Texas Drifter Marshall’s Star Cross
Marshall’s Law Dateline – If reader does not yet know who to vote for in 2012 Presidential election; do America a favor and do not vote, you are probably too blanking blank to vote. Texas Drifter has written all he wants to write concerning how to choose 2012 Presidential candidate. Texas Drifter is moving on with a story for Thanksgiving: Marshall’s Star Cross.
Title: Texas Drifter Marshall’s Star Cross
Scenes:
Intro – Old mission
Act I - Dead Rat Cantina
Act II - Sheriff’s Office
Act III – Curandera’s Home
Outro – Alley
Epilogue- Reader’s Mind
Players:
Bandit
Bandit’s girlfriend
Priest
Stranger / Bounty Hunter
Barmaid
Boy
Several Cantina Patrons
Sheriff
Boy’s Brother
Intro –
(Meeting of two men in shadow of old mission)
Priest to Bounty Hunter: Here’s a sketch by only witness five year autistic boy; and twelve gold coins like those taken in robbery for bait.
Bounty Hunter: Your letter said something about a cross without value.
Priest: Yes, Marshall’s Star Cross; do not worry you will know it when you see it. Also, try to keep collateral damages to a minimum.
Bounty Hunter: Why would you say that?
Priest: I used to use a buscadero rig like yours until I became a man of peace.
Bounty Hunter: No promises will do best I can.
Priest: We are a very poor church and can not pay much for your services.
Bounty Hunter: No charge.
Priest: Why would you do this?
Bounty Hunter: Points, men in my profession can always use few extra points.
Priest: “Va Con Dio”.
Bounty Hunter: Hope that comes with extra points. (then leaves)
Act I –
(Stranger walks to far end or bar in South Texas border town Dead Rat Cantina)
Stranger to Bartender: Best whiskey leave bottle.
Bartender: Last good bottle I have.
Barmaid: only three kinds of men wear buscadero holsters: law men, outlaws, and bounty hunters. Which are you?
Stranger: Bounty hunter.
Barmaid: Who you looking for?
Bounty Hunter: What, not who.
Barmaid: And that would be?
Bounty Hunter: Marshall’s Star Cross.
(Patrons all start laughing)
Barmaid: That’s only legend.
(Boy walks in and steps up to end of bar closest to swinging doors)
Boy (yelps): Bartender, leave that fool; come down here; bring that whiskey; it’s too good for some pilgrim mule’s rear.
Bounty Hunter (half looking at bartender): Do not touch my bottle.
(Bartender backs away from bar next to mirror)
Bounty Hunter (steps away from bar his hand in position and feet spaced apart): Boy I am not here to do business with you; we’re both carrying your choice; “boy” I hope you kissed you Mama good bye.
Boy: Why’s that?
Bounty Hunter: “boy” you try me and you will never kiss your Mama good bye again.
Boy: I am fastest gun in South Texas. I’m no “mama’s” boy. (Grabbed for his gun)
(Patrons saw flames simultaneously heard deafening thunder instantly followed by deathly silence)
Bounty Hunter before returning his long barreled forty-four to its buscadero resting place; said in calm voice every one heard: No one; leaves till you tell Sheriff what you heard and saw.
Sheriff slowly eases in with double barreled shotgun pointed at every one and no one; with no one moving, Sheriff blurts out: what happened?
Bartender: Boy started trouble; bounty hunter gave him several chances to back away and leave; Boy drew first.
Sheriff: Boy was fastest gun in these parts.
Patron: Boy never even started to clear leather.
Sheriff: Guess Boy never saw buscadero rig; who you looking for bounty hunter?
Another Patron: He’s looking for Marshall’s Star Cross.
Sheriff: That’s legend.
Bounty Hunter: Priest that hired me wants it back.
Sheriff: You working for a church?
Bounty Hunter: Yes Sir.
Sheriff: What you getting paid?
Bounty hunter: Points, people like us can always use a few points Sir.
Sheriff: Were you as polite to Boy as you are to me?
Bounty Hunter: No sir, but that boy was not a lawman with short barreled ten gauge with two triggers who has reputation for pulling both triggers at once then asking questions.
Sheriff: Two days; be out of my town in two days.
Bounty Hunter: Why two days?
Sheriff: Forty-fours like yours in buscadero rigs attract want to be legends. Two days and twenty dollar fine to bury boy, and buy boys mother some food. There I’ve earned some points for me.
Bounty Hunter: You want your money now?
Sheriff: No, come by my office in morning; I’m not through talking to you. (Turns to patrons) Take Boy over to Doc’s. (Then Sheriff backs out as methodically as he came in)
Barmaid to Bounty Hunter: Share that bottle with me Stranger? Continuing, Never heard your name.
Bounty Hunter: Don’t have one.
Barmaid: Doesn’t matter, I probably wouldn’t remember it tomorrow anyway. (Pushed back shot glass and tells Bartender: Regular glass.
Bartender to Bounty Hunter: Still owe me for my last bottle of good whiskey.
Bounty hunter lays one gold coin on bar: Give her (looking at barmaid) the change; and do not cheat her understand?
Bartender: Yes Sir.
Barmaid: I knew you were a real gentleman.
Bounty Hunter: Bring our bottle, our glasses and follow me. (Bounty Hunter looking for corner table; walks over and sets with his back to wall)
Bounty Hunter: Bartender, find us two plates covered with burned steaks, two bowls of black beans, couple avocados, bowl of limes, fresh made “pico de gallo”, warm not hot corn tortillas.
Bartender: At your service.
Barmaid to Bartender: Make my steak very rare, (while counting her change).
Patron walks up to Bounty Hunter: Asks like to “pay the cards”, fresh deck.
Bounty Hunter: Yes I do, (as puts his hand on his forty-four); but I am a very bad loser.
Patron: Sorry to bother you.
Bounty Hunter: No offense taken. (Looks at Barmaid) What’s your name?
Barmaid: For another two gold cons; what ever you want it to be; as long as it is not your mama’s name, I am not into weird.
Bounty Hunter: Fine with me, I will tell you your name later; we can skip the love talk for now; tell me what you know about Marshall’s Star Cross.
Barmaid holds out her hand: I never give credit to a gentleman with out a name. My two gold cons please.
End Part I
Start Part II
Act II –
(Bounty Hunter enters Sheriff’s Office about twenty past eleven next morning)
Bounty Hunter hands Sheriff one gold coin: This should cover your twenty dollars; keep the change.
Sheriff: Fine paid in full.
Bounty Hunter: Said you wanted to talk to me?
Sheriff: What leads you have beside these gold coins?
Bounty Hunter: This. (As he hands Sheriff sketch)
Sheriff: Where did you get this?
Bounty Hunter: Priest said from autistic teen that witnessed robbery; know him?
Sheriff: Used too, he died about twenty five years ago.
Bounty Hunter: What else can you tell me?
Sheriff: He and this part of Texas’s most beautiful maiden fell in love. Sometimes young romance gets too friendly; as she ended up with child. She told him she would not marry him unless he provided her and future child a home. He left the area for about three months; when he came back, he had gold coins like the ones you have. Bought her nicest place in town, and they got married.
Strangest thing happened, just prior to Easter Sunday he hung himself. No one knew why until a stranger with a buscadero rig like yours showed up; asking questions about Marshall’s Star Cross. No one said anything to protect the pregnant bride turned widow whose husband had just hung him self. The stranger, a bounty hunter like you said, the man had probably hanged himself because of Judas syndrome. Who knows what that meant; then he left to never be heard from again.
Bounty Hunter: What happened to the widow?
Sheriff: She started working as a curandera to support her and her daughter.
Bounty Hunter: What is her daughter’s name?
Sheriff: Don’t think I ever heard it. Let me finish before I make my morning rounds. Widow Lady had her new husband buried in back yard behind her house. That woman has not left the lot were she lives with her husband’s grave once in over twenty-seven years. People around here will not take kindly to you being disrespectful to our town’s “Curandera Buena”.
Bounty Hunter: Just a few questions, besides mistreating a ‘Curandera Buena” would cost me way too many points. Appreciate you help.
Sheriff: Do not forget, your two days are up tomorrow. Also Boy’s Brother is a coward known to back shoot. Heard he is looking for you; know I half way like you, you just keep showering me with all kinds of good points. Be gone by sundown tomorrow; would hate for you to cost me some of my points.
Bounty Hunter: As you wish Sheriff.
Act III –
Bounty Hunter starts to knock on Curandera Buena’s front door – when it suddenly swings open. The frail mid forties looking still mysteriously beautiful woman says: Come In.
Curandera Buena: I have been waiting for you Johnny Angel (pronounced – on-hell); here is what you seek to return to the priest who came before.
Johnny Angel unwraps, and looks at Marshall’s Star Cross: The priest said I would know it, when I saw it; it is more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. How can you trust me with such a treasure?
Curandera Buena: Felina trusted Johnny Angel that is good enough for me. All I ask of you take my only child daughter out of this South Texas purgatory, and give her a better life.
Johnny Angel: Agreed; how will I know her:
Curandera Buena: Good, she will find you when you least expect it. Thank you.
Johnny Angel: For what?
Curandera Buena: Now my first and only love can rest in peace, and I when it is my time to go home. Promise me, you and my only love’s only child will never return to this South Texas purgatory.
Johnny Angel: I promise best I can.
Curandera Buena: “Va con Dio” our business is finished; you can leave now.
Bounty Hunter headed back for lunch at Dead rat Cantina when he hears: “Hey Bounty Hunter” (he turns around to see Barmaid).
Barmaid: Since I look good in day light too; you can be my “very first” for seven more gold coins.
Bounty Hunter: Deal, you can join me now so I can make sure I am your “very first”.
Barmaid holds out hand: Still no credit for man with no name.
Outro:
Bounty Hunter not paying attention heads to Sheriff’s office to ask questions about
Curandera Buena’s daughter. While passing an alley Bounty Hunter hears click behind him then …
Boy’s Brother scream: You killed my baby brother, now I am going to …
Bounty Hunter hears deafening thunder; something is wrong as slug’s force did not knock him off his feet … (next he hears from)
Barmaid: Johnny Angel you owe me your last gold coin. (while turning around he hears) My forty-four has shorter barrel than yours.
Instantly both hear Sheriff: I want both of you out of my town now. One more thing; tell all your future off spring to stay out of my town too. Thanks for extra points by me not having to deal with Boy’s Brother. Now get out of my town.
Bounty Hunter (turns to Barmaid): Still do not know your name.
Barmaid: Guadalupe.
Bounty Hunter: Beautiful name, perfect for you. What does it mean? Why did you call me Johnny Angel?
Guadalupe: My mother told me your name; she also said you might need my help, plus Guadalupe means “river of the wolf”.
Texas Drifter Epilogue –
Moral of story “Marshall’s Star Cross” – Reference Texas Drifter Devil’s Gold. Premise of this story is someone taking more than they needed; they should have settled for the gold coins, as taking Marshall’s Star Cross from the Mission was taking more than they needed. Reader’s reference for more information: Texas Drifter Non-Fiction Devil’s Gold Part I and Part II; reader need only find Marshall’s Law Townhall Page 18, Entry #’s 116 and 117.
Curandera Buena is still taking care of her husband’s grave, but has been spending more time with Sheriff. As for Johnny Angel and Guadalupe, we took Marshall’s Star Cross back to Priest. As for Johnny Angel, I will never forget Felina for teaching me the rules; as for today, kind of lost in legend of “el clavo oro” with my new sometimes scary love, Guadalupe; we are looking forward to our first Thanksgiving together, hoping we have many more.
Final point for all doubters, origin of word Guadalupe: Spanish, from the female personal name Guadalupe, a Marian name derived from the place so named in Cáceres province. The place name is named as 'the valley of the wolves’, from Arabic wadi ‘valley’, ‘riverbed’ + Latin lupi ‘wolves’. - Guadalupe “river of the wolf”
Texas Drifter wishes you and yours a very happy, safe, and blessed Thanksgiving.
