August 18, 2006
Still hot and muggy, but the mornings are cooler. Those damn cutting horse women brought two dogs with them this morning, one a German Shepherd, so I had to cut my bike ride short to avoid a dog down (as opposed to a downward dog).

I’ve decided to move the Ellsworth Classic Gunfight where Ben Thompson treed the town and Wyatt Earp did nothing to stop him (mainly because he wasn’t there) out of the next issue. Instead I’m going to do the Luke short vs. Long-Haired Jim Courtright fight in Fort Worth, Texas for the November issue and save the Ellsworth fight for December, so Gus can do a rip-snortin’ map. Tom Bicknell and pards have done a wonderful reference map (actually two) and I sent it down to Alabama yesterday so the Mapinator can do his topo thang.

Speaking of Luke Short, he had one of the prettiest wives I think I’ve ever encountered in looking at Old West photos. Granted, Etta (or Ethyl if you want to get all technical) Place, the girlfriend of the Sundance Kid, was a definite looker, but I think Mrs. Short is even more beautiful. If they ever do a Luke Short movie one can easily see Kiera Knightly or Winona Ryder playing her and it’s not a reach. Nope. She’s one fine honey. I got this photo from a gentleman in Tombstone way back in November of 2000, when we did a live radio show in the Birdcage Theater. He just walked up to me between breaks and gave me the photo. Said he was doing a book on Luke Short (and I think he said he was related). I went back and looked in my daytimer but he’s not in there. I’d like to give this gentleman credit so if you know him please have him contact me here. Thanks.

More Golden Boot Award Sightings
“Missed seeing you at the Golden Boot Awards festivities this year, Bob. But, even without you around TRUE WEST had a good presence at the event! As usual, there was a copy of a current issue in everyone's gift bag at the main affair. Being the TRUE WEST Maniac I am, I took it upon myself to see how many folks I could catch reading their copies as they supped. I sorta lost track of how many—but, thought you might be interested in knowing who I caught glancing at TRUE WEST (sure wish they would've allowed me to snap photos inside the banquet hall!). Among the folks I caught giving TW a gander (either at the main event or just before): L.Q. Jones, Stuart Whitman, Walter Hill, Burt Reynolds, William Sanderson (Billy to his pals), Powers Boothe, Peter Graves, Henry Silva, Francine York, Drew Gomber, Anne Jeffreys, and legendary producer A.C. Lyles! What a mob..what a crowd!”
—Chris Casey, Maniac #946, Sierra Vista, AZ

The only one in that crew I have a hard time believing is Drew Gomber. He can read?

Also, Phil Spangenberger told me he was back stage when Wes Studi (Geronimo, Last of the Mohicans) came in and walked up to Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby and everything Naomi Judd has ever done), saying, “I didn’t know you were taller than me.” to which Morgan replied, “I’ve always been taller than you.”

“People like [Boze and I], who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubborn, persistent illusion.”
—Albert Einstein