>>2151117Here? In Utah? Well, ain't that somethin'.
Suppose I could make the trip up to Salt Lake to see her, but I reckon I'd best keep the "real" Melanie in my memories. Only met her once, mind. On an October night some years back. The sun had set, but I had some brush to clear out in the back forty, and when I saw her campfire in the distance I was hoppin' mad. It only takes one wrong spark to set off a brushfire. And I don't take kindly to strangers on my property. Too much bad blood between me and the Federals, and the so-called Mormons in the county sheriff's office ain't no better. If their grandpappies could see 'em now -- shacking up with just one woman like a goddam Baptist! I don't like them and they don't like me, and that's the way it's gonna be until they get their heads straight about how a man oughta live.
So I hie on over to where I see the fire, and sure enough there's not just one campfire but a whole circle of them -- and she has a bucket of black paint making some sort of design on the ground. Naked as a jaybird, and wearing a mask that damn near scared the bejesus out of me. So I don't see her face, but lord, I don't need to see a face when there's a rump like that swaying back in forth in front of me. And when she starts calling me into the circle, well, what else could a red-blooded man do?
I thought about asking her to stay and be my wife -- but I've already got three, and truth be told that's about all I'm man enough to handle. It's more work than you'd think, and I ain't no Brigham Young, god bless his soul, just a simple believer trying to live the old ways like my daddy did. Now get the hell off my land before I fill your backside up with buckshot!