Between season one and season two, Kid Curry obtained a new hat. No explanation was ever given. This is that explanation.
Wide Brim and Conshos
Kid Curry stepped out of the Millinery, his brown hat with the silver band clutched in one hand as his eyes squinted when he gazed eastward up the long, dusty street. His buckskin pants and shirt were dust covered and sweaty and were the next items to be replaced with some of the money he had obtained from selling his horse at the livery when he arrived in town that morning. A pair of boots to replace the tall shin high moccasins were also in order.
Kid ignored the stares as he made his way down the boardwalk. He hadn't walked the street of a town, hadn't seen a sign of any civilization in nearly six months, but already he was questioning the very meaning of civilization as people moved aside and distanced themselves from this unusual looking man with shoulder length light brown curls, eyes the color of topaz, and sun baked tanned skin.
Kid walked into the Mercantile, his eyes sweeping the store for the table or shelves of men's wear.
"No Indians allowed in the store," the owner said gruffly as he approached.
Kid stopped and gave the man a cold, hard stare. "I'm not Indian. I need to buy some clothes and I've got cash money."
The owner would not be intimidated and he carefully looked Kid up and down. His eyes settled on the gun belt and holster Kid wore tied down. "You a mountain man?"
"I'm a man. You need to know any more than that?"
By the sound of Kid's voice, the slight inflection of an almost southern accent in some of the words he used, the fluent use of the English language, the owner concluded that this man was in fact not an Indian.
"Back of the store against the wall," he told Kid.
"And boots?"
"Next to the clothes."
Kid didn't bother to nod or offer any further recognition of the merchant, but walked confidently to the back of the store, returning to the counter just a few minutes later with the items he planned to purchase.
"Eleven seventy-five," the owner said after ringing up the items.
Kid paid the man and waited for change.
"You got a place I can put these on?"
"Yeah, in the back. I'll show you."
Stepping out of the dressing room a few minutes later, his buckskin clothing rolled and tucked under one arm, Kid spied a tapestry satchel and picked that up and set it on the counter.
"Need a razor, too."
"Three-fifty," the owner said after pulling a razor from the display case.
Kid paid him and stuffed all the items into the satchel. Then he turned and walked out without offering any thanks or gratitude. Feeling very tired but presentable enough to secure a room, Kid headed next to the hotel. There he dropped off the satchel. He had several other stops to make, but as he turned to leave the room, Kid's eyes came to rest on the bed. He hadn't slept on a bed in six months and his hand reached out and tested the firmness of the mattress and the bounce of the springs. Reluctantly, Kid pulled his hand back and headed back out the door.
Next stop was the bath house where he spent an hour soaking in steamy hot water, scrubbing his body as well has his hair. He wanted his hair clean before a stop at the barber's to shed his long locks and shave his scruffy beard. Kid's final stop before supper was the telegraph office where he sent a brief telegram to Lom Trevors that simply read 'tell Smith that Jones is in Benton.'
His feet already protesting the confinement of the boots, Kid headed for the café. He wanted something, anything that was free of the wild taste of deer or elk and he settled on a thick slice of ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans and the wonderful taste of strong, fresh coffee.
With half his money now spent, Kid headed to the saloon where he bought a bottle of whiskey and retired before sunset to the comfort of the much anticipated hotel bed.
He unfastened his gun belt and hung it on the bedpost. Then he stripped down to his new long johns and, with bottle in hand, slipped under the sheet and blanket, using the pillows to prop himself in the bed. He uncorked the whiskey bottle and took a long, slow swallow. It was not the first whiskey he'd had in six months. The Indians were quite astute at acquiring whiskey. But it was the first whiskey that he dared drink to the point of intoxication.
Kid corked the bottle, leaned his head back on the pillows and closed his eyes. Images of Takanuta, the beautiful daughter of the Shoshone Chief flooded his thoughts. Having first been captured by a band of Shoshone Indians while trying to outrun a posse some six months ago, Kid had initially been beaten, bound, and made to serve the Indian Chief and other dignitaries of the Tribe. He was given woman's work and mocked by the braves. But Takanuta had noticed he did not cower and after pointing this out to her father, he too took notice of the white man's courage.
Slowly, Kid had been given a few freedoms, although he learned quickly and very much the hard way that he was never to go near the horses or weapons. But as his freedoms increased, so did his interactions with Takanuta and within a few months, they had fallen in love and wished to be married. The Chief would hear nothing of his daughter marrying a white man and it was for that reason, and that reason only, that Kid was taken to the edge of civilization, given a horse, and told never to return.
Kid again uncorked the whiskey and took several gulps. He knew his life with Takanuta was no more. He knew he would be killed on sight if he tried to return to her. But his heart hurt and he knew the whiskey would dull that pain, if only for a while. So he drank until the bottle was spent, and he was passed out on the bed.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
It was several days before Heyes had sent his customary notice of location to Lom Trevors and he was quite surprised when a return telegram arrived so quickly. But reading the short telegram, Heyes knew why Lom had apparently been waiting anxiously for him to make contact. Heyes, having just arrived in some no name town that very morning, immediately packed his bags, canceled his hotel room, traded his horse plus twenty dollars for a fresh horse, and headed toward the town of Benton.
Kid woke just as he woke every morning since arriving at Benton, with a thick, dry tongue, a splitting, light sensitive headache, and a feeling that life was simply not worth the effort of getting out of bed. He'd stopped eating in an effort to stretch his money for more whiskey, the only thing that dulled his pain as well as his thoughts.
He hadn't used the razor he bought four or five days prior, nor had he bathed and even he could smell the rank odor of whiskey on his clothes and skin. He wondered if Lom had been in contact with Heyes but, like food, Kid did not want to waste another sixty cents on a telegram.
Kid dragged himself from the bed and stumbled to the dresser and poured some water from the pitcher into the bowl. He raised bloodshot eyes to look in the mirror and felt a wave of despair ripple through him at the image reflecting back at him. He cupped his hands in the water and bent forward, then splashed the water onto his face, repeating the act several times before drying his face with a towel. He lathered the soap in the shaving cup and spread it across his face. Then slowly, with hands trembling from the need of more alcohol, he brought the razor to his face and began shaving, nicking his face at least a half a dozen times.
When he was done, Kid dropped the razor in the bowl of water and made his way across the room to dress. Then he left the room, walked precariously down the stairs and out the door to the boardwalk. The sunlight hurt his eyes and he squinted heavily as he made his way to the Millinery.
Kid examined the floppy rimmed brown felt hat with the band of silver square conshos, a small round turquoise stone in the center of each concho, and he smiled. He slowly slipped the hat on his head and adjusted the strap loosely.
"Very nice sir, if I do say so myself," the owner remarked.
"Takanuta," Kid whispered.
"I beg your pardon, sir?"
"It means Blue Stone," Kid explained.
"Ah, I see," the clerk replied.
Kid had paid for the hat in advance so he simply thanked the owner and walked out of the shop. He stood on the boardwalk gazing across the street at the saloon. He desperately wanted more whiskey. But his hand slowly stroked the leather thongs of the hat and he stepped out into the street and headed for the café.
He had eaten nothing in several days but the whiskey had soured his stomach for food so he ordered scrambled eggs and coffee and ate what he could. Then he returned to the hotel room to clean up the empty bottles and open the window to air the room. When the maid arrived he asked for clean sheets but insisted on making the bed himself. He did let her empty the water bowl and fill the pitcher with fresh water.
When the maid left, Kid stripped buck naked and washed himself as best he could, then dressed in the still relatively clean jeans and shirt. His head still felt foggy, so Kid laid down on top of the covers and quickly fell asleep.
Nearly twelve hours later and almost midnight, Kid woke to a rapid tapping at his door. He slipped his gun from the holster and propped himself up on one elbow.
"Who is it?"
"It's me. Let me in."
Kid smiled and holstered his gun at the sound of Heyes' voice. He got up and opened the door.
Both men stood staring, smiling at the other.
"Well get in here," Kid finally said and shut the door after Heyes had come in. Kid then quickly lit the wall lamp near the door.
"Heyes," he said with a smile and two outstretched arms."
They shared a long hug before Heyes pulled back and carefully scrutinized his partner.
"You mind explaining?" Heyes asked.
"Very long story I'm afraid," Kid replied.
"I'm starving. How about a drink and something to eat and you can..." Heyes stopped suddenly and looked quizzically around the room.
"What's the matter?" Kid asked.
"You got a new partner, Kid?"
"A new partner? What are you talking about?"
Heyes pointed to the brown felt hat with the concho band. "Your hat is on the bedpost so who does this hat belong to?"
Kid reached over and picked up the new hat and put it on. "Part of the long story, Heyes but, what do you think?"
Heyes gave the hat a careful study then nodded. "I like it. It suits you better than the other one. That wasn't cheap though so why did you buy it?"
"Let's go get that drink and something to eat and I'll tell you all about it."