.” We are very special men here. You were hired because of that. Do you know what is special about your being hired?”

“No,” the new hire invariably would say, hoping in his heart of hearts it was not what he feared, because men who were known to want other men were not normally hired into jobs like this.

“It’s because all of the men we hire here prefer other men—and they only remain here if they honor and respond to the pecking order. Do you hear what I’m saying?”

“Yes, sir,” most of the new hires would respond and then, to drive the pecking order concept home, Tony Vera would take the new hire straight to the tack room in the big horse barn, command him to strip and spread his legs, and would take first cocking rights. Others knowing of the new hire and being somewhere higher in the pecking order than the new hire would have also gathered nearby and, after Vera was done, would take their turn, from top rank down, in a rite of initiation that told the new hire exactly where he fit.