Rita grew into womanhood during the great depression years when times were hard with few clothes and frequently empty stomachs. Following the death of her mother, Rita filled the role of surrogate mother of two younger brothers and family housekeeper.
Shortly before high school graduation, Rita applied for a civil service job at the nearby Army Air Corp base. The weekend following graduation Rita's father came home Sunday afternoon with a new bride, he obviously picked up at a low class bar. The following day's mail brought Rita a notice to report for work at the air base.
During her career, Rita suffered the indignities and humiliations from macho skirt chasing co-workers and bosses. By the time her retirement rolled around she was ready to loose her pent up anger at men in general and in particular any man who ticked her off.
Arriving in Cactus Junction, along with her old friend Julie, she found a target to unload her indignation upon, a snowbird cowboy named Buck.
Buck had spent his life alone driving a tractor, riding a horse or talking to cows. Ignorance coupled with an overgrown ego led him to believe the female population was waiting to capitulate the moment he ambled on scene.
To Buck's ever lasting remorse, the belief he held for himself as be the cure for female menopause tripped Rita's trigger and he became the target of a real estate sting, of her concoction, which deflated Buck's ego and made her a rich woman.