The story is Marty Robbins .Pride And The Badge. Song
I had to change some words and add some stuff for it to make sense.
Nick I was sitting down to have a nice smoke from my pipe at the end of the day when my grandchildren came to the porch and wanted me to tell them a story.
Nick ok settle down I will tell you a story from when I was a ranger.
40 years ago
All night long I tried to sleep but sleep refused to come because today I knew I either have to fight or run. And knowing if I chose to run my mind would never rest because with so much pride I wear this badge upon my vest.
Folks are filled with fear because there is three bad guns in town.
Shariff Bogo made the wrong move and they shot him down.
One they call the quarterjack one El Paso Red the other just turned 20 and they call the Killer Kid.
Good advise I get and that is to leave and run away but my pride and badge I wear won't let me live that way.
If I stay the three have aim to add me to list.
But have a different aim and I don't aim to miss.
From the doorway where I stand I see the outlaws three worried none because they know the towns not helping me.
And from 100 yards away I try a lucky shot.
Lucky is with me and the Quarterjack dies on the spot.
The Kid runs through the bar room door And Red goes up the stairs.
The Kid is raging mad he's shooting bottles kicking chairs.
From a roof El Paso Red has vowed to pay me back as he views the lifeless body of the Quarterjack.
I can see him as he jumps from one roof to the next searching for me but he has no idea where I'm at but I watch his every move I'm ready when he leaps as I shoot him in mid air he crashes to the street.
Now there one against just one I have even up the score down the street I hear a yell come through the bar room doors the Kid has screamed there's no way I can live unless I run.
Said there ain't no lawdog man enough to take his gun through the bar room door he walks and steps out in the street.
I can't match his draw he's much too fast for me to beat.
And as I toward him we both grabbed a .45
Maybe I will die today and he will and he will stay alive.
Like a hammer something hits me spinning me around as I fall I shoot him twice before he hits the ground.
His bullet missed me still I feel a burning in my chest his bullet hit the badge I wear with pride upon my vest.
As the people view the bodies of the lifeless three From their looks I know exactly what they think of me.
To them I'm just a killer and they could not care less about my pride or about my badge upon my vest.
Nick Now before you go to bed can one of you bring me my whiskey and a glass.
They run off best go lock the guns up I get up and walk to the gun cabinet and open it I set my gun down and smile as I view the Quarterjacks El Paso Reds and the Kids gun.