He could feel the coffee making its way through his system just as he missed the exit to “Fairytale Village”. He’d have to hold his bladder long enough to make it to the next exit, “Western”. The vibrations of the motorcycle were not helping his plight.

Riding off the exit, only the rolling desolate landscape ahead of him, he found a small tuft of trees. Deciding he couldn’t wait any longer without risk of spending the day in pissed soaked jeans he pulled off the road. Standing a few feet away from the bike, back to the road, doing his best to be as discreet as possible, he took care of his most urgent business.

He was just zipping back up when a voice from behind him said. “It’s about time you showed up, Dusty Dangerous”

Turning around, hand on his belt, Mike came face to face with a man on a white horse. The white clothes and white hat, a tin star on his pocket. Pistols at his hips, a rifle in his hands. “I told you if I ever saw your yellow belly around here again, there’d be a price to pay.” The man said.

Mike raised his hands in the air.

******

Mike could hear shutters and doors closing, he saw the bottom of feet running but mostly he saw the horses hooves on the dirt road as he was tied to the back of the horse like a sack of potatoes. Thankfully the ride wasn’t very long when the sheriff untied him and helped him off the horse. “Your accommodations await” He said, poking Mike in the ribs with the rifle.

Mike looked up and saw a small cement building with a sign above it that said “JAIL”. Inside he was put in a small cell with a cot with a wool blanket laying on top.

“Inside with you” The sheriff said.

The barred door swung easily. “Don't I get a phone call?” .

Only silence answered him as the sheriff walked away.

Mike looked out the small barred window. Across the road he could see a building with swinging saloon doors with a sign hand painted above it. “Firewater Saloon”.

He could see people walking on the road..

“Sherriff, what’s going on around here?” Mike called out.

A skinny, short man came into the room. “Sherriff’s not here, I’m supposed to watch you. I’m Deputy Parsons”

“There’s gotta be some mistake, I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Sheriff said you’re Dusty Dangerous, the outlaw wanted for robbing the stage coach last week.”

“That’s not me, my name is Mike, I’ve never even been here before. I was just looking for a bathroom.”

“Sheriff said you’d probably come up with some wild lie like that.”

“The judge will be here tomorrow, you can tell him your stories then.”

“Tomorrow, I can’t spend the night in this place. You can’t keep me here.”

Just then a shot rang out, a commotion on the street that Mike couldn’t see was happening, Deputy Parsons put on his white hat and ran outside.

A few minutes later a woman in a cotton shift dress came in and went straight to the cell. “Come on, Dusty, we ain’t got much time.”

“What’s going on?” Mike asked.

“I’m bustin’ ya out, that’s what.” The woman took a key out of the folds of her dress and slipped it easily in the lock, the door swung open. “Come on, before they get back.” She said taking Mike by the hand and leading him outside.

Outside in the late afternoon sun, Mike could see a wooden platform being built, in front of it lay the sheriff, bleeding in the dirt.

“Quit pussy footing around, if we get caught, those gallows will be for us.” The woman said, pulling Mike along.

A church bell sounded. The sheriff stood up and brushed himself off, “That’s it folks, our last tourist for the day. Thanks for being a great sport.” He said as he walked over to Mike. “You did a great job of being the scared prisoner. Maybe next time talk about revenge or something. Carol here would’ve busted you out sooner if you had been making more of a scene.”

Carol let go of his hand, “Sorry, I thought you didn’t want to get out just yet for some reason.”

“Stop by the commissary across the street for your pay, feel free to come join us anytime.” The sheriff said.

“You’re all actors?” Mike asked, puzzled look on his face.

“This is an old wild west town, kinda like our version of Colonial Williamsburg. If you’re looking for a job, come by tomorrow and we’ll talk.”

The untamed wilderness held endless possibility but for now Mike was staying put.