I know I can do this. This is who I am, an outlaw. And this is outlaw only kind’a work. My smile shrinks as I exhale. I hear his horse switch into second gear as it picks up speed and trails off into the sound of the desert wind howlin’ between the vacant buildings.

 

I draw in a new, long breath and nod my head whe-

 

”Well shit, wasn’t that a tender little moment. . .”

 

My shoulders buckle and I spin to my right in a flash. My hand breaks for my pistol, but stalls when it slaps the grip. I stop in my snappy reaction, when I get a good look at who the fuck snuck up on me.

 

Across the street, standin’ ever so smug in a dark colored, expensive lookin’ pin striped suit, Nelson stands with one hand pressed in his pocket, as the other returns a smoky cigar to his smart mouth. His hair is combed crisp and his face beams its usual, silky smooth. His man Chase is close to his left, dressed in a similar colored suit. He’s holdin’ a large black bag with the letters C.U.C. on the side, and laughin’ at my expense. I straighten myself and let go of the shooter in its holster as my heart patters quick behind my rib cage.

 

“Where the fuck did you assholes come from? You nearly got yourselves shot you know that?!”

 

My smile is gone. I shake my head as Nelson lets out a chuckle. He speaks through his stogie.

 

“I wasn’t too worried ‘bout it, kid. . .”

 

He pulls the cigar from his teeth as they both begin a strut towards me.

 

“Bullets bounce off me, son.”

 

He gives a snotty, shit head laugh under his breath. I try to match his attitude with a similar tone, while also tryin’ to hide how annoyed I am right now.

 

“Fer your sake, I hope you’re right…”

 

I peer up n’ down the street, then quickly change the subject.

 

“Where’s your automobile? How’d you get here?”

 

Nelson opens his hands and waves them in front of himself.

 

“Magic my friend.”

 

Chase snickers while he glances around. Nelson comes to a stop a few feet in front of me and points his cigar down the street.

 

“Your lady friend on her way to get into position?”

 

I turn a cocky look towards Chase, then glace down at the bag he’s carryin’. I step towards Nelson, point at the big black satchel and smirk…

 

“Your lady friend bring you a stash of pretty dresses to change into after the job?”

 

Nelson lets out a laugh and turns to Chase, who’s not laughin’.

 

“This fuckin’ smart ass here!”

 

He turns back to me while still chucklin’ and tugs a puff from his cigar.

 

“What’s in the bag is my business. . . But I did like that zing. You got balls on ya kid.”

 

I shudder a laugh through my sarcastic smile. Nelson hits his stogie again.

 

“How’s breakfast?”

 

I motion to his cigar. He pulls it from his lips quickly to respond. His voice is high pitched and shitty.

 

“Oh, the steak and eggs were divine, kid. Whole grain toast on the side, assorted fruits, a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice to wash it all down, and a snifter of fine porter as my, digestif, as I kicked up my heals on my private balcony, and looked down at the world below me. . .”

 

He plugs his mouth with his tobie and changes back to his usual asshole tone.

 

“Tell me kid, how was your dog hair and roach omelet from the gutter this morning?”

 

He snickers again to himself. His side kick joins in. I smirk back and give him a moment to enjoy himself before I respond.

 

“You eat a lot of steak there donch’ya old man? I read somewhere that the consumption of red meat on a regular basis can lead to health risks, like clogged arteries and heart problems…”

 

He laughs out quick and loud.

 

“Well is that fuckin’ so?! What are you now, a goddamn doctor, asshole? Got any other recommendations that I should consider, hillbilly?”

 

He turns towards Chase again to observe his laughs from the cut he just laid on me before he looks back. They keep chucklin’ as I lower my voice.

 

“Yeah, just one more Nelson… Quit annoyin’ me with your arrogant, slick city bullshit pip squeak, and I might not bust your nuts off n’ plug up that loud yapper on yer face with ‘em…”

 

Nelson’s eyes sink and his grin disappears. Things are hittin’ him a little too close to home now. He lowers his voice and speaks slowly, but sternly at me. With his cigar in hand, he points a finger out.

 

“You better watch how the fuck you talk to me, you trailer trash hick. I push a button, and they drop your head in a hole in this fuckin’ desert. Then they’ll feed what’s left of your worthless ass to the coyotes. You hear me, cock sucker?”

 

His eyes say he’s not foolin’ around anymore. I can’t help it, but a smile forms on my face. I slowly start to chuckle.

 

“You think this is funny, mother fucker? Do you know who you’re fucking with here?!”

 

He lowers his finger. Chase moves his body in a way that puts him on the defense, ready to react as soon as commanded by his captain. These two have a lot of years together, and Chase knows what happens next when he hears that tone from his boss. The entire mood in the street has changed. Nelson has fired himself up. Right now he don’t give a shit about the job we got today, he’s focused on his pride only. He’s expressin’ his authority, and his need for me to respect that authority. My laughs grow, I’m gettin’ under his skin. I open my mouth to respond.

 

“Now, now…calm down there, little fella. Don’t need ya gettin’ them child sized under shorts of yours into a twist here…”

 

A little fuel for the fire, I just can’t help it… Nelson lights up. It seems like the legends are true about the temper on this guy. When I don’t cower to his threats, his blood pressure rises. In a blink he has taken this whole thing personally, and I think it’s hilarious. He scrapes his shinny shoes across the road as he repositions his body and puffs his chest out. His eyes have grown angry, his pointy finger returns to the conversation. His raised voice is almost a yell.

 

“Fuck you, redneck!” I erupt into a high pitch, cackling howl. I don’t back down. I don’t need words. I haven’t forgotten, he tried to push me around yesterday. ‘Cause Pat was there, I kept my cool, but today, I’m all alone; just me and my smile…and I don’t plan on lettin’ him win this time ‘round. I laugh full on like a crazy clown in the face of this angry little man, and that’s all it takes to send him over the edge.

 

Nelson grits his teeth and takes a half step back. His left hand points out to his man Chase. His right winds up and he hucks his lit cigar at me. Sprays of fiery tobacco shower out when it collides with the breast of my brown leather coat. Nelson sends out a stern command when his face turns to join his stretched out arm pointin’ at Chase.

 

“Cut this mother fucker dow-“

 

……… ……… ………

 

Nelson stops in mid-sentence. Suddenly, the street is very calm, and quiet.

I know I can do this. This is who I am, an outlaw. And this is outlaw only kind’a work. My smile shrinks as I exhale. I hear his horse switch into second gear as it picks up speed and trails off into the sound of the desert wind howlin’ between the vacant buildings.

 

I draw in a new, long breath and nod my head whe-

 

”Well shit, wasn’t that a tender little moment. . .”

 

My shoulders buckle and I spin to my right in a flash. My hand breaks for my pistol, but stalls when it slaps the grip. I stop in my snappy reaction, when I get a good look at who the fuck snuck up on me.

 

Across the street, standin’ ever so smug in a dark colored, expensive lookin’ pin striped suit, Nelson stands with one hand pressed in his pocket, as the other returns a smoky cigar to his smart mouth. His hair is combed crisp and his face beams its usual, silky smooth. His man Chase is close to his left, dressed in a similar colored suit. He’s holdin’ a large black bag with the letters C.U.C. on the side, and laughin’ at my expense. I straighten myself and let go of the shooter in its holster as my heart patters quick behind my rib cage.

 

“Where the fuck did you assholes come from? You nearly got yourselves shot you know that?!”

 

My smile is gone. I shake my head as Nelson lets out a chuckle. He speaks through his stogie.

 

“I wasn’t too worried ‘bout it, kid. . .”

 

He pulls the cigar from his teeth as they both begin a strut towards me.

 

“Bullets bounce off me, son.”

 

He gives a snotty, shit head laugh under his breath. I try to match his attitude with a similar tone, while also tryin’ to hide how annoyed I am right now.

 

“Fer your sake, I hope you’re right…”

 

I peer up n’ down the street, then quickly change the subject.

 

“Where’s your automobile? How’d you get here?”

 

Nelson opens his hands and waves them in front of himself.

 

“Magic my friend.”

 

Chase snickers while he glances around. Nelson comes to a stop a few feet in front of me and points his cigar down the street.

 

“Your lady friend on her way to get into position?”

 

I turn a cocky look towards Chase, then glace down at the bag he’s carryin’. I step towards Nelson, point at the big black satchel and smirk…

 

“Your lady friend bring you a stash of pretty dresses to change into after the job?”

 

Nelson lets out a laugh and turns to Chase, who’s not laughin’.

 

“This fuckin’ smart ass here!”

 

He turns back to me while still chucklin’ and tugs a puff from his cigar.

 

“What’s in the bag is my business. . . But I did like that zing. You got balls on ya kid.”

 

I shudder a laugh through my sarcastic smile. Nelson hits his stogie again.

 

“How’s breakfast?”

 

I motion to his cigar. He pulls it from his lips quickly to respond. His voice is high pitched and shitty.

 

“Oh, the steak and eggs were divine, kid. Whole grain toast on the side, assorted fruits, a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice to wash it all down, and a snifter of fine porter as my, digestif, as I kicked up my heals on my private balcony, and looked down at the world below me. . .”

 

He plugs his mouth with his tobie and changes back to his usual asshole tone.

 

“Tell me kid, how was your dog hair and roach omelet from the gutter this morning?”

 

He snickers again to himself. His side kick joins in. I smirk back and give him a moment to enjoy himself before I respond.

 

“You eat a lot of steak there donch’ya old man? I read somewhere that the consumption of red meat on a regular basis can lead to health risks, like clogged arteries and heart problems…”

 

He laughs out quick and loud.

 

“Well is that fuckin’ so?! What are you now, a goddamn doctor, asshole? Got any other recommendations that I should consider, hillbilly?”

 

He turns towards Chase again to observe his laughs from the cut he just laid on me before he looks back. They keep chucklin’ as I lower my voice.

 

“Yeah, just one more Nelson… Quit annoyin’ me with your arrogant, slick city bullshit pip squeak, and I might not bust your nuts off n’ plug up that loud yapper on yer face with ‘em…”

 

Nelson’s eyes sink and his grin disappears. Things are hittin’ him a little too close to home now. He lowers his voice and speaks slowly, but sternly at me. With his cigar in hand, he points a finger out.

 

“You better watch how the fuck you talk to me, you trailer trash hick. I push a button, and they drop your head in a hole in this fuckin’ desert. Then they’ll feed what’s left of your worthless ass to the coyotes. You hear me, cock sucker?”

 

His eyes say he’s not foolin’ around anymore. I can’t help it, but a smile forms on my face. I slowly start to chuckle.

 

“You think this is funny, mother fucker? Do you know who you’re fucking with here?!”

 

He lowers his finger. Chase moves his body in a way that puts him on the defense, ready to react as soon as commanded by his captain. These two have a lot of years together, and Chase knows what happens next when he hears that tone from his boss. The entire mood in the street has changed. Nelson has fired himself up. Right now he don’t give a shit about the job we got today, he’s focused on his pride only. He’s expressin’ his authority, and his need for me to respect that authority. My laughs grow, I’m gettin’ under his skin. I open my mouth to respond.

 

“Now, now…calm down there, little fella. Don’t need ya gettin’ them child sized under shorts of yours into a twist here…”

 

A little fuel for the fire, I just can’t help it… Nelson lights up. It seems like the legends are true about the temper on this guy. When I don’t cower to his threats, his blood pressure rises. In a blink he has taken this whole thing personally, and I think it’s hilarious. He scrapes his shinny shoes across the road as he repositions his body and puffs his chest out. His eyes have grown angry, his pointy finger returns to the conversation. His raised voice is almost a yell.

 

“Fuck you, redneck!” I erupt into a high pitch, cackling howl. I don’t back down. I don’t need words. I haven’t forgotten, he tried to push me around yesterday. ‘Cause Pat was there, I kept my cool, but today, I’m all alone; just me and my smile…and I don’t plan on lettin’ him win this time ‘round. I laugh full on like a crazy clown in the face of this angry little man, and that’s all it takes to send him over the edge.

 

Nelson grits his teeth and takes a half step back. His left hand points out to his man Chase. His right winds up and he hucks his lit cigar at me. Sprays of fiery tobacco shower out when it collides with the breast of my brown leather coat. Nelson sends out a stern command when his face turns to join his stretched out arm pointin’ at Chase.

 

“Cut this mother fucker dow-“

 

……… ……… ………

 

Nelson stops in mid-sentence. Suddenly, the street is very calm, and quiet.