POOR O’CALLEY WAS OH SO SAD bout losing Pela again, Papa said, that me and him and o’Fritz went over there and set back down on that Bench in front a’the Alamo again to Buck him up some. You kep a’trying to remind me she already give her Word to o’Pelo not to leave him if he spared my Life that day, Calley said, but No I just wouldn’t listen to you would I. No Sir Mister Pearsall, Papa said, you was just Hard Headed like some o’Dutchman bout it wadn’t you. Ever Time you open your mouth they ain’t nothing but Sunshine and Flowers comes out, Calley said, ain’t that right. What’d I say to make you say that, Papa said, But my o’Amigo was a’looking way off down the street like he was just Lost as Losted could be. I reckon they’s one good thing bout it though, he said. I don’t know I’d wanna hang my Hat on the wall with some Woman went round the Country going back on her Word all the time any how would you. You mean you wish she hadn’t a’never saved your Life that day, Papa said, That what you mean. Let’s talk bout some thing else here a’while, Calley said, you always a’Boxing me in cause you ain’t old enough to understand things yet.
So we just set there a good long while not saying nothing, Papa said, but they was People all round setting on other Benches and they was all a’talking bout how they was gonna change they Life now cause a’what that o’Red Face Man tolt em bout not never being able to Right they Wrongs oncet they was down there in Hell a’setting on that Flat Rock. They liked what o’Pelo said didn’t they I said, Papa said. Well it’s a good Story he told em ain’t it, Calley said, Hell it oughta be It was mostly all yours any how wadn’t it. Cep for that Part bout How some People get to come back and take em another Shot at it. That wadn’t in your Story was it, he said. No Sir, Papa said, I don’t even know what it means. Means Dead ain’t necessarily Dead, o’Calley said, That’s What it means. Who says so I said, Papa said, Ain’t no body ever told me that. Same One says You Choose I reckon that’s Who says it, o’Calley said then went to twirling his Spur Ching e Ching e ChingChingChing and said You remember me a’telling you this Place here is a Holy Place and helps you tell you self things you ain’t able to tell you self just on you own. You remember me a’telling you that, he said. Yes Sir, Papa said, Least some of it I reckon. Well, Calley said, it just come to me maybe that Story o’Pelo stole off you is a Holy Story same way this is a Holy Place cause a’how it’s making all these People a’setting round here think bout what Direction they Life is a’going in. And you too huh Mister Pearsall, Papa said. Oh No Sir not me, o’Calley said, I’m always doing just fine in that Department by my self.
NEXT MORNING, Papa said, we went on back down to the River to get us and our Horse a’drink a’water and Calley said Why here we are a’setting Horseback out in the San Antoneya River and you ain’t even give o’John B a’drink a’water yet have you. I don’t have no idea what you a’talking bout Mister Pearsall, Papa said. Well here lemme show you, o’Calley said then reached over and grabbed my new John B Stetson Hat right off the top a’my Head and sailed it way out yonder in the River like he was skipping a Skinny Rock cross the Creek. Hey what you doing I said, Papa said, But then he grabbed his own John B off his own head and sailed it way on out there in the River right next to mine. Keep a Good Eye on em, he said, We don’t want o’John B to drown this early in the Morning do we. Oh and then, Papa said, just when mine was bout to Float off why o’Fritz jumped off o’Edward and paddled out there and brung it back for me but o’Calley had to go get his own. I don’t know Why you throwed my new Hat out there in the River, Papa said, I ain’t done nothing to you this morning. They’s some thing you might not know bout o’John B, Calley said, He always likes him a good drink a’water fore he lets you shape him to your liking. Then, Papa said, Why o’Calley went to working on the brim a’his Hat and putting dents in the top and fitting it on his head just right and then at the last, he said, he give it a little pull to get it down over one Eye like he was one a’them Fancy Mans or some thing then give me a Wink and wiggled his Eyebrow up and down. Don’t never hurt to Bait your Hook does it, he said, Even if they’s only one Fish in the Ocean you really trying to catch.
THEN THE SUN COME OUT BRIGHT AND STRONG, Papa said, and wadn’t long our John Bs was dried to the Shape we give em and was like a second head a’hair growed on your head. That’s a pretty good trick, I said, Last time I throwed my Hat in the River it just come all a’part on me. That’s a Bad Hat for you ain’t it, Calley said, Bad Boots is the same way, he said, Some Bad Friends I know too. Hats Boots Friends, Calley said, you gotta be careful picking all three of em or you gonna come up a’Hurting when things get Wet ain’t you. Well I did with o’Arlon, Papa said, he bout landed me in the Jail House when he Stabbed that Man to Death over in Kendalia and I hadn’t done nothing but let him ride long with me. Well that’s just What you get some times ain’t it, he said. Mister Armke said the o’Devil got his Hand on him and Arlon wadn’t never gonna come to no Good. Well Life’s a Funny o’Dog, Calley said, and I reckon you just can’t never tell bout Some Body can you. I don’t know what you mean by that, Papa said. Just keep a’living and you gonna see for you self here one a’these Days, o’Calley said. Your Life been a Funny o’Dog huh Mister Pearsall, Papa said. Yes Sir but that don’t mean I been a’riding round Laughing bout it all this time, he said. You know what makes me Laugh, Papa said. No Sir I don’t believe I do, Calley said. Tell me when you got time. When you throwed my Hat out there in the San Antoneya River and said you was giving o’John B a’drink a’water, Papa said, that made me Laugh. It was just a’way a’talking, Calley said, I wadn’t trying to be Funny. Well you was Funny any how, Papa said. I think maybe you that Funny o’Dog you been a’talking bout you self Mister Pearsall. Well it don’t bother me to be some Funny o’Dog, he said. I reckon I like that bettern being some Funny o’Cow Pie a’wearing a John B Stetson Hat here. Oh I got a Pitchur a’that in my Head, Papa said, and just went to Laughing. And then o’Calley did too and then me and him both just set there on our Horse a’Laughing bout it and now o’Fritz started going Heh Heh Heh and couldn’t none a’us stop it But Oh, Papa said, right then here come some big o’Mean Pack a’Dogs just a’Barking and a’Growling and a’Snarling at some body or other back up yonder in Town and you could hear bout a hunderd and seven Boys a’Egging em on with they Whoops and Laughs and Sic Ems and then, he said, Why o’Fritz jumped down off o’Edward and took off a’Running to go see what was a’going on. Curiosity killed the Cat, Calley said, I don’t reckon o’Fritz ever heared that one huh and we was just bout to Laugh bout that too long with ever thing else we been a’laughing at when Oh here come this EeeeEeeeEeee EeeeEeeeEeee EeeeEeeeEeee from up there in the middle a’all them Dogs and it was like a Knife a’going in our Heart, Papa said, cause we knowed xactly who it was a’Screaming like that.
O’CALLEY HOLLERED OH GOD DAM OH GOD DAM, Papa said, and Firefoot reared up and Lit a Shuck back to Town like his Pants was on Fire and me and o’Edward come a’bumping long behind fast as we could go our Hearts just a’Thumping at what we was fraid we was gonna find oncet we got up there. But Oh it was a lot worstern that, he said, Why they was Big o’Mean Dogs ever wheres you looked with they Big Teeth all bared back and a’Dripping Poison and Oh they was a’rushing in and out to get em Bites on Little Missey and her poor o’Blind Panther a’hanging onto each other out there in the Street all by they selves. Oh them Dogs was bout to Tear em all to pieces, Papa said, cep o’Calley run at em on Firefoot just a’Hollering and a’Swinging the Loop Knot on the end a’his Rope to give em Lumps on they Head and Stings on they Butt and drive em Back Back Back just a’Yipping and a’Crying it hurt so Bad. But they was just too many of em, he said, and ever time o’Calley’d send four or five or six a’running off down the street a’Yelping Ouch Ouch Ouch with they tails tween they Legs Why here’d come a’nother five ten more just a’Snarling and a’Biting like Loonie Dogs and Oh that poor o’Panther’d run at em a’Screaming EeeeEeeeEeee EeeeEeeeEeee like that and try to Bite em to keep em off Little Missey even
if he didn’t have no Teeth to do it with and couldn’t see em to know where to Bite at any how. And not only that, Papa said, but them Town Boys was a’Whooping and a’Laughing and a’Hollering Sic Em Sic Em Sic Em and a’Throwing Rocks at em and Poking em with sharp Sticks both at the same time and me and o’Edward run over there to save em if we could but when we did, he said, Why first thing was this Big Rock come a’flying in and hit me in my Mouth and knocked bout half my Front Tooth off but Oh what scared me moren that was I looked over there and seen three four Dogs get o’Fritz down to the ground and was a’trying to roll him over on his back so they could Bite his Belly open and eat his Guts out with they sharp Teeth. But right when they was bout to do that, he said, Why o’Calley jumped off Firefoot and went to kicking them Dogs off o’Fritz then grabbed him up and went to jump back on o’Firefoot with Fritz in his Arm but them Dogs and bout twenty more run over there and started taking Bites on his Leg and wouldn’t let go for nothing til he give em Knots on they Head with his big o’Pistola for it and Oh then here come Little Missey just a’Hollering and a’Swatting at em with my o’Hat and Giving em Licks with her Walking Stick cause now they was biting at her Travelling Bundle cross her back and then here come that Poor o’Blind Panther to Help if he could but them Town Dogs come a’Running in from back behind and piled on him like a Duck on a June Bug and Oh just went to Ripping him all to pieces with they Teeth and I reckon they would a’done it too, Papa said, cep o’Edward come running over and went to Kicking and Stomping em all over the Place and they drawed back just a’Howling to save they Life. Oh and then, he said, I looked over there and seen some Dogs jump up on Firefoot and was trying to bite Calley on the back a’his Neck but he whupped em off and then I looked round again best I could, Papa said, and seen Little Missey and that o’Panther was both all but wore out now and was just barely able to stand from all them Dog Bites and Rocks and Pokes but Oh Boy Hidy them mean Boys was still a’Hollering Sic Em Sic Em Sic Em at them Dogs to Get Em Get Em Get Em and Oh, he said, Oh now here come the worstest thing I ever seen in my Life and that was Men running from down the Street with they Big Guns and they was all a’Hollering PANTHER PANTHER GOD DAM O’PANTHER to each other and Little Missey didn’t know a Word of it but she knowed what was coming next and Oh just went to Yelling and Hollering at them Men tears just a’running down her face and then she tried to whup em back with her Walking Stick to save her Friend but No they just laughed at her and pushed her down on her Bottom in the Road and went to shooting BOOM BOOM BOOM then BOOM BOOM BOOM some more and her poor o’Blind Friend Screamed and Jumped way up high in the Air then come down Dead on the ground but tried to crawl over to her any how to say Good Bye but when he did, Papa said, Why all them Dogs run over there just a’Snarling and a’Snapping to get em a’Last Bite on him but Little Missey crawled at em on her hands and knees best she could with her Walking Stick just a’going to give em Licks and drive em off but No they just wadn’t no Stopping em from getting they Bites on that poor o’Dead Panther. Oh and then, he said, I heared one a’them Men Holler You Dogs get off that god dam Panther I want his Hide for my own self then here he come with his Knife to skin that o’Panther like he said but Little Missey hit him with her Stick three four times hard as she could and then all them other Men went to Hooting and Laughing at him like Loonies and he grabbed Little Missey to skin her for it in sted a’her o’Panther but this o’Flop Eared Dog of a sudden come a’running out a’the Pack and give that Man a big Ugly Bite on his Hand to keep him from it and then that Man raised up his gun and he shot that o’Flop Eared Dog five times right there BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM, Papa said, and them other Men went to Laughing some more cause they thought it looked like Fun to shoot Dogs so they went to shooting Dogs they self and Oh the World become nothing but Dog Blood and Dog Howls and then, he said, I heared o’Calley a’Hollering at me tween Dog Howls and BOOMS to GET LITTLE MISSEY AND GO GET LITTLE MISSEY AND GO and I looked over there and seen that little o’Wrinkled Up Woman still a’trying to Whup them mean Dogs off her poor o’Dead Friend with her Walking Stick but now they was coming at her in a Rush. Oh and then I tasted that copper Taste in my Mouth, Papa said, and run over there and went to kicking Dogs hard as I could to get em off her but No she wadn’t gonna leave her Dead Friend and hit me with her Stick same as she done all them Dogs and it took me bout ever thing I had left in me to get her up on o’Edward and then me and o’Fritz on up there behind her and all this Time, he said, them Men was a’shooting Dogs and them Boys was a’Chunking Rocks and o’Calley was a’Hollering at me to GIT GIT GIT GIT and Oh Boy Hidy I Got, Papa said, and didn’t never stop Gitting Got til me and Fritz and Little Missey was way off on down the Road a’Long Long Way from there but you could still hear them Men a’Shooting Dogs and Laughing bout it and Oh them poor o’Dogs was just a’Howling and a’Crying til you couldn’t hardly stand it no more Then I looked round, he said, but No my o’Amigo Calley Pearsall wadn’t no wheres in view and Oh my Heart give a big Thump cause I was fraid they maybe got him same way they got that poor o’Blind Panther and maybe now they was both a’laying Dead out there on the Road Side some wheres with Dead Dogs a’piling up all round em.
. . . her poor o’Blind Friend Screamed and Jumped way up high in the Air . . .
THEY WADN’T NOTHING TO DO, Papa said, cep just set there and Watch for o’Calley to come on but No he never and I was fraid that Man wadn’t just only skinning Little Missey’s poor o’Blind Panther now but maybe was a’skinning o’Calley too while he was at it. Oh and then, he said, Little Missey hugged her Bundle to her Heart and tried a’Running back to Town where we just come from but I grabbed her by the Arm and said No Ma’am that ain’t no place for you to go back to and Oh, Papa said, she give me a Good Hard Lick with her Walking Stick to let go and Oh Yes Sir I did Let Go right quick but she knowed I was Right bout it and just set down there where she was. Oh she was Sad bout it, Papa said, Sad Sad Sad so I reached down there and tried to give her Hand a’little Squeeze to make her feel better if I could but No she drawed it back but then o’Fritz come over and give her a Lick on that same Hand and Why she put him on her Lap next to her Bundle and went to petting on both of em. Well, I said, I reckon you like o’Fritz moren you do me huh But she didn’t pay me no mine then come up on her feet like she heared Some Body a’coming and I did too, Papa said, and sure nough here come Calley with that poor o’Dead Panther a’laying cross his Saddle in front a’him on Firefoot and Oh Little Missey went to Hugging on him even if he was already Dead and Gone. Gimme a hand here with this o’Boy if you would, Calley said, then me and him lifted him down off Firefoot and put him down to where she could pet on him all she wanted to. She’s gonna miss her o’Friend ain’t she, Papa said, I don’t know how she ever gonna get over it. Yes Sir Best Friend she ever had in her Life wadn’t he, Calley said, Only One too I reckon. Well Mister Pegleg’ll be his Friend now over on the Other Side, Papa said, my Momma too. Yes Sir I don’t doubt it, Calley said. We gonna have to dig him a Hole here in a minute. I don’t want some body else a’coming up here wanting to make em a Rug like that Man up yonder in San Antoneya did. What’d he say when you run off with him, Papa said, fore he could skin him. No Sir didn’t say a Word, o’Calley said, just went to shooting at me and I had a Hell of a Time a’making him stop it. Him and that other Son of a Bitch both, he said. Then, Papa said, I seen they was two Holes in o’Calley’s John B one where a Bullet went in and the other where it come out again on the other side. You gonna need you a new Hat here fore long ain’t you Mister Pearsall I said then o’Calley run his Finger in and out the Hole and said Well better a new Hat’n a new Head I reckon. That what happened to them other two Fellas, Papa said, But No o’Calley didn’t wanna talk bout it no more and wouldn’t say.
The Devil's Sinkhole Page 9
