Joe Lansdale - Dead in the West

The doctor saw the Reverend looking around.

"I like it cozy," the doctor said. "I didn't get your name."

"Reverend Jebidiah Mercer. Pardon me if I don't shake hands."

"I feel the same. You can wash over at that basin. This is my daughter, Abby, and I'm Doc Peekner. Most folks just call me Doc."

"Good to meet you," the Reverend said, then thought of the circumstances of their meeting and felt silly. "You ever see anything like this before, Doc?"

Doc shook his head.

"Could it be some form of leprosy, Dad?" Abby asked.

"No. Nothing like that.... God, will you look at this mess? This man looks to have been dead for weeks, but we know better. We all saw him walking."

"If it's some kind of disease," the Reverend said, "we could all have it."

"Not me," Abby said. "You touched him—you and Dad—not me."

"Concerned, isn't she?" Doc said. "Here, wash your hands over there. I've got some chemicals I can pour on them too."

The Reverend did as he was told. Abby poured fresh water from a pitcher into a basin for him. When he finished and toweled dry, Doc poured the chemicals over his hands and he let them air dry.

"All right," Doc said. "Why don't you two make yourself comfortable in the office there.

Have some coffee. I'm going to put this mess on the table, wash up, and join you."

"Sure you won't need any help, Dad?" Abby asked.

"I'm sure."

Abby and the Reverend left the room and went to the front where Abby built a small fire in the wood stove for coffee. She opened the office door to neutralize the heat with the outside air, but even though it was early morning, it was already hot and didn't help much.

As she poured water and scooped coffee, the Reverend noticed that, for all her aplomb, her hand was shaking ever so slightly. He mentioned it.

"You found me out," she said. "I thought I had a constant professional air."

The Reverend held up his hand. It quivered ever so slightly. "You're not the only one."

She smiled. It was a very nice smile.

"I've been around death since I was a child " Abby said. "It was inevitable with my father, a doctor, that I would be exposed to it. I've been his nurse since I was in my teens. I was on hand when my mother caught the fever, and we labored to save her and couldn't—but I've never seen anything like today."

"Me either."

When the coffee was ready, she got cups out of a desk drawer and poured for herself and the Reverend. When she handed the Reverend his cup, he noted the aroma of her, and he felt the damnable fire in his loins.

He was both disappointed and relieved when she moved away.

She sat down on the desktop, crossing her legs casually beneath her long skirt. The Reverend thought it was the sexiest movement he had ever witnessed. She picked up her coffee and sipped, looked at the Reverend over the top of her cup.

The Reverend found he could not take his eyes off of her again.

"You got something on your mind besides coffee, Reverend?" she asked.

"I'm sorry. You're a very attractive woman."

"I know. Every man in town has told me. I thought maybe you'd have a fresh approach."

"I suppose not."

"You never did answer my question, not really. Do you have something on your mind, Reverend?"

"Maybe. But I'm not sure it's proper to mention it."

"Don't be such a stuffed shirt, Reverend."

"Calling me Jeb would help."

"Jeb then."

"I think I'd best be going."

"You haven't finished your coffee, Jeb. And Dad will want to speak to you."

The Reverend sipped his coffee almost frantically. "I really should run." And then he remembered he had a legitimate excuse. He was supposed to give David a shooting lesson. In all the excitement he had forgotten about it. He told her about his and David's plans.

"Sounds wonderful. What say I invite myself along? We can have a picnic." She smiled at him. "I just love to see a grown man sweat, and it looks to be a hot day."

The Reverend didn't know what to make of Abby. He was considering some sort of reply when Doc stepped into the room.

"More coffee?" Doc asked.

Abby smiled and said, "Sure." She put her cup down and poured Doc a cup. Doc sat behind his desk and sipped. He looked thoughtful.

"Never saw anything like that," he said. "Never. I don't think it's a disease of any kind."

"What could it be then?" the Reverend asked.

"I don't know" Doc said. "I've got some ideas—but they're just ideas."

"Well, what are they?" Abby asked.

"I'd rather not say right now. Might make me seem more foolish than I am."

"I doubt that," Abby said with a grin.

Doc grinned back at her. "Not a word until I've consulted some books."

"Dad, the Reverend and I were just discussing going on a picnic—weren't we Reverend?"

The Reverend didn't know what to say. He hadn't been discussing anything. Abby had brought it up, and the subject had not been properly mined out when Doc stepped into the room. Yet, there seemed no getting away from Abby. It was as if the Lord was throwing her at him. And if that was the case, there would be no escape. And lastly, he had been alone too much of late. Maybe David and Abby's company was what he needed to clear the air.

"Yes," he said. "We thought that might be a nice idea."

"Sounds capital to me " Doc said.

"And maybe afterwards, the Reverend would like to drop by the house for a cup of coffee," Abby said. "Then you could tell us what you found in those books you're going to consult."

Doc looked at Abby and grinned. "I may not have anything to say then, but," he turned to the Reverend, "I'd enjoy having your company, Reverend. Why don't you come by. I'd have a chance to talk to someone besides the townsfolk. We're all talked out with each other. There isn't even a decent corn crop to discuss this time of year, nothing but the weather. And that can be done in a word—hot. Maybe you and I can find something new to talk about."

"Maybe," the Reverend said. "And I'll give your invitation some thought. I'm not exactly sure when we'll be back. This is sort of a work picnic for me—if that's all right with Abby."

"Fine," she said. "Long as I don't have to work."

"You don't," the Reverend said.

"That's good," she said, then winked at Doc. "My old man works me hard enough."

"I have a young man to meet," the Reverend said, and he told Doc about David and the tent poles.

"Never keep a young man waiting, I always say," said Abby. "I'll get the picnic things, but first, let me walk you outside.

IV

Abby walked the Reverend out to the street.

"I really do hope you'll come for coffee later," Abby said.

"After today you may have your fill of me," the Reverend said.

"I doubt it."

The Reverend was beginning to feel comfortable with Abby, as well as attracted to her.

He even found himself smiling a lot. It was something he had done so little of in the last few years, it made his face hurt.

They looked up. Across the street, in front of the hotel, a wagon was parked. David was sitting on the seat looking at them. The boy looked as if he had swallowed a bug.

"I'll get the picnic lunch," Abby said, and she touched the Reverend's arm before turning away and heading down the alley by the doctor's office.

The Reverend walked over to David and looked up at him on the seat.

"She's going, ain't she?" David said.

"If it's okay with you," the Reverend said.

"Even if it ain't okay, right?"

The Reverend considered a moment. "I thought, if she didn't work out, you and me could use her for target practice."

Though he tried not to, David smiled.

V

When Abby returned with the picnic basket and they loaded up, David relaxed. It was hard not to around Abby. She was comfortably disarming and in constant high spirits.