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159 Tamale Ridge by: Chuck Cusimano
wasn’t about to stick his head out to see who shot what but by the sound of it, someone had been
hit. The sound Juan heard sounded like a bullet hitting flesh. Only after he heard Big Jim call to
him, did Juan utter a sound.
“Si Señor, I am alive, but I have taken a bullet in my leg.”
“Have you shot someone?” He asked.
“Yep, Old timer, I got one down and I don’t know if there are any more. You better stay put
for a while, until I can find out what’s what.
“I purty sure there only one,” Juan said.
Gilberto instinctively went to the place where he thought he had heard the second bullet hit and
like Juan, he knew it was a hit. He found Billy Watkins writhing in the tall grass and moaning.
He held his weapon on the man, as he called to the others.
“Over here!” He said, “I think this one will not last long.”
Juan walked with pain but Big Jim half carried him up the hill where Billy Watkins lay breathing
his last breaths.
The three men stood over Billy Watkins and all could tell that he wasn’t going to live much
longer. Juan spoke up first.
“Why you no want be good? You always make trouble! You had good Papa and la Madre,
che work ver hard to raise you.”
“I wanted someone to notice me,” he said as he laid in the shade.
“Wanted to do something big. I wanted to show my dad I was….”
“Ju keel Señor Trent, no?” Juan asked.
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