2nd cactus to the right, straight on 'till morning

As we stepped out of the stagecoach, the mountains shimmered in the distant heat of the morning. Dust hung in the air, and the scent of gunpowder wafted in on the breeze, telling tales of some distant gunfight in some dark and unknown saloon. A faint rattling sound slithered in from somewhere down the hill - some snake was not in a good mood, and some poor rabbit would be sorry for that.

Watching the clouds kicked up by the horses as the coach faded into the distance, we were beginning to wonder if we'd come to the right ranch. How would we possibly find our way back to civilization, if this was not the place? Like a six-inch scorpion crawling up your leg, the worry was beginning get more and more urgent - and then we heard the sound.

As the whinny of the horse faded into the vast emptiness of the desert, we noticed the clip-clip-clopping of four heavy hooves trotting with authority up the path, and the paws of a lean and muscular hound padding lightly on the ground beside them.

The horse quickly came into view, and the rider pulled up alongside the gate. The dog pressed against the iron bars, gnawing on the backbone of some unfortunate animal, eyeing us with suspicion.

The man looked down at us for a time, sizing us up, and then said simply, "I'm Tucson Jim. You here to see me?"


_______________________________


And that's just how it was.

I swear.

:-)