The Gunfighter

[Merlin Orr]

In the days of the old Wild West, there was a young cowboy who wanted

more

than anything to be the greatest gunfighter in the world. He practiced

every minute of his spare time, but he knew that he wasn't yet first-rate

and that there must be something he was doing wrong.

Sitting in the saloon one Saturday night, he recognized an elderly man

seated at the bar that, in his day, had the reputation of being the

fastest

gun in the West. The young cowboy took the seat next to the

ambition "Do you think you could give me some tips?" he asked.

The old man looked him up and down and said, "Well, fer one thing, yer

wearing your gun too high. Tie the holster a lil' lower down on your

leg."

"Will that make me a better gunfighter?" asked the young man. "Sure

will,"

said the old-timer. The young man did as he was told, stood up, whipped

out

his .44 and shot The bow tie off the piano player. "That's terrific!" he

yelled, "Got any More tips for me?"

"Yep," said the old man, "Cut a notch out of your holster where the

hammer hits it. That'll give you a smoother draw."

"Will that make me a better gunfighter?" asked the younger man. "You bet

it

will," said the old-timer.

The young man took out his knife, cut the notch, stood up, drew his gun

in

a blur, and shot a cufflink off the piano player. "Wow!" said the

cowboy,

"I'm learnin' somethin' here. Got any more tips?"

The old man pointed to a large can in a corner of the saloon. "See

that Axle grease over there? Coat your gun with it."

The young man went over to the can and smeared some of the grease on the

barrel of his gun. "No," said the old-timer, "I mean smear it all over

the

gun, grip and all." "Will that make me a better gunfighter?" asked the

young man.

"No," said the old timer, "but when Wyatt Earp finishes playin' the

piano,

he's going to shove that gun up your ass, and it won't hurt as much."

[lynn jones]

yup! an oldie but a goodie. pass the grease.

lynn

[AikiDale]