Chapter 5

One thing I noticed, was after a snowfall, the roads did not clear as quickly as they did in the future. I am not talking about snowplows. I am talking normal usage as a way of clearing snow. While wagons rolled along, people tended to follow a route already tramped and followed the wagon wheel ruts. So while the roads did clear eventually, it was a very slow process.

November still found me unemployed, but I was comfortable in my house. I had plenty of wood, and I had even paid to have coal hauled from Denver to Wolf Creek so I could keep my living room stove going all night. It was nice to wake up with at least one warm room in the house on a freezingly cold morning.

It had been over a month since my last trip back to the future, and I had brought back several items that I had thought important enough to not do without. One was my Aladdin lamp. They give off a much brighter light than a lantern of the period. I brought a few books with me, thinking no one would tumble to when they had been printed, and I was not planning on loaning them out, anyway.

I also brought back lots of Tylenol, anti biotics that I had prescriptions for, and more painkillers. I bought aspirin and Tylenol in bulk. I was not going to be caught here in the past without a good painkiller, and some anti-biotics. I also invested in a book that described in detail how to make medicines. That was the most important book I had, I think.

All in all, I was pleased with my last trip. I also brought back several food items and some candy that I liked. I would have to eat it slowly, but I had discipline and could make it last a good long while.

I had bought a ditty bag, of all things, from the mercantile. What he was doing with a seaman's kit bag I don't know, but it gave me something to carry my items and it would limit me to a specific size and weight of items. I did cheat and bring back Gortex boots and gloves though. I was tired of having cold to freezing feet and hands when I went outside. Gloves were gloves, and no one remarked on them, and as for the boots, I was only asked once about them, and I said I had gotten them back east.

It was mid November and I was walking on the honest to god boardwalk along main street. I was still amazed at a real boardwalk. As I was going towards the mercantile, I saw the sheriff coming from the other direction.

As he approached me, someone came out of a store and ran right into me. He immediately started cussing me as his purchase dropped from his hands and he fell. I tried to offer him a hand, but he refused.

"Why don't you watch where you're going you idiot!" The man snapped at me.

"I was. You were the one in a hurry if you recall," I replied calmly.

I noticed the sheriff had slowed down and was basically just watching what was developing. I took all this in quickly, assessing the situation.

"You trying to be funny? You owe me for damaging my purchase!" The guy said in a mean voice.

"You came out without looking and ran into me. Your fault, your loss, and you have been drinking," I told him firmly.

He tried to throw a punch, but the way he was bundled up he was not able to get a lot of power behind it. I caught his fist and looked him in the eye.

"You don't want to do that," I said quietly to him.

He pulled his fist away from my hand, jerking it free. I let him go and was about to turn away, thinking it was over with but I caught a movement with the corner of my eye. He had opened the bottom portion of his coat and was pulling out a revolver!

I turned and snapped my right hand down, chopping his wrist causing him to drop his weapon. With my left hand I formed another knife-edge and struck him with a calculated force across his throat. Fight over.

He gagged and tried to breathe, sounding horrible. While I felt bad for him, I knew he would be all right as I knew how hard I had hit his throat. He would survive. The sheriff came up behind me as I kicked the guy's gun away.

"That was a smart piece of work. I ain't never seen moves like that before. Will he be ok?" The sheriff asked me.

"He'll be fine. I just took the fight out of him, is all," I responded absently while we watched the guy recover his breath.

The sheriff picked up the guys gun, and soon had him with his arm behind his back, frog marching him down the boardwalk towards the jail. I followed along with the guy's package in my hands.

"Are you really going to charge him with attempted murder? I mean, he never even got his gun centered on me," I said confused.

"He pulled his gun with intent, Steve. Also, you are not armed. Be a different story if you had your gun on you, but you said you were unarmed today. Pulling a weapon on an unarmed man is attempted murder in this state. I have no choice," the sheriff replied earnestly.

"Well, you have my statement as to what happened, Need anything more?" I asked.

"As a matter of fact, there is something you might consider. I could use a levelheaded deputy, and someone who can take care of himself. How would you like a job as deputy sheriff? Pay is sixty dollars a month," the sheriff asked me.

I considered. While I did not know the law, exactly, it was mostly common sense. Plus, this would take care of my problem of a job. I was down to only thirty-two dollars and twelve cents left, from the money I brought back from the future. I needed a job, and soon. So I did what any sane person would do. I accepted.