Circa 1873

“The Blue Ribbon”

@ Seeking cover like an undercover lover, Matt crawled under the blankets, trying not to wake Sunshine. He knew she had to get up early for the pistol competition in Hays City.

Sunshine: “Mmmmm…..Hi, baby.” She rolled over to him and smiled.

Matt:”I’m sorry I woke you, Sunny. You go back to sleep.” He kissed her gently. @The excited gleam in her eyes gave her away. She pulled him closer. The kiss lingered. @ She was a romantic fool; Always putting her love for Matt ahead of common sense.

Matt: “Ohhhhhhhh, darlin’…..”

Their little cat, Gray Lady, jumped up on the bed and tried to nestle between them.

Matt gently picked her up and placed her at the foot ot the bed…….@”Three is a crowd. I said to you…..many times…..

to please sleep down there.” He looked at Sunshine, ready to resume their lovemaking. She was fast asleep.

Matt looked at Gray Lady and said in a strong whisper~~~~ “THANK YOU!!” The little cat got up and walked toward him. “Okay. Okay. You win.” Gray Lady settled next to his chest and she too fell quickly to sleep.

CUT TO COMMERCIAL

Sunshine’s competition was going to start in another half hour. She told Matt she wanted to wander around and scope out the other contestant.

Matt: “So. How does it look?”

Sunshine:” Her name is Petunia Strobinski, better known as ‘Petunia The Polish Pistol.’ ”

Her two sisters, Pansy and SweetPea were her cheering section.

Matt:” Forget the Flower Brigade, darlin’. …You got me.”

Sunshine grabbed him and kissed him passionately…..”God I LOVE it when you talk like that. It get’s me all …..”

She was interrupted by the Head Judge:

“Ladies and gentlemen. At the line now are the two best lady shooters from here to Topeka.”

Sunshine and Petunia took their places.

Matt spoke loud enough for all to hear….. “Sunshine is the best shooter, male OR female, this side of the Grand Canyon!” Pansy and SweetPea threw popcorn at him !!

Sunshine went first…. Six shots. Six bullseyes.

Petunia scored likewise. @ Only time would tell who would make the first error….. It was Sunshine.

Petunia capitalized on it and walked off with the blue ribbon. Sunshine extended her hand and congratulated her. Pansy and SweetPea tried to taunt her as she walked away with Matt.

Sunshine looked them in the eyes and laughed…… “Enjoy the blue ribbon, girls. I got me the real prize RIGHT HERE!! ”

Pansy yelled out…@”So he is married and jobless?”

Sunshine smiled…..”Nawwwww. He’s single, U.S. Marshal and mine……ALL mine.”

She and her cowboy walked hand in hand down to the little creek that ran through the woods……

@ It was a favourite spot for lovers.

I named a fee. He never even blinked an eye. Only time would tell (2) if I would be living on easy street. I picked up my hat and made like a shadow at high noon.

I could say it was hard to find her, but with snooping being high tech and all these days, well, let’s just say I narrowed it down to one town. Naturally, it wouldn’t do to scare the lady with the direct approach. She might take that cement artery out of town to Anywhere, USA, and then where would my dreams of easy street end up? Nah, I decided to eyeball the situation awhile. So I followed her.

She looked like someone on the wrong side of forty, (3) but poverty has a way clinging to you until it becomes your second skin. She lived in a tiny house badly in need of a coat of paint. I casually walked by on the other side of the street and seen a young woman hold the door open for her. Roommate? I decided to go in and check it out. If things seemed well, I would tell her the truth.

It was a short walk from the gate to the door. The windows glowed gently in the twilight. I knocked a few times.

“Ms. Ellington?”

“Yes?”

“Ms. Ellington, I’m Mr. Iverson, and I have some information that‘s confidential to disclose to you. Three is a crowd.” (4) I said while nodding slightly in the direction of the kitchen table where the young woman was setting the table for supper.

“Honey, I’m going out on the porch for a minute. We’ll eat when I come in, okay?” With that she motioned me towards the mismatched wicker chairs sitting at the end of the porch which didn‘t exactly look like it was a favorite spot for lovers. (5)

“What is it Mr. Iverson?”

“Ms. Ellington, I’m a private detective hired by a Mr. Gatestone to locate you and if possible bring you back to be reunited with him.” My eyes, seeking cover like an undercover lover, (6) would not look directly at her.

Trying to sound nonchalant, she asked, “So he is married and jobless?” (7), but the excited gleam in her eyes gave her away. (8) She still loved him. She was a romantic fool. (9)

“No, he’s not married and jobless, but more than that I’m not at liberty to say. He said to tell you to remember the day the in New York when we laughed over the the Yellow Cab driver’s puzzled look. I’m supposed to say to you, ‘Is the devil after you or what?’ asked the cab driver.’” (10)

Her eyes misted with tears and she smiled. I didn’t know what it meant, but I was impressed by his wisdom (11) in telling me to say it to her.. Maybe they had robbed a bank or something. It didn’t matter to me as my feet were turned towards easy street!

“Come in and have supper with my daughter and I Mr. Iverson. Belinda will be glad to find out she is going to meet her father at last.“