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Deputy It was always so quiet before a Wyatt Earp gunfight. Too quiet, Some might say… Down by the OK Corral, Wyatt Earp would stand alone, Watchin' the Clanton Gang come a-stragglin' in just before dawn. All of 'em armed to the teeth. All of 'em sweatin' whiskey. All of 'em hell bent for leather. All of 'em exceptin' young Billy Clanton that is. Ya see, young Billy Clanton swore He never wore a gunbelt before in his life. But he warn't a-skeert! No sirree, bob! He warn't a-skeert a-tall! And the whole town, Good citizens all, Would crouch behind the shutters and pray. Some prayed for justice. Others prayed for salvation. But most of 'em just prayed they didn't get shot. Then Doc Holliday would come a-swaggerin' outta the saloon like some damn tumbleweed; Eyes a-shinin'; fingers a-twitchin'; and always just in the nick-a-time. And then... Bang! Bang-bang! Bang! Bang-bang-bang! Bang! And everything got still. Real still. So still you could hear the cactus grow... And the town would dust itself off, And plant young Billy Clanton and the rest up under yonder hill, with no boots on. Then Doc Holliday would sway back to Wyatt and say somethin' witty to the saloon. And the saloon girl would always get her man. And they’d paddle off on a steamboat --Or steam off on a paddleboat, Dependin' on which version you was watchin'-- And they'd strike it rich in Alaska. But I shoulda said, Wyatt Earp's saloon girl always got her man. Onnaccounta Doc Holliday’s saloon girl got choked to death. Ya see, she was a drunk and a whore. Even so, Doc wasn't the one that choked her to death. Not that he didn’t feel like it sometimes, mind ya. But deep inside Doc had a heart of gold. Deep inside, Doc also had the consumption. So you might say he got choked to death too. But that part came after the picture was over, And it was time to gallop off into the sunset, young man! And bunk down under a starry sky painted midnight blue years before. It was always so quiet after a Wyatt Earp gunfight. Too quiet, Some might say... |
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