Romance in a Ghost Town Read online

  After two hours of waiting on the hard wooden bench, a tired Bob started to wonder if it wasn’t a dream. Samson was doing the right thing by sleeping curled up next to him. “Come on, pup,” he said with a yawn, “let’s go home and make some more coffee. If it did happen, they might still need some and,” he said looking out into the dark, stormy night, “if they come to town they’ll be guided by the light of the oil lamps through the windows.” Bob put his coat back on and put the puppy in his pocket and with his head down against the driving wind and rain, went back to his house.

  He put the puppy down, took off his wet range coat and hung it on the peg next to the fireplace then quickly tossed another log on the fire and made another pot of coffee. He then fell asleep in the easy chair with Samson on his lap.

  This time they both woke at the sound of a light tapping on his door and Bob saw that the rain had stopped and the sun was coming up. Slightly refreshed, he rose from the easy chair and stretched as Samson trotted to the door. Bob felt better as the puppy’s tail was wagging.

  Opening it, he saw Cal standing there with a big smile and a thermos of coffee. “Howdy, neighbor. I got the coffee if ya got the cups to put it in.”

  Bob answered with a grin as he rubbed his eyes, “Sure do!” He led him into the kitchen and said as he tilted his head towards a chair, “Grab a seat. You must have had a long night.”

  “Aw, it happens,” the big man answered as he unscrewed the thermos top.

  “So,” asked Bob as he put two mugs on the table and Cal filled them, “I guess you found the hall, but tell me, how long did it take to get them and bring them back here?”

  Cal looked up and twisting his mustache in thought, said, “Well, I reckon around three hours. They were mighty happy to see the hall all lit up and all.”

  “Glad we were here for you. Do these tours come through this area often?”

  Cal’s face lit up with a big grin that arched his mustache to mimic a bird in flight, “Not often enough, Bob. In fact this is the first time in a long time that we headed this way.”

  Bob shrugged his shoulders and said to himself, “Guess Ed made good with his promise to get Rattlesnake Haven on the Ghost Town Tours website.” He sipped some coffee and said, “Boy. This is better coffee than I make. I got to get your recipe.”

  “Not mine, partner: Kay Parker’s. She makes the best coffee around an’ I bet she’ll share it with ya as she’s beholdin’ to ya fer being so hospitable.”

  “Well, then I guess Rattlesnake Haven is officially open for business.” He took another sip of his coffee and rolled his eyes. “Really good! Now,” he asked, “how long will it take to get your bus fixed?”

  Cal shrugged this time as he answered, “Dunno! I got a call into the main office an’ it’s in their hands, so ta speak. Can we stay around town fer a spell?”

  “Sure can! You said they have sleeping bags?”

  “Yep! People who come on these tours are a hearty bunch. Ready fer anything that nature throws at them.”

  “Then its just food that we might need. How many are there?”

  With a slight tilt of his head towards the door, Cal said, “Best ya come an’ meet them yerself, partner. There’s some young ‘uns among them an’ they might be needing some of that baby food and milk stuff pretty soon. Best we ask them.”

  They finished their coffee and Bob pardoned himself to wash up before they left. He was happy to find that his outhouse had survived the storm and a short time later both men and the beagle left the house and headed towards the Community Hall.

  The street had puddles and as Samson inspected one, Cal nodded towards Bob’s leg and asked, “Don’t mean ta prod, partner, but what happened to yer leg?”

  As nobody had ever asked that question of him, Bob stuttered, “Ah, ah, my leg? Well, I had an accident.”

  Cal looked him in the eye and said without a hint of maliciousness in his voice, “Can’t the docs fix it these days?”

  Bob looked down momentarily and said, “Uh, no, not yet. Maybe soon, but who can tell?”

  Cal slapped him on his back as they started out again and said with an ear-to-ear grin, “Hey, we all catch some crap in life. Ya got a good outlook on life, partner. Ya know, many would just chuck it in an’ do the big jump from a tall hill?”

  Bob looked at him and suddenly felt a strange kinship to this man who treated him like any other normal person and found that he had a bit of a spring in his step. Too bad Mom didn’t meet him first, he thought with a smile as he avoided a muddy puddle.

  The sun was shining right down Main Street and as they crossed it, the door to the Community Hall opened and two young boys came running out. They had no shoes on and splashed in the puddles as they laughed. Cal patted one on the head and said, “Boys, does yer mom know yer out here playing in the puddles an’ messin’ up yer clothes?”

  Both stopped and said with respect in their voices, “Yes sir. She says it’s alright if we stay in the street.”

  “Then that’s fine. Mind that ya stay in sight.”

  Suddenly Samson yelped and joined them in the puddle, making the boys enjoy it even more. Bob grinned and left him playing there, his puppy barks mingling with the high-pitched squeals of the young boys.

  Cal held the door and Bob entered first. Everyone in the hall turned at his entrance and he was surprised at the amount of people there. He turned to Cal and asked, “Cal? How many people came from that bus?”

  “Two hundred and seventy-six by my count.”

  Bob asked with a surprised look on his face, “They have busses that big?”

  Cal shrugged and answered, “Sure do, partner. Some of them double deckers can seat three hundred and a few of my passengers have little ones they carry.” He looked at him with a puzzled look on his face as he added, “Is that okay, partner?”

  It was Bob’s turn to shrug as he answered, “Fine with me, Cal. I’m just a little surprised. I didn’t know a bus could carry so many people. Now,” he added, “we need to see about feeding them all.”

  “Ha!” laughed Cal as he slapped Bob’s back, “These folk’s ain’t just ordinary folks, and friend, like I said, when we go camping in these ghost towns, we come prepared. We’ll be having a big ol’ barbecue after sundown like ya never seen before. Trust me, partner.”

  Bob nodded, “Well, I can have some food delivered, but it’ll take a day for it to get here.”

  “Tell ya what, partner,” he said as he toyed with his mustache, “we can make a list after breakfast. That good with you?”

  Bob answered happily, “Sure, that’s fine with me. And it looks like the hall will sleep them all.”

  “Partner,” the big man said, “if it don’t fit us all, we can just sleep under the stars.” He raised his eyebrows as he looked up, “That is unless that darned rainstorm returns.” He took Bob by the arm and gently led him down the aisle. “Come on and meet them, partner.”

  He led Bob to the front of the hall and stopped before the lectern and addressed the crowd, “Listen up, folks. This here’s Bob McKillop, an’ he runs this here town. He was nice enough to light the fires for us last night and says he’ll have some grub delivered if we need any. So, think on it and we’ll gather after breakfast. Any questions?”

  “Hey, Cal,” asked a man with a wide-brimmed straw hat that went well with his jeans and red and white checkered shirt, “can we go through any of the stores?”

  Cal looked at Bob who nodded and said, “Sure. Just remember that there could be a snake anywhere.”

  Cal winked at Bob and said in a low voice, “Most carry a weapon in case of snakes but it’s always good to warn them.” He turned as a women stood. “Mister McKillop, is there water here or must we use our canteens?”

  “Yes,” answered Bob, “There’s a well at the end of town. I’ll make sure the solar powered pump is on so you can have all you need. And please call me Bob.” He mentally shook his head at her style of clothes. She wore a black and white checked dre
ss that flowed down to her ankles and on her head was a sunbonnet just as he had seen in the old photos. Boy! They really dress up for the tour, he thought with an understanding smile, they complete the town!

  A baby cried and a mother asked for a washroom and Bob pointed towards the door at the rear. He was about to warn of the dangers of an indoor washroom when a young man stood, took out a flashlight and escorted her and her baby to it.

  “They know about washroom…”

  “About varmints hiding in the washroom shadows?” asked Cal with a reassuring smile, “They sure do, partner. The tour briefs them all before we leave.”

  “And,” asked Bob in a low tone of voice, “they all seemed dressed for the tour as well.”

  Cal’s face lit up and he said as he spread his open hands, “Hey, partner. If you’re going on a sea cruise ya dress in cruise wear, don’t ya? An’ if yer going to a Yankee game, ya tend ta wear a Yankee shirt or cap, right? Well, these folks just love the old west and that’s what Ghost Town Tours gives them: a taste of the old west as it really was. An’ we even rent them the duds ta wear if they need them, but many don’t need them, as they got their own. These people live to go from ghost town to ghost town and,” he said looking around, “and this here’s the best I’ve ever seen.” He tilted his head towards the washroom and went on, “The couple that went in there is one of the young ones on the tour. If ya look around ya’ll see that many of the group are on the older side of life and as most are retired, they jus’ love going on this kind o’ tour.”

  “Wow!” said Bob, “That’s great. I really hope they like the town.”

  Cal took his hat off and scratched his head, “Oh, they do, believe me, partner, they do. Now let’s say howdy to some of them.”

  He took Bob through the hall and he was right as most were retired married couples and a few had their married children and grandchildren along with them.

  “Any horses?” asked Tim Holden, a slim elderly man wearing a well-worn cowboy hat and had the tannest face and hands Bob had ever seen. His eyes had long crow’s feet lines and he constantly twirled a short lariat, which held the kid’s attention as he walked about. His old jeans were also well-worn and tucked into his boots which reminded Bob of an old cowboy movie as his spurs jingled each time his boot heels hit the wooden floors. Bob could see that he was bowlegged and remembered the old story of cowboys who rode so much that their legs automatically wrapped themselves around a horses’ waist.

  Bob answered the cowboy, “Horses? No. I was thinking of buying some, but…”

  “Well,” Tim said as he twirled his rope, “maybe we can catch a glimpse or two of some wild horses. I spotted some tracks and they’re the best ta ride. Never been rode and will end up the way you break them in.”

  “Yeah, maybe. I know that almost every night they come into town for some water.”

  Tim’s eyes twinkled as he looked at Cal and he said with a nod, “Just like ya promised us, Cal. Just like ya promised us.”

  Bob looked at Cal as Tim went out the door, and Cal quickly said, “I never promised him that there would be horses around, I just said that I know there are wild horses in these parts and maybe we’ll see some.”

  “Does he rope them?”

  “Tim?” asked Cal wide-eyed, “Shoot, that ol’ boy will rope and ride any horse ya ever saw. He’s the best.” He tilted his head towards a group sitting on the wooden sidewalk and said, “Let’s see what’s fer breakfast.” He went and introduced Bob to the group. The eldest was George Hampton and his wife Amy. They sat with George’s brother, Bill and Bill’s wife, Lena. They were going through their backpacks and produced a frying pan, bacon, condensed milk, eggs and instant rolls.

  “Hey, guys,” George asked as Bill laid out some of the old wood slats from the sidewalk, “Join us for breakfast? We’ll have a fire going soon and bacon and eggs with hot rolls right after.” He looked at his wife and went on, “Amy’s got her thermos of coffee still full and that’ll do just fine.”

  Cal slapped George on his back and with a nod squatted down on the sidewalk next to him. “C’mon an’ sit, Bob,” he said shifting over a bit. “Never eat standin’ up, it looks like yer trying ta run out on the bill.”

  Bob laughed with the rest as he sat in what he felt was an awkward position. He soon felt relaxed though as the people he just met chatted about everyday life in general.

  “Lord, this is a pretty town,” said Amy to Cal. This is certainly the best yet.”

  “Well,” answered Cal as he looked at Bob, “we got ta thank Bob here for letting us stay a bit.”

  “No problem,” answered Bob. “But as it takes a half of a day to get from here to Bransville and it’ll take another half to fill our food order, so I suggest we start that right after breakfast.”

  “Right! We sure don’t want ta go to Bransville, do we guys?” asked Cal.

  “No,” was the universal answer from the group and Bob grinned as he asked,

  “Pretty adamant about not going there. Why is that?”

  Cal took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair and answered as he replaced it. “Partner, when we go out ta see the ghost towns, we like ta feel like we’re part of that era. Now, going into a modern-day city with cars and air-conditioning and all, just takes the wind out of our sails. No, once we go ‘wild west,’ we like ta stay there until we need ta go home. Make sense?”

  Bob shook his head, “It does to me because that’s the way I feel too.”

  They had their breakfast and Bob learned that the tour group was from Nevada and while most were retired, many of the younger ones were related to them and shared the same love of the old west as their elders did. He was even more surprised when Bill asked if the town had a blacksmith shop.

  “Well, sort of. The Wagon Wheel towards the end of town has all the makings of a blacksmith shop. The anvil, firebox and all sorts of iron shaping tools and hammers. In fact the only difference is the name Wagon Wheel. The original owner probably used that to get a wider range of business rather than just horseshoes. Want to see it?”

  “Sure do,” was his answer as he went on, “It’s an old hobby of mine. I love making horseshoes and stuff while banging away on an anvil.”

  “And it’s a noisy hobby,” added his wife, Lena, with a laugh.

  “What about a seamstress store? Lots of towns had one,” queried Amy.

  “Yes, that too,” answered a delighted Bob. “This town has over thirty stores, a church, school and a town hall not to mention about forty homes. Plus, a well and a cemetery to boot.”

  “A place I’d love to retire to,” said Cal with a wink.

  “Hey, Bob, asked Bill as he removed most of the cooking grease by rubbing sand into his frying pan, “by any chance is there a jail in Rattlesnake Haven?”

  “That’s ‘yes’ again, Bill. And the two cells work. But some of the roof gave away and it could be dangerous going in there.”

  The group looked at Cal and grinned as Bill said, “Hey, Cal. Sounds like Rattlesnake Haven could use a sheriff.”

  Cal looked at Bob and said with a blush in his cheeks that made his white mustache seem to glow, “That’s sorta been my hobby, partner. Always wanted ta be a sheriff.”

  Now it was Bob’s turn to slap him on his back as he said with a smile, “Well, sheriff, just be careful in there. Like I said the roof is not in the best condition. Oh! And the keys to the lock-up are hanging on a peg in the wall.”

  Out of nowhere Samson appeared next to him and shook off the excess water from the puddle. “Ohh, Samson,” Bob said as he took off his sunglasses and wiped them clean, “Did you have fun with the kids?”

  The group finished their breakfast, helped clean up and then gathered on the sidewalk as Bob fed the puppy some leftover scraps.

  Cal stood and offered Bob a hand. Usually he would make as though he hadn’t seen the offered hand but this time he grabbed Cal’s strong hand and was lifted right up. “Thanks, Cal.”

  Ca
l nodded and tilted his head towards a gathering crowd and said, “Guess they want to go on a tour.”

  “Tour?” said Bob suddenly realizing there was more to just being called mayor, “Hey, wait one minute. I never even thought of this part. I can’t give a tour…I don’t know what to say.”

  “No problem, partner,” answered Cal in a low tone of voice, before saying in a booming voice to the gathered group, “Hey ya’all, listen up! You all been ta ghost towns before, so just go on an’ have fun. Do the usual thing: shine a flashlight before goin’ into a dark spot and have your shootin’ iron ready. Men, lead the way and ladies, if he gets snake bit, I’m here ta console ya and I might add, I’m a dang good consoler.”

  They laughed as they started to stroll down Main Street. Bob watched them go and was struck by the way they fit in so easily, dressed as they were. He thought as he watched, If I opened any of my western books, the picture I would see is exactly like the scene I’m looking at now. This is fantastic. I wish Anne w…he quickly turned and picked up Samson and scratched his ears.

  Three hours later Bob was cooking some grilled cheese sandwiches for himself and Cal as Samson munched on a day-old ham bone. He looked at the food list Cal had given him and said as he turned the sandwiches, “This is a snap. I’ll call Pearl and see if she can have it sent out. Her sign says that she delivers, so we’ll see if there’s truth in advertising. And if not, I’ll take a ride in. I’m due for a trip anyway. It’s just that if I go, it’ll take an extra day.”

  Cal stretched his legs as far as he could beneath the kitchen table and said as he leaned back, “Hey, partner. Like I said, we got enough vittles fer another three days. So whatever happens, happens.”

  After lunch, with the list that Cal had given him, Bob powered up the satellite unit and called Pearl’s. She knew by now what a good customer the New Yorker had become but was more than slightly taken aback as she heard his list.