Four Sixes.
He stood with his back leanin’ there on the bar
In his hand was a glass full of rye
His countenance hard, no smile on his lips,
An’ a far distant stare in his eye
His left hand, it hung slack, down near his side
Where a Smith an’ Wesson did hang
Six hard ways to die, tied tight to his leg
Like a snake with a sharpened up fang
Frank, Joe, Jim, and I at the table we sat
An’ five card draw was the game.
We’d noticed the drifter, there at the bar
An’ not one of us knew his name.
But, he was a killer, that much we could see
An’ that was ‘bout all we could know
We just sort’a hopped that he would drift on,
An’ into the sunset he’d go.
When young Billy Sims, came in through the door
An’ spotted us there in our game.
“Hey boys, do ya mind, if I pull up a chair
‘Cause it’s sure fer yer money I came?”
“Pull up the chair, an’ buy in fer sure”
Said Frank who rode with the lad
On the Bar Q, out west of the town
Where the sagebrush was turnin’ real bad.
The drifter came over, when young Bill sat down
An’ motioned that he’d like to play
With a cowboy who looks that tough in his hide
There just ain’t much ya can say.l
So I motioned a chair, an’ the drifter sat down
His roll he tossed on the felt
I gave him the cards, he shuffled ‘em up
An’ with his left hand he then dealt.
A couple o’ hands, the game comes and goes
For gamblin’ money ain’t home
When Jim up an’ sez, that he’s had enough
An’ on out the door he does roam.
Then young Billy Sims pulls in a big hand
An’ the drifter jumps to his feet
“Ya dealt from the middle, the bottom and top
Yer nothin’ but a danged cheat!”
Well, I’ve known Billy for all of my life
He’s straight in word an’ in deed.
He’d rather be drug in a cactus patch
Than ever sow a bad seed.
But the drifter’s hand was movin’ down low
Toward the pistol there on his hip
His money was gone, an’ he was a bit drunk
“Young man, you’ve made a big slip”
His hand was like lightenin’, he went for the gun
That was hangin’ there on his side,
But the iron did not clear leather that day,
He was still standin’ there when he died.
Two times bullets flew straight, to the drifter’s shirt
An’ two bullets went to his heart
He fell on his face, there on the damp floor
He ain’t had a chance from the start.
Young Billy Sims sat at the table and watched
As his challenger dropped in his death
Then, he holstered the Colt, an’ stretched out his arms
An’ let out a long held breath.
The card game was over, no one spoke a word
We all saw the hand that had won
Four sixes,….. three lay face up on the felt
An’ the forth, in Bill’s hand was his gun.
Another great action story from you, Merc.
And another great punchline (just correct the typo misspelling of 'fourth').
My only query about the story is why you needed to include that detail about Jim leaving the table. Is that a remnant from some earlier and longer draft?
Ian
good story good punch
Gracias guys,, having Jim leave the table seemed the easiest way to rhyme one of my favorite lines (someone else's) about gambling money having no home.
And of course, Jim is a Seventh Day Adventest who doesn't like, nor approve of violence, and gets sick at the sight of blood. He would probably have cried in his wife's arms for several days after witnessing something as horrible as a man being shot twice in the chest, and that would have caused untold harm to his fragile male ego. Also, there is the fact that someone who dies in such a violent way evacuates the elimination systems of his body. Jim would not have been able to keep his turkey ruben down when the stranger pooped his pants.
He may have never worked and played well with others after that terrible day.
Ergo, having him leave before the gunfight solved several social issues in two lines.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2009 10:40AM by Merc.