Chapter V
Knife Fight
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Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Monterey Jack, as this man was known, was as ugly to look at as he was mean in spirit. He was a bit taller than Asiago, but the bulges in his gut, hips, and ass combined to make him look squat, like a pear. When he took off his hat, you could see that instead of hair, he had a huge scar on the left side of his head. Jack would brag that he lost his hair to an Indian scalping that went bad. A half truth. No great battle on the plains was involved. Instead, he had lost his hair when a whore--who was part Comanche--chased and caught him after he ran out of the room without paying her. As I heard the story from Asiago, Jack was in such a hurry to save a few bucks, he forgot to buckle his pants. His pants fell around his ankles as he ran down the hall, and his pants dropped Jack flat on his face. The lady in question jumped on his back and sliced off a bit of Jack's scalp before he could get up. The sheriff arrived in time to settle the matter, finding that Jack's stringy scalp was worth about what Jack owed the whore. It was said that she kept the piece of scalp up on a wall as a warning to any other customers who felt similarly inclined not to pay their bill. The warning had more than its desired affect, as customers decided they didn't want to enter into a transaction with such ominous consequence. The young lady was forced to find a new line of work. It was rumored she became a hair dresser in Laramie.
Asiago just looked at the ceiling after Jack's tirade about Indians. Long, long pause. He then looked right at Jack, took one step, then another, and another until his nose was not more than a beer glass away from Jack's. I could see that Jack shuffled his shoulders as if to back off, but then thought better of it.
Asiago said, "Jack, if anyone knows stink, it is you. You are probably the world's expert on the subject, as you have to live with yourself everyday. But I don't want you bleeding on Mrs. Muldoon's floor, so you better just leave before saying anything else stupid."
Monterey was a coarse man but no coward. He stood glaring at Asiago, then slumped back and chuckled. "I don't see no need for us to try and outstink one another. If I get some food and a drink, I'll be on my way. "
"Sounds good," Asiago said, as he backed away then turned to sit down with Old Injun. But as soon as Asiago turned his back, Jack drew a knife with his right hand.
I don't know if Asiago was expecting something, or just heard the whoosh of the blade from its sheath, but Jack's hand was still in the midst of the drawing motion when Asiago spun, and used his forearm to pin Jack's arm up in the air, back him against the wall, and choke him. Jack sputtered and wriggled, but almost in the same motion Asiago had pulled his own knife and pressed it against Jack's crotch. As soon as he felt the blade, Jack stilled himself.
"Now, Jack, I think we can have a friendly conversation. What brings you and the other soldiers up around these parts."
"C-C-C-Cusssterrrr" Jack choked out.
"Drop the knife," Asiago ordered. Jack's fingers snapped open and the knife clinked on the floor. Asiago kicked it toward Old Injun, who picked it up and studied it. "Looks like Shoshone."
Asiago backed away but waved his knife at a nearby chair. Jack, apparently glad to be able to breath again, took the chair without a word spoken.
"Custer. That's Seventh Calvary. What's going on in Dakota territory, I thought everyone was quieted up there. Or does the Army just need a lot of soldiers to kill women and children. That's your specialty, isn't it Jack." Then thinking about the story of Jack's scalping, Asiago himself had a sneer: "Cheaper to rape a woman than pay a whore, isn't it?"
"I am an Indian fighter and I don't draw fine distinctions among my enemy."
"You are just a murderer in a blue uniform," said Old Injun softly.
Sometimes, someone says something so full of truth, the words suck out all the air in a room and leave no space for anyone else to say anything. In a short sentence, Old Injun had laid out a long bill of particulars against Jack. Jack blanched then flushed, but everyone--including Jack--knew what Old Injun said was both indictment and verdict. We all just stood in the silence.
Finally, Asiago spoke. "You best be getting on, Jack. You have no business here."
Jack walked toward Old Injun, bent over while keeping an eye on him, picked up his knife, and walked toward the door. Just before he walked out, he turned and said, "Today ain't my time; this ain't my place; but my time and place are coming." He pushed through the doors. They creaked and thwacked behind him. And he was gone.
{{{{{to be continued}}}}}