4063 Chapter 63 Yellow jacket

Chapter 63 Old Town blues

Mat stood looking around the room then headed over towards the counter; stepping behind it looking under it along the shelf, reaching upward to the cash register hitting a few buttons, he must be after the cash hearing the draw open he looked inside lifting the holder checking under it, returning it closing the draw resting both arms on the counter looking around at all of us waiting for him to say something he did. ”What are you waiting for a cashier go find what you need, Jeff get me a Dew need a caffeine buzz” Jeff rush over to the cooler looking around inside pulling out two bottles.

Looking around the store stopping checking out all trinkets for sale mostly novelty junk, shelves stocked with pistols and Rifles along with holsters, top shelve had western Hats, Package of Vest’s. Faye stood  checking out the plaid shirts and Jeans with Mike, shelf after shelf fill with all kinds of stuff from snakes to desert cactus plants, a lot of Indian gear head dress bow and arrows, even pots some had cactus in them, Arrow heads made from rocks and gold color Nuggets painted in gold of course they wouldn’t have the real thing at this low of price even nugget chains, glancing over to Mat and Jeff looking at brochures enjoying their Dews every so often looking out the window, glancing outside looking at an empty parking lot; reaching down picking up a few cased scorpions on leather neck ties, placing one on called Blue stinger sliding it upward.

 

“Hey Shawn See anything good over there”

“Scorpions ties how about you two”

“Western Pants and Shirts, Faye’s changing in the other room”

“Hey Mat’ Jeff better go check it out’ you two need to change”

“Dew and Coke in the cooler” Jeff said out heading over with Mat, Mike stood back watching both of them pulling shirts back and forth looking, Mike pulled a few jeans pairs down holding them up to Mat trying to find his size, Jeff trying a plaid shirt on showing me his find “How’s it look on me” “Look’s a little big see if you can find one size smaller” He thumbed thru finding a few his size, what was more surprising he placed what he couldn’t wear back on the hangers.

Faye came out all decked in western jeans and plaid shirt turning around showing all of us how she looked smiling with her head up, that is till Mat started giggling pointing to her feet, We all looked down western wear with Pink flip flops real western, Faye looked down casing both off to Mat and Mike, Hard as she could they moved just in time, Jeff nor I could hold back just pointing to The boots on the shelf.

“Go try these on see if they fit” Mike handing jeans to Mat, Mat just looked up at him turning looking over to Faye while untying his rope dropping his pants stepping out of them taking the new ones, Mike stood looking back to us; Jeff joined them dropping his also at least the shirt covered him, Mat already trying another pair.

“Shawn’ gon’na get some jeans”

“Sure’ maybe I’ll find a pair of boots too”

“I like this store already everything we need”

“Sure Mike but away home”

“Shawn will get there”

Watching the boys trying on jeans and both went over checking out the shirts  and western belts, Mike and I changed in the isle also glancing over a few times to what everyone was doing, Jeff started playing with the rubber snakes and spiders before both found the duel holsters and matching pistols, before Faye helped them with boots, at least they chose to be cowboys and not Indians with bow and arrows’,

Mike found us nice Black pair of boots to match our belts, all of us dressed to western wear prancing around the store. Mat and Jeff having fun trying on hats sticking with brown.

“Come on Shawn you got to have a Hat”

“I don’t like hat’s”

“But it’s the west Please” Jeff was pleading with me to get a hat, I felt like a fool wearing it, Mike stood with his smile waiting holding out one, Black gambler type not a cowboy “This fits you better”

“Thanks’ Mike’ see you found one”

“Sure got to play the part here in town”

Looking like cowboys now drinking bottles of soda’s while chowing down on small bags of corn chips looking over the stores brochure on the counter, Mat and Jeff making like real cowboys sitting on saddle touting guns in front of the window.

“Anybody ready to go check the town out” asking outward, Mat and Jeff got off those saddles so fast almost knocking them over

“Anytime partner“ Jeff and Mat stood  looking like real gun swingers ready to draw their guns in a gun fight

“We sure look the part for this town”

“Let’s go what we waiting for”

“Wait a second you two cowboys what’s all this” Mike holding up bags on the counter, Faye reach over taking two of the bags, Mat grabbed one big bag and Jeff looked at the other three bags looking at both me and Mike.

“It’s our old stuff and new Jeans and more good stuff”

“Who’s going to pay for all this” Mike asked in a stern voice looking over the counter at Jeff; Everyone stopped looking down at their bags, then right back up to Mike and over to Me, I was out of this one just waiting for him to answer, Mike flipped his hat front upward waiting with his hand outward.

All three looked at each other as we waiting for one of them to say something, the look of surprised held them for a second with Jeff dropping his bag rushing over to the display counter coming back hands clutched together handing Mike gold nuggets

”This should cover it any change you can keep” Mike took the nuggets with a big smile, Jeff already Smiling grabbed his bag heading to the backdoor Mike just shook his head looking at the nuggets

”Gotta hand it to him he thinks quick, come on let’s get out of here Shawn” Handing me two bags smiling back and forth to the door.

“Better drop these off before we do the town”

“Sounds good to me’ Mat what are you doing”

“Setting the door just in case we need something later”

Mat closed the door not to disturb his top pin carefully closing the door leaving the paddle lock hanging on opened, enjoying our new looks watching the ground seeing how we looked from our shadow walking along our sides, Mat rushed in taking the bags placing them to one side trying to keep his hat from falling off every time he bent over.

Around the building, Mat and Jeff leading the way guns drawn just in case a gun sligger was waiting for them on the street, Rushing hiding around the wagon wheels and around large barrels on the porch,. clonking our boot heals on the wooden boards below sounding more like a heard of horses coming in from the rain on each hoof, looking inside store windows, Faye looked just like one of us not that girly look anymore so maybe Mike won’t get side track to what’s going on keeping his mind on getting us home.

“Hey look it’s a school house” Mat said walking carefully in the street turning looking around seeing Jeff dueling him to a gun fight, Mat won with Jeff falling to the dirt so much for clean clothes, we did make it to the school house after another big shot out.

Entering the schools front door looking past the rail setup to keep on lookers from going inside, two windows with a large round stove next to the front desk, even had a small blackboard behind it not like what we have back home, we could drive a car on ours, even the desk were form in rows two each side maybe six total.

“Why those desks have holes in them”

“What Jeff”

“The Desk has holes “

“That’s for glue” Mat said leaning over looking at it

“Dip shit that’s for Ink wells”

“Why don’t they have pens?”

“Come on lets go look at the rest of this town”

“Yea I want to check out the Saylon”

“The What Mat”

“The Saylon”

“Maybe you mean Saloon”

“That’s What I said Draw..Bang To Late”

“Your weird kid go”

Mat and Jeff rush down the street heading for the Silver dollar Saloon, shooting at everything even the Indian standing by the door.

“How’ we go inside red man”

“Come on Shawn’ you’re getting just as wired as them two”

Entering the Saloon painted red walls with black curtains scattered ten or more tables with chairs straight ahead was the long bar, Mat already behind it; Jeff and Faye sat on stools watching him, Mike walk around the room checking out the upright piano hitting a few loud keys stopping looking out the doorway, Mat line glasses on the bar reaching down placing brown bottles in front of each.

“Your sarsaparilla ready boys” the large mirror behind him showing all of us sitting like young cowboys having a drink with one girl of course “So now what do we go look at” Mat asking pouring the last sarsaparilla in his glass, Mike spun around looking not sure

“See a phone back there?”

“The phone back here out to Mike”

“Ok so let’s check the other side of town”

“I saw’ Undertaker and boot hill sign and one for show hours”

“Cool Boot hill lets see who we know in it”

“Did you say Show sign”

“Yea it was just over there” Jeff pointed towards Boot hill, All of us headed out walking in the street; Mat and Jeff rush over checking out the wells Fargo coach wagon bringing most attraction back to the Bank  looking inside the window, Mat tried the door it was locked good thing too, Rushing to the Undertakers stopping pointing to the sign waiting for Jeff both went in looking at the markers, Faye stood at the gate looking around not interested, after they had their fill of shooting the markers we headed back to the Undertakers its door was open guess we need to go inside, Faye again stayed outside not wanting to look at coffins even if no one inside them, pine boxes lined with black laced.

Faye came rushing inside “We got company quite”

Hiding behind the window looking outward to the front, All of us scooted low waiting hearing a car door shut just away from our view “Maybe we should run for it”

“No stay still”

“look it’s the Police” looking inside the opening; we just ducked when he looked are way staying still as we could, Checking the Iron gate before he walk over to the store looking in the window; we stayed still it must have been ten minutes’ sweating inside till we heard the engine start along with door closing, relieved watching it pass the gate an out of the parking lot.

“That was close’ we better get back before he’s back and finds us”

“Best idea I’ve heard” Mike first outside staying close we moved to the coach checking the gate one more time before we rushed across the street, Jeff dropped his hat in the middle, stopping Me pulling on my shirt pointing to it laying in the dirt “My Hat fell off”

“Stay here I’ll get it” Jeff held out his gun to me, smiling at him to put it back, looking at the hat everyone stopped looking back at us two.

“Leave it Shawn” Mike said in a low voice, I was already in the street frozen looking at the gate, back to them an rushing out picking it up looking to the gate holding it, rushing back clunking on the porch wood handing it to Jeff, standing looking up holding it getting ready to cry.

“Come on were ok we got it don’t cry it’s ok”

“Right you could have gotten all of us caught”

“Let’s get to the ship before somebody does come”

Mike was back alright being Mike, Jeff and Mat stayed near me hurrying back to the side buildings holding back looking around no one back here for sure, we walked to the shed everything just the way we left it, feeling more safe now gun holsters off and hats next to the bags, Faye handed everyone a warm sodas Mat just made a face not wanting warm soda “Going to check out the bathroom Jeff want to come”

“Sure do we have to bring our guns?”

“No you’ll be fine go”

“I’ll go with you guys wait up”

Mike handed me the guide showing where we were and why this place was closed today, at the bottom closed this weekend for a horse show event, dated match the store calendar May22,23, 1971. We went forward but not far enough to get home, maybe it was Saturday and we had a full day left to relax; waiting for them seem like they were taking a long time just as I looked out the door way seeing them bringing back cold sodas and chips, Both boys holding small candy bags rushing inside “We found Rock Candy wants some” “Thank’s anyway Jeff you enjoy it” “But we got plenty here” ”It’s ok I’ll try some later ok” “Ok it’s good stuff” Mike handed me a soda, sitting down loosing up his buttons on his shirt.

Sun perch over us like it was on top of us beating down again looking over the Arizona map showing the roadway to the Hoover dam and other sightseeing spots to stop and see along the map route, pointing to where we were just on the outskirts’ of grand canyon.