Rusty waved as she started her car and headed down the long gravel driveway towards home. Biscuit, a good traveler, was settled down in her carrier on the front passenger seat. The small back seat of the Mini Cooper was aromatic with a tin-foil wrapped apple pie, a box of maple icing donuts, a Tupperware container of homemade green bean salad, and a wax paper package of fried chicken. The precious old wooden box was wrapped in a towel and stowed on the floor in front of the passenger seat
Normally, the young woman headed straight home, wanting to do some laundry and rest up before her work shift the next day. Today, remembering her Nanny's words, she felt an overwhelming need to turn off for downtown Dodge.
Slowly driving along, she pulled over and parked near the Long Branch saloon. Glancing over, she saw that Biscuit was peacefully asleep. Even though it was a cool day, Rusty cracked all of the windows before getting out and locking the car.
Growing up in and around Dodge, she had always avoided what she considered the uncool Old West "tourist areas" of town. Her family had also rarely gone to such places, sticking mostly with the modern part of town. Only her great grandmother had seemed interested in the family's history and connection with Dodge City. Now she felt compelled to go inside the saloon for the first time in her adult life.
Stepping inside through the double saloon doors, she felt a shock go through her, recognizing the setting of her dream. For some reason, even though it was almost noon, the only other person in the place was a bartender dressed in the Old West style, with arm garters and a handlebar mustache. He didn't even look up.
Rusty walked slowly over to the table that Kitty had sat in in her dream, and sat down, facing the doors. Looking around, she saw a piano against the wall, the staircase off to her right, and the odd crown decoration made of gold tubing behind the bar to her left.
Finding a pack of playing cards on the table, she idly picked them up and spread them out on the table. Sensing that she was being stared at, she looked up.
Standing outside of the saloon doors, looking in over them, was a tall, well-built young man with piercing green eyes and wavy black hair. Pushing open the doors, he stepped in. He was wearing a policeman's uniform with a "Dodge City Kansas" silver badge over his heart.
As their eyes met, a palpable charge passed between them
Rusty never had the dream again.
End.
"You have to dream before your dreams can come true."
-A.P.J. Abdul Kalam