Chapter 19, Part One

No Honor; Chapter 19, Part 1: Gauntlet

Before I left, I posted a 'Closed' sign, an' locked tha bar up. It seemed pretty pointless though. The roof was gone and the east wall was such that... Well, any young man could run, and jump and climb over it, but I guess it didn't make sense, ta make it easier for 'em.

Back at tha hotel, I fell on the bed, exhausted. I felt like a baked chicken, and it took me a while, ta get any rest at all. In tha later hours, right before sunrise, I heard gunshots, somewhere in tha hotel. They stopped after a bit, an' then I heard more, some two hours later.

Part o' that, was just The Station bein' The Station, but it was true tha violence had kicked up. My best guess was that, with the Morphine bein' gone, people was testy. Arguments was more likely ta start, and when they did, they was more likely ta erupt. I was sure it was just gonna get worse; the only thing that was keepin' thangs, from bein' unbearable, was people catchin' wind, and leavin'.

When the afternoon came, I sat in my room, not sure what to do. If I opened up, and it started rainin'... Eventually, I went back to tha bar out o' habit. I unlocked the door, but I kept tha sign up, and I went behind tha counter and poured me a whiskey.

After a bit, Jim Sheldon seen me, and he came in ta join me. I greeted 'im, and poured 'im a beer.

"Ah...thank you", he said. "How much?"

I shook my head. "Forget it... I'm not in business anymore."

That threw 'im.

He reeled back a bit, and then he said, "Well, I'm sorry the fire happened Wayne, but the bar's still in good shape... If you want, I can help you pay for repairs. It wouldn't be a problem."

"No thank you. To be honest, I got the money already. I could even see Gordon, about buildin' a new house, but... I'm not goin' to."

"Why? You got such a good thing going... I understand it's gotten bad around here, but, that won't last forever."

I said, "And when it does calm down, I don't wanna be here. There's a lot o' places around, ta hang yer hat, a lot o' better places... This ain't nowhere ta live."

"... I understand."

We was quiet awhile. After I finished my whiskey, I poured another, then I refilled Sheldon's glass.

I said, "Let me ask you a question, Jim."

"Hmmm....? Go ahead."

"Let's say a man takes another man's wife by force... Or throws 'er outta movin' train. What would you do with that man?"

"Hang 'im."

"Okay...", I said. "Now, let's say that man's caught, and they find he's got cancer... And he in real bad shape. Four weeks ta live... Would you still hang 'im?"

He paused a bit, and looked to tha skies, then he took a drank, thought some more, and then nodded.

"Yeah", he said.

I said, "Why? I agree with you, I just wanna know why."

He said, "'Because it isn't about his health, it's about what he did."

"Right", I said. "Right... It's about that, and it's also about tellin' people... you know... This thang ain't acceptable."

"Right", he said. "Are we talking about someone specific?"

I said, "You know who we talkin' about".

He took a sip, then he nodded.

I said, "How come they ain't give 'im up? This town's so small... How come no one came out 'n said, 'Tha asshole's over here... Take 'im".

He laughed, and then 'e shrugged. "That's just... It's just a part of that mind set. You know...? When I was a kid, I lived and died by that rule. You're not supposed to give people up, I mean... No matter what."

I said, "That's a stupid fuckin' rule."

"I know it. It is."

"You can't make no exception?"

He said, "Well, I certainly agree with you Wayne, but... I don't know what to tell you. You know... That's just the way people are."

"Yeah...", I said. "They are."

After we finished drinkin', I told 'im I was gonna go ahead, and lock up. While I was walkin 'im out, he turned ta me.

"So what's the next stop for you sir? You got any plans?"

I said, "You know Jim, I really don't know... I haven't figured that, but...

"But I ain't givin' Roy no pass for 'is health... And I ain't givin' us no pass neither."

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