Read Online The Collected Works of Billy the Kid by Michael Ondaatje - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael Ondaatje
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town yonder with a real cold cerveza and a fat lady who can cook Mexican food better’n anybody in the world! This lady also got a daughter…una muchacho…who’s got shinin’ black hair and a gleam in her brown eyes I want to see again.”
And on a distant hill …
“He comes, be ready Soto.”
“Gunshots…a 45 pistol! Runaway! It’s a girl! She’s
goin’ to take a spill! Faster Chico!”
“AAAAAHH!”
“Hang on…I got yuh!…You’re okay now Señorita.”
“Gracias, Señor. You are so strong and brave…and very gallant!”
“Thanks, I heard shots…Did they scare your cayuse into runnin’ away?
“I think I can stand now, Señor…if you will put me down.”
“Huh? Oh sorry, Señorita. I’m Billy Bonney, Señorita.
I’m from up arund Tucson.”
“I am Marguerita Juliana de Guelva y Solanza, la
Princesa de Guelva.”
“La Princesa? A
real
princess?”
“I am direct descendent of King Phillip of Spain. By virtue of Royal land grants, I own this land west for 200 leagues, south for 180 leagues. It is as large as some European kingdoms…larger than two of your American states…I am still a little weak. Ride with me to the castle, Señor Bonney.”
“There
Señor Bonney…my ancestral home. The castle and the valley farther than you can see…I have 20,000 cattle, almost as many horses and herds of goats, pigs, chickens. Everything my people need to live.”
“WHOOOEEE! The Governor’s mansion up at Phoenix would fit in one end o’ that wickiup.”
“Come on, Yanqui! It is late…you must have dinner with me.”
“ATTENTION! HER EXCELLENCY RETURNS!” Thinks: “She’s got a regular army!”
The man called Billy the Kid is not impressed by the magnificent richness of his surroundings. The goldencutlery means nothing…The priceless china and crystal matter not, and the food cooked by a French chef?— PFAAGGH!
Thinks: “I’d sooner be in Mama Rosa’s kitchen eatin’ tortillas an’ chile with Rosita battin’ them dark eyes at me!”
“This table needs a man like you, Senor Bonney. Others have occupied that chair but none so well as you.”
“Gracias, Princesa…but I’d never feel right in it…if you know what I mean.”
“I propose a toast, my gringo friend…to our meeting…to your gallant rescue of me!”
“I reckon I can’t let a lady drink alone, Princesa.”
CRASH!!!
“He could have sunk it in my neck just as easy…Start talkin’ hombre ’fore I say
my
piece about that knife throwing act!”
“I am a man of action, not words, gringo! I weel crack your ribs…break your wrists…then send you back where you belong!”
“Come on, animal, I want to finish dinner!” SOCK!!
Thinks: “If I can nail him quick I’ll take the fight out of him… PERFECT!”
That was his Sunday punch…and Toro laughed at it!
Now, Billy the Kid knows he’s in for a struggle!
“He’s got a granite jaw which means…I’ll have to weaken him with powerful hooks to the stomach!
OOOOWWW!” THUD!
“Now it’s my turn!”
“If he lays a hand on me …”
SWISSS!
SOCK!
“I keel you gringo!”
Thinks: “My head…he busted my jaw!”
TOCK!
Thinks: “He’s a stomper …”
“I keel your pet gringo Excellencia!”
“Yuh’ll take me tuh death maybe, hombre!”
“You no escape Toro now!”
“I didn’t figure on escapin’ Toro!”
CRACK!
“Over you go, Toro!” “Olé! Olé!”
CRASH!
“Sorry I busted the place up some, Princesa.”
“You are mucho hombre, Yanqui, very much man! A man like you could help rule this wild kingdom! Will you remain as my guest for a time?”
“I come down here to rest up some. I reckon I can do that here as well as in Mama Rosa’s cantina.” (Kiss)
“That was to thank you for protecting me from Toro Cueno. I must not go on being formal with you …”
In the next few days, Billy the Kid was with La Princesa often.
Long rides through wild country…“Wait princess…don’t get ahead of me!”
“EEEEE
And on a distant hill …
“He comes, be ready Soto.”
“Gunshots…a 45 pistol! Runaway! It’s a girl! She’s
goin’ to take a spill! Faster Chico!”
“AAAAAHH!”
“Hang on…I got yuh!…You’re okay now Señorita.”
“Gracias, Señor. You are so strong and brave…and very gallant!”
“Thanks, I heard shots…Did they scare your cayuse into runnin’ away?
“I think I can stand now, Señor…if you will put me down.”
“Huh? Oh sorry, Señorita. I’m Billy Bonney, Señorita.
I’m from up arund Tucson.”
“I am Marguerita Juliana de Guelva y Solanza, la
Princesa de Guelva.”
“La Princesa? A
real
princess?”
“I am direct descendent of King Phillip of Spain. By virtue of Royal land grants, I own this land west for 200 leagues, south for 180 leagues. It is as large as some European kingdoms…larger than two of your American states…I am still a little weak. Ride with me to the castle, Señor Bonney.”
“There
Señor Bonney…my ancestral home. The castle and the valley farther than you can see…I have 20,000 cattle, almost as many horses and herds of goats, pigs, chickens. Everything my people need to live.”
“WHOOOEEE! The Governor’s mansion up at Phoenix would fit in one end o’ that wickiup.”
“Come on, Yanqui! It is late…you must have dinner with me.”
“ATTENTION! HER EXCELLENCY RETURNS!” Thinks: “She’s got a regular army!”
The man called Billy the Kid is not impressed by the magnificent richness of his surroundings. The goldencutlery means nothing…The priceless china and crystal matter not, and the food cooked by a French chef?— PFAAGGH!
Thinks: “I’d sooner be in Mama Rosa’s kitchen eatin’ tortillas an’ chile with Rosita battin’ them dark eyes at me!”
“This table needs a man like you, Senor Bonney. Others have occupied that chair but none so well as you.”
“Gracias, Princesa…but I’d never feel right in it…if you know what I mean.”
“I propose a toast, my gringo friend…to our meeting…to your gallant rescue of me!”
“I reckon I can’t let a lady drink alone, Princesa.”
CRASH!!!
“He could have sunk it in my neck just as easy…Start talkin’ hombre ’fore I say
my
piece about that knife throwing act!”
“I am a man of action, not words, gringo! I weel crack your ribs…break your wrists…then send you back where you belong!”
“Come on, animal, I want to finish dinner!” SOCK!!
Thinks: “If I can nail him quick I’ll take the fight out of him… PERFECT!”
That was his Sunday punch…and Toro laughed at it!
Now, Billy the Kid knows he’s in for a struggle!
“He’s got a granite jaw which means…I’ll have to weaken him with powerful hooks to the stomach!
OOOOWWW!” THUD!
“Now it’s my turn!”
“If he lays a hand on me …”
SWISSS!
SOCK!
“I keel you gringo!”
Thinks: “My head…he busted my jaw!”
TOCK!
Thinks: “He’s a stomper …”
“I keel your pet gringo Excellencia!”
“Yuh’ll take me tuh death maybe, hombre!”
“You no escape Toro now!”
“I didn’t figure on escapin’ Toro!”
CRACK!
“Over you go, Toro!” “Olé! Olé!”
CRASH!
“Sorry I busted the place up some, Princesa.”
“You are mucho hombre, Yanqui, very much man! A man like you could help rule this wild kingdom! Will you remain as my guest for a time?”
“I come down here to rest up some. I reckon I can do that here as well as in Mama Rosa’s cantina.” (Kiss)
“That was to thank you for protecting me from Toro Cueno. I must not go on being formal with you …”
In the next few days, Billy the Kid was with La Princesa often.
Long rides through wild country…“Wait princess…don’t get ahead of me!”
“EEEEE
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