THE ROCK CREEK
ADVENTUROUS TALES, PART 1
The stranger's loud tone of voice overcomes the two soundlessly sleeping lawmen. Buck wakes up with a jolt just in time to see a startled Kid flip over backwards on the chair he was comfortably sitting on. The chair makes a loud slam on the floor as it hits. Buck wipes the sleep from his eyes, and walks around the figure standing in his way as he tries to get over to Kid.
"Hi Jimmy," Buck spoke softly still half dazed from his nap.
"Buck," Jimmy spoke still being amused by the twosome before him.
Buck reaches his hand down for Kid to latch onto him. As Kid is about to grab Buck's hand, Buck takes his hand away and stands straight up upon realizing that he just spoke to Jimmy. Kid ends up flat on his back once again.
Buck turns around to face Jimmy. His sleep-deprived face disappears and is replaced with a bright smile for his old friend. "Jimmy! What are you doing here?"
But before Jimmy can answer, the two standing men hear an annoyed voice from the floor. "Does it matter to either one of you that my back may be broke, and all you two can think about is ideal chit chat," Kid bellowed from the floor.
Buck turns his attention back to Kid. By now Kid is trying to untangle himself from the chair that accompanied him unto the wooden floor. "Sorry about that Kid." Buck helps Kid up from the floor. A few moans of pain escape Kid's lips. Buck stands the chair up on all four legs, while Kid brushes the dust from the floor off his trousers.
"The floor looks pretty darn clean Kid. I don't think your pants are too dusty. Looks to me like one of you have been doing some housecleaning, in between your naps of course." Jimmy spoke still amused at his best friends and brothers.
Kid straightens his shirt and hat up. "You didn't answer Buck's question. "What are you doing here?" Kid spoke annoyed with Jimmy's careless mannerisms.
"Don't I even get a, how have you been Jimmy? It's real good to see you Jimmy. What have you been doing with yourself Jimmy? Where you been hiding yourself the last couple of years Jimmy?"
"We can go over all that over supper tonight," Kid spoke harshly.
Buck senses tension in Kid over Jimmy's surprise arrival in town. He walks closer to Jimmy and extends his hand to shake Jimmy's. Instead Jimmy grabs hold of Buck to hug him. Buck hugs him back.
"It's real good to see you Jimmy," Buck spoke softly not wanting to further anger Kid.
"It's good to see you Buck, and you too Kid."
"You're not here looking for trouble, are you Jimmy?" Kid asked matter of factly to the point.
Buck is stunned by Kid's question. He's hoping he won't have to break up a fight between the two men. There had been fights between them before concerning Louise, but Buck can't believe that Kid still holds a grudge against Jimmy for caring about the woman Kid loves.
"Why would I be looking for trouble Kid?"
"I think what Kid is really trying to say Jimmy, is that we haven't seen or heard from you in such a long time that maybe you might be in some kind of trouble."
"I don't think that's it Buck, and I don't think you really believe that's it either," Jimmy spoke softly.
"Look, Buck and I have a lot on us right now Jimmy. We had a brutal storm a few days ago. Teaspoon got himself hurt, and the ranch suffered some damage," Kid spoke with authority.
"I know. I also know the two of you are trying to handle the law around here, and also repair the damages done to the ranch. All while you're trying to run the ranch as well," Jimmy stated.
"How do you know all this?" Buck asked.
"There are two caring women in your lives that worry about the two of you considerably…"
"Louise and Rachel?" Buck questioned in a stunned tone.
"Why does that surprise you? Those two women know when the two of you are way in over your heads even if the two of you don't know it," Jimmy stated with a smile.
