Cindy and C.W. were at the Bozeman International Airport going through TSA and Cindy stripped off her loafers and C.W. took off his boots and his belt and he was shaking his head,
He walked through the metal detector and he was shaking his head as he was putting on his belt and boots and putting his hat back on.
He said," The last time I flew was over 20 years ago and it was getting bad and right now I see having to strip before getting on that metal can in the sky it is getting worse."
She said," It has been this way ever since 9/11."
Every time there is a terrorist attack the government thinks we should just give up a little more of our freedoms. Well, babe, I am with you that is all that matters."
She smiled and said," You are right you are with me and yes the government thinks we should give up our freedoms."
They went to the gate waiting area and sat down in their plastic chairs.
She leaned over and kissed him and she said," I love you."
He smiled and said," I love you. I am going over to get a bottle of water, do you want one?"
She said," Yes."
He went over and brought back two bottles of water and shook his head,
She asked," What is it, honey?"
He laughed and said," These two tap waters in a bottle cost $ 6. She laughed and said," When you put it that way it does seem like highway robbery."
He laughed and said," A thin Newsweek magazine cost $3."
She said," Oh wow. Did you see my magazine."
He said," Ya $6."
She snorted and said," That is worse than a convenience store."
He laughed and said," Is that like a Mavrik?"
She thought about it for a moment and said," Yes."
He said," Oh well hon, I will get to see Deadwood again and see how commercialized it has gotten."
A man sat down across from them and the man said," Are you Cindy Edwards who writes for Western Lifestyle?"
She said," Yes, I am."
He said," I read your articles obsessively."
She said," Thank you this is my husband C.W. Smythe."
He said," You are the homesteader she wrote about."
He chuckled and said," I am."
He asked," So where are you flying to?"
Cindy said," Deadwood on assignment and it was C.W. who suggested I go there after tourist season and talked my editor into sending me now."
He looked at C.W. and asked," How did you know that?"
C.W. said," I lived there for a couple of years."
He asked," Why a couple of years and not longer?"
C.W. said," A long story not enough time to tell you."
Cindy laughed and said," I will make that an article."
C.W. laughed and said," That will really bore your readers."
They were called for boarding and they got up from their chairs and made their way to the jetway.
They walked down the jetway and got in the plane and got down to their seats and put their bags in the overhead bin.
They sat down and C.W. started chuckling and said," Definitely get cramp sitting for the price of flying."
Cindy laughed and said," Remember it is such a privilege to fly."
The flight attendant shut and secured the door and they started going through the safety instructions and then the plane was backed up from the jetway and then taxied out and was soon in the air.
A passenger across from them asked," Where are you two heading?"
C.W. said," Deadwood."
The passenger said," Really so am I. Will be touring there and then heading back to Atlanta."
C.W. said," Nice. my wife is on assignment there and I would help her to really meet the local people there and really get the flavors of Deadwood,"
The man said," Really?"
C.W. said," Yes."
Cindy said," Hey hon, wee should be there in about an hour."
C.W. said," That will be great."
The man's face lit up and said," You are Cindy Edwards."
Cindy said," Yes but now I am Smythe this is my husband C.W,"
He said," Nice to meet you."
The man said," He told me you were on assignment."
She said," I am and C.W. here has lived there for a couple of years."
The man said," Really?"
She said," Really, before he had to move again."
The man asked," Is this the man you wrote about who homesteaded in Montana?"
She said," Yes he is I think we need to have our picture taken together and have it on the header."
The man said," That would be a wonderful idea."
She said," C.W. and I really need to plan this."
The man said," Of course."
C.W. said," Really?" She said," I know that was awful and I am sorry."
He said," I know I am safe they will never have my picture with yours."
She said," You better be careful with that presumption remember you are with me because you know some of the historical facts about that town. I won't do that to you."
They sat back and it seemed like no time they were telling passengers to put their seats in the upright position.
The plane glided up to the jetway and after they got their bags they passed the flight attendants who were thanking them for flying and they went out the jetway and they went up to the counter and got their rental car.
C.W. took the wheel and he drove to the old looking said boarding house but was a bed and breakfast and they went in and the gray-haired lady smiled and said," C.W. it is sure good to see you."
C.W. said," Margret great to see you again and do you still do those famous apple pies."
Margret said," I don't know how famous they are but I still do them."
They both hugged and C.W. tuned and said," This is my wife."
Margret said," You write for Western Lifestyle don't you?"
Cindy said," Yes, I do and it seems you know C.W."
She said," Honey, this is a small town and C.W. would do any odd job in town whether it was cutting wood, mowing yards pruning trees as long as we paid cash. So what are you doing now C, W,"
He said," I have a nice homestead right outside of Bozeman."
She said," I declare well I said you were born in the wrong century. What are you doing in Deadwood?"
Cindy said," Well, C.W. is helping in my assignment on writing about Deadwood,"
C.W. said," Now do you have a room or do we have to go to one of those chain motels?"
Margret said," Heavens don't joke about that I do have a room. Not big but it is clean and comfortable."
She showed them upstairs and then she said," We have dinner at 6 and why don't you take in Dead Wood,"
He said," We will do that and there is nothing like your home cookin' so what are you cooking?"
She said," I will have fried chicken cabbage mashed potatoes and cornbread."
He said," MMmmmm scrunchous."
As they walked out he said," About 2 blocks from here there is a saloon and there you can get all the local gossip."
They walked to the saloon and walked in and the man behind the bar lit up and said," C.W. come on in and is this the writer for Western Lifestyle."
She said," I am now Cindy Smythe he is my husband."
The man said," What you can be honest with me did he knock you out and take you to the altar?"
She laughed and said," Close. He says you have all the gossip."
"Well this old fart had one of those trick guns and he was trying to twirl it and he dropped it and it went off he had a heart attack."
C.W. said," No."
The man said," Yes."
They howled with laughter."
Cindy said," You men should be ashamed of yourselves. He or somebody could have gotten hurt."
The man said," Fat chance those guns I am talking about are loaded with blanks."
The man was Charlie Johnson and C.W. were friends and Charlie said," When C.W. came here we all thought that he was just an eccentric but the funny thing about this town is eccentrics kind of do well in this town."
C.W. was about to light up his pipe and Charlie said," I am sorry that isn't allowed in here anymore."
C.W. said," When did you stop allowing smoking in here."
Charlie said," It ain't me it is the state of South Dakota?"
C.W. said," What?"
Charlie said," Ya something about second-hand smoke real small minority people went complaining to our state assembly and they banned public smoking unless outside."
C.W. looked at Cindy and said," This is why I don't go to town."
Charlie said," Yes anymore just because I sunk my life savings I am just an employee of the state of South Dakota. Isn't that the same way at Bozeman?"
C.W. said," Ya that is one of the reasons why I stay on my homestead."
Cindy said," I still love him."
Charlie said," He is a good man well there is Mel Shepard."
C.W. asked," Is he still alive?"
Charlie said," He is he is about 96."
Cindy asked," Who is Mel Shepard?"
Charlie said," One of the oldest surviving cowboys in the area. He is the real deal he started working on the ranches in the area when he was about 15. This man knows how to spin a horsehair rope and I believe he met Seth Bullock when he was about 10."
Cindy said," So he was born in 1907?"
Charlie said," That is about right."
C.W asked," Where does he live?"
Charlie said,' There is an old folks home down the street and you will probably find him probably on the porch. He will be the man with white hair and a white mustache he will be having western style slacks and boots and a snap shirt with a bolo tie and his old hat might be tossing his rope."
C.W. and Cindy walked down the street and they walked up to the house and there was the old cowboy sitting on the porch and he was spinning another horsehair rope.
Mel looked up and he said," Is that you C.W.?"
C.W. went up and hugged him and said," It is Mel."
Mel asked." So what have you been doing all these years?"
C.W. said," I have a homestead in Bozeman."
Mel asked," They still allow homesteading?"
C.W. said," I don't know about now I homesteaded there 30 years ago. This is Cindy who was formerly Cindy Edwards but she is here with Western Lifestyle and I believe she should talk to you."
Mel said," I am just an old fart who has cowboyed."
C.W. said," You are one of the last of the men who have lived in that era."
Cindy asked," What was Deadwood like when you started working the ranches?"
Mel said," It was 1922 and well when I worked on my first ranch tending the horses still got around on horseback. I didn't see my first car until about 1925."
Cindy said," Henry Ford started cars on the assembly line around 1915 I believe.'
Mel said," This country didn't really allow for cars back then."
Cindy said," I understand you met Seth Bullock when you were a kid." Mel said," I did now his heart wasn't really into life when I met him because by the time I met him his friend Theodore Roosevelt was dead. "
She asked," When was that?"
He thought about it for a minute and said," About 1916 and I am surprised you know about Seth Bullock."
Cindy said," C.W. told me about him."
Mel said," Ya Wyatt Earp gets all the glory but there is one thing the city fathers called Wyatt Earp for some reason. Seth Bullock stepped into the room and said there was no need for him and you know what Wyatt apologized and left Deadwood."
Cindy said," Wow."
Mel said," Yes he was a tough man never had to shoot anybody when he was marshal."
Cindy asked," What did you think when you saw your first car?"
Mel laughed and said," What a noisy and smelly contraption."
Cindy laughed and said," Wow."
Mel said," It had rained that day and that car got stuck and well me and my friend had to get our horses and tie them to the bumper of that car the horses got that car out of that mudhole."
Cindy said," Wow."
Cindy continued talking to him and she had her digital recorder going and somebody came out and said it was time for Mel to eat.
Mel said," This lady here was interested in what this old fart had to say. She was interviewing me."
The nursing assistant said," Are you, Cindy Edwards?"
Cindy said," Yes, he was telling me about meeting Seth Bullock and seeing his first car and getting it unstuck."
The nurses assistant said," You know this man worked until he was about 80 years old."
Cindy said," Really?"
The nursing assistant said," Yes, he also walks about one mile a day he keeps himself real active." The N.A. said," You can come tomorrow morning." Mel got up and grabbed his walking stick and said," I did enjoy this and would love to see you again and yes you too C.W."
Mel said," Go ahead you pretty thing take me out."
The N.A. said," Will be my pleasure, Mel."
Mel grinned as he walked into the retirement house.
C.W. laughed and said," He hasn't changed a bit."
Cindy said," I can't believe it I have almost a page here to describe Mel himself."
C.W. said," He stays in the back during tourist season."
Cindy said," Really?
C.W. said," He has no patience for city slickers. The fact he wants to tell his story to you is great and when you put that down on paper you will be saving a piece of that era."
Cindy said," You keep pointing me to the time and the unique people."
C.W. said," I met him when I was stacking wood at this one house he rode this buckboard into town to get supplies."
Cindy said," When was that?"
C.W. said," I believe that was about 1976."
Cindy laughed and said," He was still riding a horse and buckboard then?"
C.W. said," Yes, he said that is the most reliable transportation you can have."
Cindy said," He is the last of his kind."
C.W. said," He is."
Cindy said," Can I ask you a question?"
C.W. said," Sure."
Cindy asked," What do the initials C W stand for?"
He said," Let's sit down I have been called C.W. so long I might have forgotten." They sat down on a park bench and he thought about it for about 5 minutes.
He said," Charlie White Smythe."
She asked," Can I call you Charlie?"
He laughed and said," Please do. Oh, we better go back if we want to eat good food for dinner." They went back to their what is now called bed and breakfast and Margret just beamed when she saw them and she hugged them both and she said," We are having homemade biscuits, baked chicken and zucchini the garden."
Cindy inhaled and she said," That smells delicious."
A couple of other guests came in and Cindy and Charlie as she called him introduced themselves.
Cindy went into the kitchen and said," I finally got him to tell me what C.W. stands for."
Margret said," Really? I knew him for over 20 years and I never could find out."
Cindy said," Don't tell anybody."
Margret said," I promise.'
Cindy said," Charlie White."
Margret said," Uuuh nice name."
Cindy walked out and sat with Charlie as she now called him."
One of the guests asked," Are you Cindy Edwards?"
She smiled and said," Now Cindy Smythe but that is me."
The lady said," I love your articles in Western Lifestyle. So what are you doing here?
She said," I am on assignment but with my dear husband Charlie here."
She asked Charlie," Do you know something about this fine town?"
He said," A little bit I have been here a time or 2."
Cindy said," Oh, he has lived here for a couple of years about 20 or 30 years ago."
She said," Oh really?"
Margret came out and said," Dinner is served."
As they were walking to the table Charlie leaned and whispered to Cindy," Saved by the bell."
Cindy laughed til she had tears in her eyes they sat down.
Margret ate with everybody and she said," I am so glad to see people sitting at the table." One lady, who was Cindy was talking to named Linda asked," How long has this bed and breakfast been open for business?"
Margret said," This has been open since 1883 and it was a boarding house and has been a boarding house until 1988 and went to being called a bed and breakfast because that seems to be such a more hip label. I am the 3d generation of this business."
Linda said," Really interesting. And C.W. was this a boarding house when you lived here?"
He said," Yes it was."
Margret said," We used to have a wood stove that heated this place and C.W. would keep us supplied in wood."
Linda said," Incredible, and C.W. what do you do now?"
He said," I have a homestead in Montana."
She said," Sweet."
They finished eating and Charlie and Cindy walked out to the front porch and he lit up his pipe.
Cindy said," That lady seems to not be very agreeable with you."
Charlie said," Oh she is just so pretentious talking about all the places she traveled and trying to act like she knows so much about this town and no I don't have much patience with her. I don't want her to know that my homestead is outside of Bozeman."
Cindy said," You have an ornery side and I wouldn't change anything about you."
Charlie laughed and said," I do love you hon and I never thought about it before and I don't have a proper ring."
He dropped to one knee and he said," Cindy Edwards will you marry me?"
She teared up and she said," Yes Charlie I want to marry you so badly."
She grabbed him by his neck and smothered him with kisses.
After that, he slowly got up and he sat back down and relit his pipe.
He said," I do love you hon."
He looked at his pocket watch and saw it was 10:00 and he said,"It is time to go to bed babe."
They went upstairs and Margret saw them and she said," I noticed C.W. on his knees."
Cindy almost whispering said," I kept saying I was married to Charlie I am not but I felt like I was married but he just proposed to me."
Margret teared up and hugged Cindy and Charlie and said," Congratulations, I am so happy for you 2 well I will still consider you married with these guests."
Cindy said," Thank you."
They walked upstairs and they went into their room and closed the door and Cindy dressed for bed by getting into her favorite night gown then brushed her hair out and Charlie pulled his hair out of his ponytail and got undressed to his boxers.
They both climbed into bed and they kissed each other good night and Cindy laid her head on his chest and they both went to sleep.