The Forerunners

Characters belong to Annie Proulx and Brokeback Mountain.

(This story is meant to honour the actors of Brokeback Mountain and not to give offence. You also need to know something about the actors and characters of BBM for this story to make any sense at all).

He'd stood at the bar waiting for a long time before he saw the note – the barman would be 'Back soon'. 'Help yourself. Leave money near the till.'

'A trusting fellah', said the man to no-one in particular as this establishment was empty apart from himself. Then another whiskey was going down well, warming his stomach. He eyed himself in the mirror at the back of the bar – a tall man in his prime, good-looking most said.

He'd just poured himself yet another whiskey, was sitting down now and feeling good, so the sudden appearance of a young man at his side reflected in the mirror did not phase him – imagination because of the whiskey?

This man was younger and taller than himself with dark blond hair, wearing a striped t-shirt , bright coloured gloves without fingers and old jeans. Warm brown eyes he had and a quirky smile, but his complexion was wan and pale. When he spoke his accent was different to the man's.

'Hi there mate, how are you today?'

'Fine', said the man, his blue eyes twinkling. 'And you?'

'I've felt better'.

'What's your name……ah think ah seen you some place afore….you're…'.

'No……I'm not that person'.

'Ok……Aussie…..I'll call y'that……Australian ain't ya?'

'Ok I'll call you Rodeo then', countered the blond, the corners of his mouth twitching.

The dark haired man paused, the whiskey glass halfway to his mouth…..trying to remember. 'Ah have seen y' before……what happened to you Aussie?'

'I was feeling ill, was more ill than I realised, by accident took too many pills – that's how come ah'm here'.

At the end of the sentence his accent had changed from Australian to American causing the dark haired man to stopper the whiskey bottle, his face showing confusion.

After a pause: 'Ah make lots of mistakes too – my daddy once told me ah wus one big mistake. Drink?' taking the stopper out of the bottle once more.

'No thanks, not whiskey, don't like it.'

'Ah seem to remember you liked it.'

'He liked it, not me. Could do with a drink of water though', he said pointing.

With that the dark haired man poured water from the pitcher at the bar and added ice, handed the glass to him.

Aussie sat down on the stool next to the man, his body sideways but turned his face to Rodeo, drinking his water.

'How old are you Aussie'?

'28 years old.'

'Just a baby then', nodded the older man. 'Ah'm older but no wiser.'

Then there was a rattle at the door which seemed to have stuck or was locked. The dark haired man got up walked over to the door and opened it.

Before the barman was able to unlock the door it opened by itself. He immediately saw the bottle, glasses on the bar and that the stools had been moved – this had happened before and it was beginning to freak him out. He'd thought he'd heard two men in conversation yet there was no one here, but there remained a smell like sweet grass and mountain air……not unusual in this part of Canada…..but certainly unusual here in the bar.

He'd thought he'd imagined all this but as he turned to close the door there hanging on the peg at the back of it was an old black cowboy hat and a brightly coloured woollen one – he knew these hadn't been there before .'Well ah'll be' he murmured, 'Maybe someone broke in after all', yet there was no sign of such.

After he closed the door he thought for one moment he heard the sound of a harmonica playing – hadn't heard one of those for years. He shuddered and decided to come back later to set everything up - he had to - after all the cast and crew of that movie they were making were on their way……what was it called 'Brokeback Mountain' or some such……