Merry Christmas everyone! In the spirit of the season thought Id share A High Chaparral Christmas Carol. This was written a few years ago and shared with several of the cast and crew who enjoyed it so its become a bit of a tradition. I hope you and yours have a blessed Christmas. A High Chaparral Christmas Carol By Jan Lucas, Penny McQueen and Ginny Shook (with apologies to Charles Dickens) Stave 1 (The Ghost) December fell in Tucson like water hitting fire, temperature plunging as the sun hid behind mountains. The threatened rain stayed in overhanging grey clouds, changing to nightly fog, heavy and thick, leaving the air wet and chilling the bones. Men, hardened to scorching desert air, ached with the cold. “I’d rather face July and August put together,” Joe Butler complained, coughing so hard he dropped a card on the bunkhouse floor. “Stop whining and make your bet,” Sam griped, eyeing his brother between swallows of whiskey. “Eh, Wind, have you noticed,” Pedro said casually as he rearranged his cards, “every time amigo Joe has a good hand, he starts to cough? Mira – he is about to raise.” “I do not cough,” Joe growled, pushing his dollars into the growing pile in the center of the table. He attempted to stifle the next explosion, cleared his throat loudly to mask the sound. Wind pushed his money forward, looked at grinning Pedro, and pulled it back. “I fold,” he sighed. Reno laughed. “You believe everything you hear, Wind? Just so you know, there ain’t really a man in a red suit and white beard bringing you presents on Christmas Eve.” Impassive dark eyes stared across the top of fanned cards as the half-Pawnee considered. “My people believe the spirits teach us wisdom and truth, that seems more important that a sack full of material possessions.” “That’s cause you ain’t got any,” Ira offered. “Mrs. Cannon had me helping her wrap presents this morning. Did you know you gotta put your finger in the middle of a bow to tie it? Big box, too.” He tossed coins onto the table. “I raise you five.” “So Mrs. Cannon is Santy Claus?” Reno grinned. “Joe has a cold is all.” said Sam suddenly. “Maybe he should drink less and sleep more.” The younger Butler drank deep from the whiskey bottle. “Stop being my mother,” he said, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “’Course I’ve got a cold. It’s freezing outside and it’s freezing in here. John Cannon’s working us all into an early grave. Should be good enough to get the cows to the army when they’re due, but he’s gotta get them there early. I’m surprised he lets us get any sleep at all.” He fingered his cards in irritation. “Your bet, Joe.” Wind’s eyes flickered with humor. The poker players leaned forward as one. “I ain’t going to cough!” “All I know is, you have been coughing all night and you been winning all night.” Pedro said. “He’s been coughing every night,” Ira grumbled. “You’re all loco. I ain’t coughing. I see your raise and here’s ten more. See? No cough. Next thing you’ll be saying I marked the deck.” A sudden explosion of a cough spattered blood on the cards in his hand. Continue here: chaparralbonanzafanfic/Chris_Carol.htm
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 15:09:15 +0000
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