Saddle Talk: Blessings

Aaachooo!

"Bless you."

"Thanks."

Aaaachoooo!

"Bless you."

"Thanks."

The wind whipped up the dust. The horses snorted.

Aaaaachhhhoooooo!

"Bless you."

"Thanks."

"Geez, Kid, you've been sneezing nonstop since breakfast. Next time put a finger under your nose. It might save ya the sneeze."

"I'll remember that."

They rode a ways in silence.

Aaaaaaachhhhhhoooooooooo!

"That was a big one. God bless you."

Watery blue eyes glanced at Heyes. Curry was miserable. "I know. Thanks."

"You didn't try the finger."

"Forgot. Next time."

"Maybe try blowing your nose before another one starts. Swallowing all that stuff can't be good for ya."

Curry fished a bandana out of his pocket and blew. Folding the discharge inside, he blew again, and a third time. Finally, he balled the cloth and returned it to his pocket.

"That's a lot of snot," Heyes noted. "Feeling better?"

"I guess."

A few minutes passed.

"No more sneezing," the dark-haired partner remarked.

Blue eyes rolled. The tone was sarcastic. "You're an observant one, Heyes."

"Nope, that's your job, Kid. I do the planning, you do the watching."

Another gust kicked up the trail dust.

Achoo!

Heyes waved a hand in front of him to clear the air around him. Curry did the same.

Achooo!

"Bless you."

"Thanks."

"Kid, what is it with you today?"

"Nose itches."

"No kidding."

"So if you knew, why'd ya ask?"

"No reason. Just making conversation. You don't have to get proddy, Kid."

"I'm not gettin' proddy! Can't we talk about somethin' else besides my nose?"

Heyes thought. "Okay. How about the weather? It's kinda windy and dusty today."

"No kiddin'! Why don'tcha just rub it in."

"I just did." Heyes grinned.

Curry shook his head. His partner sure could be annoying sometimes!

[Insert not-always-so-companionable silence where conversation might have been.]

"Kid?"

"What?"

"What do you think about heading north for a while?"

"North where?"

Heyes shrugged. "Where would you like to go?"

Curry pondered. "Somewhere warmer and less dusty."

The silver tongue went silent for a few moments while he pondered possibilities. Finally, he suggested, "San Francisco? We haven't seen Soapy in a long time."

"Not warm enough."

"Texas? It's warmer."

"Too dusty."

"Denver?"

"Too crowded."

"Crowded wasn't a condition."

"I just made it one."

Heyes thought a moment. "Hmm, there's no place left. Guess there's no pleasing Goldilocks."

Curry whined, "Don't call me Goldilocks."

"Wasn't. It's just the storybook …"

"I know!"

"Who's getting proddy now?"

The blond man pleaded, "Heyes …"

"Sorry you're not feeling so good, Kid."

"Thanks. It's just this sneezin' …" Achoo!

"Bless you."

"Thanks."

"Maybe you're just under the weather, Kid. We can look up that fake doc to check ya out."

"That'll be the day. And I'm not under the weather!"

"Proddy's not becoming. Whatever it is, he can find out."

Achoo!

"Bless you."

Curry moaned, "Thanks."

"Then what are you – sick? It's just another way of saying the same thing."

"No."

"Then what?"

A pause. "Sneezy."

Heyes spoke definitively. "Yes, you are."

Achoo!

"God bless you."

"Thanks."

"You know, Kid, Grandma Curry would be real proud of me today."

"Why?"

"Because I've asked the Good Lord to bless you a lot."

"It's a sayin'."

"Yes, it is. But I think Grandma Curry would still appreciate the blessings."

Kid sighed. "Maybe so. But you always were her favorite." Achoo!

"Bless you."

"Thanks, but it's not doin' any good."

"Blow again."

Curry did as instructed, once again pulling the balled up bandana from his pocket. "Eww!"

"What?"

"It's still wet from the last time."

"Don't you have another one?"

"Yeah, but I want that one to stay dry in case the dust gets any worse and I need it for a mask."

"A mask would do you good now."

With a frown and side-eye to his partner, the blond ex-outlaw carefully unfolded the discharge-riddled cloth. Once again he put it to his nose and blew. The frown lines deepened as he tried to find a dry spot. Successful, again he blew. And again. Sighing, he returned it to his pocket, distastefully wiping his hands on his pants.

Achoo!

"Bless you."

"Thanks."

Achoooo!

"Bless you."

"Thanks." A beat. "Heyes?"

"Yeah?"

"Next time don't say anything."

"What do you mean?"

"No blessin'."

"You sure, Kid? I don't think the Good Lord or Grandma Curry would take kindly to that."

"Blessin's ain't helped so far and Grandma Curry's not here. Trust me."

"Okay. We'll try it your way."

"Good." After a moment, Curry urged, "Talk about somethin' else."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. You're the one with the silver tongue!"

"Now, now, Kid. You're getting proddy again."

"I'm not proddy – just frustrated!"

Heyes soothed, "Calm down. Being riled up is just gonna make it worse."

Curry sighed yet again and took a deep, audible breath. "Okay, I'm calm."

"Good." Heyes paused. "Okay, tell you what I'm gonna do."

"What?"

"Let me think …"

Time passed. The dimpled one was deep in planning mode.

"Heyes?"

"Hmm?"

Acchoo!

Silence.

Achoo!

More silence.

Achooooo!

The brown-eyed ex-outlaw whistled a jaunty tune.

"Heyes!?"

The darker man continued to whistle softly to himself.

"Heyes?!" Curry turned red in the face.

Heyes smiled. "Yes?"

"Why aren't you answerin' me?"

Heyes shrugged. He whistled a different tune, louder this time.

"Enough with the whistlin' already. Next thing you know you'll be whistlin' Dixie!"

Heyes raised a brow, smiled, and started whistling Dixie.

"Heyes!"

The strains of the unofficial anthem of the late Confederacy continued.

"Heyes!"

When he finished, Heyes smiled sweetly, dimples on full display. "Uh huh?"

Curry still sported a crimson countenance. "You didn't have to take me so literal."

"Of course I did. It's what you wanted."

"Heyes, one of these days I swear I'm gonna …"

"Gonna what, Kid?"

"Flatten ya!" After a moment, Curry calmed himself. "Dang, Heyes!"

The ex-outlaw leader chuckled.

Kid remarked, "It's not funny!"

"Sure it is."

"No, it ain't."

"Yup, it is."

"Why?"

Heyes eyed his partner. He thought Curry's expression accusatory, or at least suspicious. "Because."

Kid glowered but willed his patience to the fore to play this out. Speaking deliberately, he asked, "Because, why?"

Heyes shrugged his shoulders, the silly smile plastered on his face. "You know, just because."

"Heyes!"

The dark-haired one laughed. Once again, he had caught his partner off-guard.

"It's not funny."

"Yes, it is. It's hilarious!"

"What is?"

"How we cured you."

"Cured …" A thought struck Curry. "What do you mean, 'cured'?"

"Let's just ride and you'll find out soon enough."

After a few minutes, Kid noted, "I'm not sneezin'."

"Uh huh." Heyes lifted a brow. "Yup, got ya good and mad and the sneezing stopped. You can take a break from it and just ride."

And they did. Quietly.