MONDAY
The second I walked into the saloon I knew that everyone had been talking about me because suddenly the whole joint went quiet.
The poker players put down their cards and stared.
The honky-tonk player closed the lid of his piano.
The ladies waiting for customers on the staircase covered their faces with a fan.
I held my head high and walked up to the bar and asked for a shot of rotgut.
Barkeeper Luxon kept his eye on me as he poured. It was meant to unnerve me but that fellow can’t do nothin’ right and he missed the glass. Finally he filled it, and said, "I hear Coster threw you under a stagecoach."
I sank the shot in a single gulp, banged it hard on the table, and said, "He’s gonna regret saying that he told me about Skimming and Miss Z long before it went public. Ain’t not a word of truth in it.
"I am a father of two daughters, and the lawfully elected sheriff of Dodge. And part of my role is protecting people against the power of the state when they butt up against it. I pushed as far and went as hard as I could as a minister to make sure that Ms Z was being looked after."
One of the card players said, "How come ya voice is shaking?"
I threw down another shot and attempted a laugh. "This’ll all blow over," I said.
The honky-tonk player set up a mournful tune.
TUESDAY
The saloon fell silent again when I walked in for a noon drink.
"Ya seen the Dodge Gazette, I s’pose," said Barkeep Luxon. He only poured the shot glass half-full and put the bottle away.
"Ya know I ain’t learned to read," I said.
"One of their best reporters, Paula Penfold, done reckon she found paperwork that says you were told about a complaint against McSkimming 23 days before ya claimed ya knew anything about it," he said.
"This’ll all blow over," I said.
The honky-tonk player set up a slow dirge.
WEDNESDAY
Again with the silent treatment at the saloon. Barkeep Luxon shook a couple of drops of rotgut into my glass, and said, "I hear tell another reporter from the Dodge Gazette is askin’ questions about this 23-day discrepancy."
Just then the saloon doors burst open and I heard high heels clatter across the wooden floor.
The honky-tonk player came down hard on a menacing chord.
THURSDAY
Stayed home. Who the hell needs the saloon.
FRIDAY
Dreamed I was in the saloon. Everyone was pleased to see me. Barkeep Luxon gave me the bottle. McSkimming was wearing a dress. He stood on the stairs and beckoned me to a room. The honky-tonk player struck up a merry tune.
Just then the saloon doors burst open and I heard high heels clatter across the wooden floor.
"Evenin’, sheriff," said Dodge Gazette reporter Tova O’Brien. "Got some more questions for ya."
A cold wind blew in and chilled me to the bone.
