September 12, 2006
My cousin Tap Lou (Duncan) Weir is coming out today to visit with my mother this morning. She grew up in Kingman and is named after Tap Duncan (her grandpa). Speaking of Kingman, a subscriber, Bud Hart from Kingman called this morning and wondered when I was in Kingman and I said, " 1956-1966. Are you related to Joe Hart?" and he said, "Yep, he's my ugly younger brother." That's so Kingman.

Here's an alert reader's response to our latest issue:

"I want you to look at something and tell me what you see.  The last issue of True West page 22 the picture of Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer.  Is someone holding Kilmer's horse?  Look between his hand and his belt.  Is that a hand holding the reins of the horse?  Is that a modern straw had over his left shoulder?  HOLLYWOOD? 
 
"I could not tell but it struck me as funny.  In the movie everyone wore felt hats of the period and I don't remember the staw.  It could be something else but I was reading that article by Beck, and a good read, but I saw the picture and the cop in me keep asking what the hell is wrong here?" 
—Steve Sederwall, Capitan, New Mexico

Steve, you've got an eagle eye. I have seen that photo for ten years and never noticed it, but you're right. There is a hand below Kilmer's and that appears to be a straw hat behind his shoulder. I'd be willing to bet it's a horse wrangler. I met some of those guys on the set and they thought the costuming was fruitcake (so Kaboy), and they hated the hats, kept trying to curl them up on the sides (several of them rode as doubles for the leads) and Kevin Jarre and others kept having to correct their wardrobe, and of course, the wranglers would roll their eyes, intimating that these Hollywood guys didn't know what a real cowboy looked like, when ironically, they did and it was the kaboys who were full of it.

Dan Harshberger just walked in. It must be Kingman oldtimers day here in Cave Creek. I've got a bunch of artwork to post, but it'll have to wait.

"The dead don't die. They look on and help."
—D.H. Lawrence