A Meal to Remember 

3Gun met the Mayor

and joined the others at the table

The Mayor was all effusive

over what he'd heard from Gabe. 'I'll

wager you're just the man we need

to handle Sheriff Wise.'

The tale was the same as in Tent City

when he and Billy first fought with Ewell

and listening to the Mayor

was like going back to school

Sounded like, with Ewell and Land

both dead and in the ground,

Wise was moving in without a care

3Gun looked at CG,

her face was filled with worry

as she dug into her meal

in too much of a hurry

'There's just me and my two Deputies,

unless you'd care to join us.'

Mayor looked stricken, his face went pale

and he reached in for his drink

A shot rang out and the drinking glass shattered

3Gun reached across the table

as CG fell forward, her life was all that mattered

Gabe yelled, 'I've got her, you get the shooter.'

3Gun raced toward the door

On the street, he saw the Sheriff

joined by a couple more

'Give it up, 3Gun, you've met your match.'

Then Wise yelled, 'Get him!'

and the shots came in a batch

Glass shattered and wood splinters flew

3Gun aimed and fired

A yelp of pain out on the street,

one gun had been retired

He rolled across the diner floor,

firing through the broken door

Outside he heard another roar . . .

by his count there were two more

Gabe ran in a crouch to the other side and

called out, 'Caroline's okay. Just a mouthful

of peas went down the wrong way.'

3Gun smiled, thinking, only CG

then called back, 'Leave these two to me.'

He dove through the door, guns blazing

Shots rang out, bullets grazing

One man cried out - that just left Wise

and 3Gun stood, to the Sheriff's surprise.

Wise aimed and fired, one shot went wild

but he saw the other hit its mark

and he shouted, 'Gotcha!' and smiled

The smile left quick as two guns roared,

and from their barrels bullets poured

Wise died where he stood, limbs jerking around

3Gun nodded, then fell to the ground.