She was a woman on a mission Here to drown a man for leavin So I set her up again to watch him drown To say that Lou was upset was putting it mildly. When she was mad like she was tonight, there was no reasoning with her, so Buck and Jimmy just sat at the end of the bar keeping a watch on their friend. “Do you think we should try and stop her from drinking anymore?” Buck asked with great concern as Lou ordered another whiskey. “She ain’t use to such strong stuff…” Jimmy eyed the female rider with just as much concern as Buck. “It’s only her second Buck. She’s mad and for some reason this is how she’s decided to let off some steam. We’ll just keep an eye on her for now. If it looks like she’s going overboard, we’ll stop her. Even if it means knocking her out.” Buck looked over at Jimmy and grunted, “What do you mean, we’ll knock her out?” She had just about succeeded When that low down no goodcheater Good for nothing came struttin' through the crowd Before Jimmy was able to reply, he caught Kid coming in through the swinging doors of the saloon, causing him to stand up straight and utter, “Uh-oh. Looks like trouble…” Buck turned to see what alarmed his friend, noticing that Kid had spotted Lou and was making a beeline for her. Closing his eyes Buck said quietly, “This can’t be good.” “You can say that again!” Jimmy told him as Kid came up behind Lou. Oh he was layin' it on so thick He never missed a lick Professing his never ending love “Uh, Lou? Can I talk to you?” Kid asked, not sure what her reaction would be. Lou swung around at the sound of his voice, eyes narrowing when she caught sight of him with an angry, “What now Kid? Shouldn’t you be with that schoolteacher, what’s her name again? Oh, yeah… Samantha or something like that?” Kid had the grace to look a bit sheepish at the mention of his recent love interest but forced himself to say what he had come to tell her, whether she wanted to hear it or not. “Let’s just leave her out of this, okay, Lou?” Kid asked, trying to keep their conversation down so everyone in the bar wouldn’t hear them. ‘After all, they don’t know Lou’s a girl,’ he thought looking around the room. Just as he noticed Buck and Jimmy, who put a finger up to the rim of his hat and tipped it at him, causing him to scowl, Lou spat out, “Why Kid? You tired of her already? Seems to me you like to love ‘em and leave ‘em.” Leaning a bit closer so that only she would hear him, Kid begged, “Would you quiet down Lou. I don’t think you want everyone to hear us.” Lou laughed, lifted her shot glass up and downed the burning liquid in one gulp, much to the amazement of her fellow riders. Putting his hand on her arm, Kid tried to get her to give up the glass but she swung her arm from his grasp and called out loudly, “Barkeep, another one, on the double!” and slammed her glass down on the bar. “Lou, please!” Kid hissed. “Don’t be like this. At least hear me out…” Lou leaned against the bar, elbows resting on the edge and one foot upon the brass boot rail. “By all means Kid, have you’re say. We’re all listening,” she told him waving a hand towards Jimmy and Buck who had sidled up to where the couple was arguing. Kid looked at his two friends, not really wanting them to overhear what he had to say to Lou, but if this was the only way he could get her to listen to him, than so be it. Clearing his throat, Kid looked at Lou and dropped his eyes at the glare she gave him. “Lou, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for saying what I did to the others in the bunkhouse that day. I’m sorry for breaking things off with you like I did. I’m also sorry for walking out with Samantha and rubbing it in your face like I did.” When Lou didn’t say anything, just kept looking at him through narrowed eyes, Kid continued, “I was wrong Lou. I know now that it’s you I love and want to be with.” His impassioned admission didn’t look like it was sitting too well with the female rider and what happened next took them all by surprise. Oh but I never will forget, when she stood up and said Well I guess you think we're just gonna kiss and makeup don't ya (That's when she said) Kid took a step backwards as Lou jerked upright and her hands dropped to her side, balling up in fists. Jimmy was just about to make a grab for her to stop her from injuring Kid, when Buck laid a hand on his arm, stopping him with a shake of his head as Lou started to speak. “You waltz right in here, thinking that all you have to do is tell me how sorry you are and that you were wrong and everything will be alright?” Me and You, oh we are through A fire was burning in Lou’s eyes as she started towards Kid, anger in every movement. “Let me tell you a thing or two…we are through. Do you hear me?” she yelled, “We are through!” Well the next thing I recall She had him back against the wall Chewing him like a bulldog on a bone She was putting him in his place And I mean right up in his face Draggin' him down a list of done me wrongs As Lou advanced upon him, Kid back stepped until he couldn’t go any further. Looking around he didn’t see any way to escape the scathing words that came next. “Why you low-down, good for nothing dog! First you don’t want me riding for the Express. You tell me it’s too dangerous. Then you move me into Emma’s house, without asking me! The nerve! And then you…” The list went on and on, causing Kid to blanch and Jimmy to wince as Lou poked a finger at Kid’s chest to emphasis each digression. It was just about now that the crowd gathered round They came to watch him pay for his every sin She called him everything under the sun And when we thought that she was done She ran back and she let him have it again A small crowd gathered around the two, trying to catch everything the puny rider was saying as the other stood quiet, taking what was being dished out without protest. Jimmy grinned when he overheard two of the men in the crowd talking. “What’s the little fellow so riled up about?” one asked. The other replied, “Sounds like the big one there has been tellin’ him what to do and he’s done tired of it.” Moving closer to Buck, Jimmy whispered, “They think Lou’s a boy.” “Hope it stays that way,” Buck answered back as Lou stepped back a moment, making him think she was done, when all of a sudden she started in on Kid again. “And if I ever, and I mean ever hear of you saying what you did about me again to anyone, it will be the last time you do! You have no right telling me what I can and can’t do. You ain’t the boss of me. If you want someone you can control, go find yourself some little wallflower ‘cause I’m sick and tired of being told what to do!” “I think now would be a good time to get her and leave,” Buck whispered to Jimmy when Lou fell silent. “Good idea” Buck watched as Jimmy made his way through the crowd that had formed around Kid and Lou and breathed a sigh of relief as she let herself be led away by her friend. As Jimmy passed with a now exhausted and slightly tipsy Lou, he suggested to Buck, “Why don’t you see to Kid? I’ll get Lou home.” Watching the two disappear into the dark, Buck and Kid stood on the boardwalk of the Gold Nugget. “Nothing like a woman scorned,” Buck commented, not looking at Kid who shoved his hands in his pockets. “Guess not,” was Kids reply. Drop me a note and let me know what you thought!