"No problem, Davey. Jus' bring me back some spurs an' we'll call it even." Racetrack patted David on the back. "So, Jack, you're really goin', huh? I'm speechless." Racetrack stood awkwardly in front of his much taller friend.

"Now don't get all teary-eyed, Race. Youse always was a softy." Jack rolled his eyes, but gave Racetrack a hug worthy of a best friend. "Besides, I'm only gonna be gone fer two months. You can handle that, can't ya?"

"Who you callin' a softy?" Racetrack said defensively as a delayed reaction. To this Jack flashed his goofy grin.

"That's more like it. See ya 'round, Les." He gave the boy an affectionate knuckle on the chin, and boarded the train, Davey following closely behind.

They found their seats easily, and it wasn't long before the roar of the train's engine and the screeching of the wheels signaled one thing that sent chills up Jack's spine. They were on their way.

"Can ya believe it, Jack? You're going to Santa Fe! I'm going to Santa Fe! We're going to Santa Fe!" Davey said excitedly, looking more like a ten year old at the moment then his brother Les.

"We ain't there yet." Jack said coolly, but inside, his butterflies were flapping just as hard.

The ride went smoothly, though it seemed as if it would never end. It was difficult to sleep in the third class cars, and by the end of the trip, both young men looked pale and weary. It was such a relief just to be off of the rocking train that Jack barely had time to even realize that he was setting foot in his dream land, Santa Fe, for the first time. As he and Davey stood side by side on a dusty New Mexican road, it was far from picture perfect. But to the two boys, especially Jack, it was heaven.

"We made it." Jack muttered as he looked around the sleepy town.

"We did, Jack." Davey agreed.

"Now what?" Jack scratched his head.

Always practical, Davey had prepared ahead of time a list of what they should do upon arrival to Santa Fe. First on the list was to find lodging.

The duo combed the streets in search of a place worthy of their money, however little it was. After two hours with very little success, they decided to temporarily abandon their quest in favor of a couple of drinks. Or rather, Jack decided...Davey detested liquor and bars, but it was Jack's dream, and he figured he should just let Jack live it up.

A bar, unlike a hotel, was very easy to find in Santa Fe. It seemed every other building had a sign hanging over the door reading "SALOON". Strangers werenĄ¯t common, so when the two young men entered through the swinging doors, every eye turned toward them.

"Uh, Jack, maybe we should, uh, get outta here." Jack didn't listen to his friend's suggestion, just moved wordlessly towards an empty stool and sat down.

"Gimme somethin' strong." Jack growled at the bartender. Davey's eyes widened.

"What are you trying to do? Pretend you're Oscar Delancey?" Davey wondered aloud.

"Jus' tryin' ta fit in heah bettah. I hoid everyone out heah speaks low." Davey didn't even ask.

The bartender returned with something in a mug, which Davey didn't even try to identify. Jack closed his eyes and drank it all down without a breath in between. Any eyes that had wandered from the duo quickly returned as Jack let out a thunderous belch.

Before Davey could even make a disgusted face, someone began playing a lively tune on the piano, and a girl dressed in a skimpy red number sang out of key on the stage. Nobody seemed to notice, however, for they were all too busy staring at what she was (or wasn't) wearing. Jack, feeling the full affects of the beverage he had just downed, staggered to the tiny stage and hooted at the girl. Now, at this point, Davey was practically keeled over with sickness, and he hadn't even had anything to drink.

"How are we ever going to make it in this town?" Davey asked himself as he watched in horror Jack climbed up on the stage and began dancing with the woman. The woman was shocked, but continued her act, trying to appear unfazed.

Davey couldn't take it anymore; he turned his eyes away from the whole scene, and exited the bar. A very exhausted and embarrassed Davey wandered around outside of the bar. The night sky was just beginning to appear, and he glanced upwards, making a silent wish on the first star he spotted.

"Excuse me, sir, are you alright?" A very angelic female voice asked from behind Davey. Naturally, this startled the New Yorker, and he nearly jumped a foot in the air. He whirled around and found he was facing perhaps the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her eyes sparkled even though the sun wasnĄ¯t there to make them shine. Her hair was a rhapsody of golden curls, and her lips were curved into an upward smile, revealing two perfectly placed dimples. Her long eyelashes batted at him as she swayed her body ever so slightly to some silent melody. Had Davey been listening ever so carefully, he would have heard a chorus of angels singing above their heads.

Davey awkwardly removed his oversized cowboy hat and held it in his hands. "Yes, Miss, I'm perfectly fine. In fact, I'm better than fine, I'm exuberant, I'm ecstatic. I'm drunk with joy." He looked into her large, beckoning eyes and his mouth melted into a smile.

She giggled in a way that might easily have been considered flirtatiously. "You're funny. I'm Isabel. My Daddy owns the bank here in town." She said it all as if it were just part of a normal introduction. Davey, however, stopped listening when she said Isabel. He mouthed the name just to feel it roll of his tongue.

"Nice to meet you, Isabel. I'm Isab- I mean, David." A smitten grin was plastered on his face, and at this point he looked even more drunk than his friend who was doing God-Knows-What inside of the saloon.

Isabel giggled again and twirled a strand of her hair as she asked. "You're not from around here, are you?"

He shook his head, silent for perhaps the only time in his life.

"So, where are you from?" She probed.

"New York. My friend Jack and I are up here for a couple of months. You wouldn't happen to know of a good place to stay, would you?" Common sense finally got hold of him.

"Of course. You can stay at my house." She offered

Davey's jaw dropped. "Y-Your house?" His voice squeaked.

"Naturally. It only makes sense. My momma rents out our spare rooms." She said it matter-of-factly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh." Davey breathed a sigh of relief. He had never even kissed a girl, let alone stay over at one's house. "That would be great, Isabel. Lemme check and see if it's okay with Jack." He thought for a second, and then realized where Jack was. **Oh great, if she finds out what Jack's doing, she'll never let us stay there! ** He thought, his heart sinking. "Actually, now that I think about it, I think Jack already went back to New York. He hates it here." **Smooth, Davey **

"Oh, that's too bad. Well, then, I guess you can still stay, then. Shall I show you the way now?" She batted her eyelashes ever so perfectly.

"That'd be nice." Davey smiled, his eyes following every move she made.

At just that moment, a familiar voice came thundering from behind the two new acquaintances. Davey closed his eyes; he had almost been caught. As a desperate last attempt, he just kept walking, hoping Jack wouldn't notice him.

"Heya Davey! Meet me new goil, Priscilly." Jack staggered over towards the duo, the girl from the stage marching along side of him, eyes wide with anger.

"Let's go Isabel, I don't know what this man's problem could be." Davey attempted to avoid the whole confrontation once again, with little success.

"Do you know this man?" The woman in the red dress asked Davey, pointing to Jack.

"Uh, uh, no. Never met him before." Davey lied horribly.

"Hey Davey, Priscilly an' me are gonna get murried. She tol' me she loves me." Jack slurred.

"Sir, this man ruined my performance. If you indeed are his friend, please take him away. If not, I will report him to the sheriff!" The woman huffed.

Well, Davey had too much of a conscience to let his friend go to jail again, so he reluctantly admitted that Jack belonged to him.

"Why David, you do know this man!" Isabel exclaimed in shock.

Davey's head fell in shame. "Yes. Is there any way you can forgive me for lying to you?"

"Huh?" Isabel raised an eyebrow in confusion as she examined Jack.

Jack stumbled towards Isabel and put his arm around her. "Davey, this is me new goil, Priscilly, we is gonna get murried." He looked into Isabel's deep blue eyes.

"Jack, leave her alone!" Davey ordered, pushing Jack off of the poor blonde girl.

Isabel let out a gasp, and just when Davey thought she would embrace him for saving her life, she slapped him across the cheek. "How dare you? You big meanie! Let me help you up, you poor thing." She cooed at Jack, helping him to his feet. "I hope you never come back to Santa Fe ever again!" She hollered at Davey, who stood in a helpless state of shock, his hand over his sore cheek. "C'mon, Jack, let's go to my place." She purred and led Jack off down the street.

"G'bye, Les! I'm gunna go get murried!" Jack sloppily saluted Davey as he floundered down the street, Isabel in hand.

"Welcome to Santa Fe, Davey." Davey mumbled to himself, as he watched the two silhouettes disappear down the dusty road.

He caught the train back to New York the very next day. Jack, however, remained in Santa Fe until he finally sobered up and realized he had no idea what he was doing. His wife, Isabel, and their three children were sorry to see him go.

The characters David Jacobs, Les Jacobs, Racetrack Higgins, and Jack Kelly are all, of course, owned by Disney. I love them and would never want to take anything away from them ever. So, I am using them in the highest of regards. Priscilla and Isabel are both fictional characters created by me, Anne, in the year 2001, so please, ask before you use them. I know I'll say yes! Thank ye!