Buford Hayes is a Tampa man who knew exactly what he wanted: his cowboy hat, his trusty scooter, his miniature pony, Thunder, and a bit of female company while making a grand entrance wherever he went. One Friday evening, Buford rolled up to a local strip club, scooter humming beneath him, Thunder trotting proudly at his side, turning every head as he passed.
The bouncer, a man clearly unprepared for a miniature horse, hesitated. “Uh… sir, I don’t think—”
Buford leaned in, a big grin spreading across his face, voice low and confident. “I understand your hesitation. You might see this as a little horse, but the ADA deems it my service animal—and I’m getting lucky one way or another tonight. Either you let us in, or we’ll be seeing each other in court.”
The bouncer paled. Slowly, grimly, he stepped aside. Buford’s grin widened even further. “Thought so,” he muttered under his breath. He revved his scooter proudly and wheeled himself—and Thunder—through the door, immediately soaking in the applause of stunned onlookers.
Horsing around at the club!
Inside, Buford felt untouchable. Thunder pranced with dignity beside him, while Buford’s cowboy hat sat perfectly atop his head, radiating authority. The question buzzed through his mind: Did the women love the hat more… or the pony? He couldn’t decide, and that uncertainty made the night all the sweeter.