Festus leaned on the counter and waited for the mail clerk to finish sorting through the stack of envelopes – the deputy decided that while he collected the mail for Matt, he'd also pick up and deliver Miss Kitty's and Doc's mail while he was at it. He hummed as hr waited patiently for Joe Spencer to finish, "This seems to be all of it, Festus," the clerk said as he handed Festus three groups of mail. "Try not to get them mixed up. I've got them in groups for the marshal, Miss Kitty and Doc," he warned the deputy.
"You must take me for some oaf," Festus scoffed and made a face at Spencer. Joe Spencer rolled his eyes and returned to work behind the counter.
Festus held the bundled envelopes tightly and was extra cautious as he left the post office, to prove Joe Spencer wrong, "Get them mixed up. Only a ninny would do that," Festus muttered as he walked down the boardwalk toward the Long Branch Saloon. Hopefully Doc would be in the establishment and Festus could relieve himself of two of the bundles.
The deputy was curious about the rolled up object that Spencer placed with Miss Kitty's envelopes. He assumed that is it was a poster, but for what? He tried looking down in the hole, and could only make out decorations and what looked like a lion's tail. Festus shrugged and continued on his way.
Doc Adams was indeed in the saloon. He was perched at the end of the long wooden bar, next to Kitty who stood next to Matt Dillon.
"The only thing that would prevent me from making it to Harry's retirement, would be a natural disaster," Matt smiled as he sipped from his mug of beer.
Doc grunted and as if on a cue, Festus stepped through the swing doors of the Long Branch. Doc looked over his should, "Speaking of natural disasters," he thumbed and chuckled as Kitty playfully swatted the doctor across the shoulder, "Doc!" she chastised the physician followed with a wink. Doc just shrugged then turned to watch the hill man as he continued to look down the tube, and not where he was walking.
Festus took three steps before the toe of his boot caught a nail in the floor sending the deputy lurching forward. As Festus fell, he flung the mail in the air to free his hands for the fall.
The envelopes rained down like ash from an erupted volcano.
Festus landed flat out on the floor with both Matt and Doc racing to his side, "Festus?" Matt asked as he helped to his feet.
The deputy brushed himself down and looked back to see the nail. His eyes narrow as he then looked to Kitty, "I thought you were gonna have that fix!" he grumbled as he scooped down and joined Matt and Doc as they gathered the mail.
"Oh, Festus! I'm so sorry!" Kitty said as she stepped out from behind the bar. "Are you all right?" she looked at the hill man in his hazel eyes as he stood up with a bundle of mixed up mail clutched hin his weather hands.
"I'm fine. But look at this mess he looked down at the envelopes.
"Oh, that's alright. We can sort everything out over at the bar. How about I buy you a beer?" Kitty smiled.
Festus twisted his mouth, "Wall, I suppose," he hesitated.
"Two?" Kitty added.
Festus smirked, "All righty!" he smiled as if nothing was wrong. Doc's eyebrows narrow and he looked to Matt as they were left to pick up the rest of the mail, "Are you sure you should go away?" Doc scowled.
Matt pursed his lips and then looked at the doctor, "I'll see how the rest of the day goes. Harry's retirement party isn't for two days," Matt huffed as his eyes drifted over to Festus and Kitty. A strange uneasiness suddenly fell over the marshal. Festus wasn't usually one to be clumsy - Matt made a face and sighed as he and the doctor walked back to the bar and spread the mail across the top.
"Here's one for you, Matt," Doc said as he handed the marshal the envelope. Kitty pawed through the mail and pulled several out and handed them to Doc. Matt handed several to Kitty. It was Festus who the held up the rolled tube of paper, "Miss Kitty, this here one is fer you," he smiled.
Matt, Doc and Kitty stoped and started at the hill man. "How do you know that's for Kitty?" Doc snapped with a hint of surprise and wonder in his voice.
Festus made a face, "Cause it says so right thar!" Festus poked at the label.
Doc snapped the roll from the deputy's hand and looked at the label, "He's right!" Doc said as he handed the tube to Kitty. Everyone looked at the hill man as he enjoyed his beer and the fact he was right.
Doc's eyes narrowed at the hill man, "How did you know that was for Kitty," he pointed at the tube as Kitty untied the string.
Festus place his beer down onto the bar top and looked at Doc, "Cause that's Joe told me over at the post office, you ninny!" He blew a puff of air through his lips and returned to enjoying his drink.
Doc snorted as he drew his hand across his moustache, "I should have known you didn't read it!" he sputtered and drank from his glass. Festus shot him an undignified look, "Smarty pants," the deputy grumbled.
Kitty finally untied the string and un rolled the page. It was a poster. The redheaded saloon owner just stared at the poster. Her mouth slowly opened and panic filled her eyes. Matt, Doc and Festus watched on.
"Kitty, are you all right?" Doc asked.
Kitty shook her head no, "Look at this!" she said stuffing the poster into Doc's hands. Matt leaned over the doctor's shoulder. Both men looked at the poster and then slowly up to Kitty. All three pairs of eyes shifted to Festus who wasn't paying much attention, until his senses told him to look up, "What?"
Kitty swallowed, "A circus is coming to Dodge," Kitty stated.
Festus shrugged at first, "I like them," he continued with his beer. He drank a little more as the eyes of his friends remained on him. Slowly he looked over to Doc, Matt and Kitty. The look on their faces as clearly a warning. Festus took another drink, and as he was part way though drawing it into his mouth, he spewed it out. "Henry Haggen!"
Festus dropped the mug sending the remaining contents across the bar. The hill man bolted to the doors and tripped on his way out, sending him sprawling across the boardwalk, "Run everyone!" Festus yelped. "Hard-luck Henry Haggen is coming to Dodge! Save yourselves!" Festus continued to yell as he ran down the street to the jail house where he figured he could lock himself away for safety purposes, only.