March 5, 2007 Bonus Blog
Some "failures" end up to be sucessful, it never fails. Case in point: several weeks ago we all went over to Wickenburg for the Gold Rush Days parade. Afterwards I was to do a speech on the Main Stage which turned out to be a portable stage with wheels, that listed towards the pavement in an alley, with a three-tiered, set of short bleachers along the wall on the opposite side of the alley. Cars were driving by, and cars were parked along the far curb, in between me and the ten people who were there to listen. Two left. So I lost almost a quarter of my audience before I stopped talking. This is known in the biz as balls-out failure.

Fast forward to this morning and Carl J. Anders, a retired Master Sergeant for the Illinois State Police, called Sam and said he heard me talk in Wickenburg and in my speech I encouraged anyone who came through Cave Creek to stop in for the "official" tour and was that offer still good? Sam assured him it was and three couples showed up at 11. I gave them the first-class tour and they bought a subscription and $275 dollars worth of books (each couple bought a set of Classic Gunfights and two bought Tales of The True West).

You just never know who you are going to touch. Here's another case in point:

“We knew ye back when. Followed your sordid career at New Times. Then wandered into Suzanne Brown's art gallery for your 2nd show, quite by accident as we were just cruising the street.

“I was quite taken by the painting of the Earps and Doc leaning into the wind, but was torn between it and the close-up of the same scene. You took down the one and brought it over to hold it up for direct comparison. We decided upon the former and you took it up to the checkout counter, while we continued surveying the other works. Back in the rear of the gallery were some leftovers from the Billy book. We picked up the one of the posse heading out to Tunstall's ranch. Upon reaching the checkout counter, I looked up and there was the map of Tombstone. We mentioned that we had just bought some property in Ash Canyon, right about there (pointing at the map). That lead to taking that one home, too.

“You then signed a couple of books for us, ‘the hippest folks in Mesa’.

“Well, we're not in Mesa anymore. In 1997 we moved to Harrison, Arkansas, yeah the scene of Henry Starr's demise. Can't get away from the history.

“Then, fast forward to last Wed. evening. I was in a hotel room, surfing the tv, and who should be on the tube, but ol' Triple B. Hey, I know that guy. And lo and behold, you're listed as HMFIC of True West magazine. Well, well, well. You finally got a real job.

“Then, when I went to the magazine website, and read your blog about your mom, it just didn't seem like a good time to give you a ration of shit. But let me say this, Walleye Patti was right. We haven't seen a True West magazine since leaving AZ. Then again, Miss Lillie's baby boy has touched more people than he knows. Every time we go upstairs and enjoy your works (all the paintings are up there on the walls in the loft) we are reminded of a fun time.”
—Jim & Debby

The TV show I think Jim and Debby are referring to, is the piece Tequila from the Cowboys Show on the Outdoor Channel did. Sam stuck her head into my office last Thursday and said, "Have you been on TV lately? We got 30 subscriptions last night on the website." You just never know where this stuff is going to come back. We taped those two pieces (one on me and one on the magazine) last fall.

I also was pleasantly surprised to see the results of our poll on whether you have read Western comics or graphic novels. 49% of you said yes. Amazing, and encouraging. We've got a new poll posted: “Do you ever volunteer for preservation projects?”

One More Bobbie Tribute Comment
“Lovely tribute to your mom. Robert. My mom sends along her condolences as well. She was always so sweet to all of us and I can almost here her voice when you did somethng: 'Oh, Robert.' I also remember the tacos made in the oven, a first for me, and her fried eggs. I hated fried eggs then, but never told her and always finished them. She had great patience with us. I didn't know she had lost two stillborn children. I look forward to giving you a hug at her services, my friend. All later differences aside, she was still quite a mom for a Kingman kid.”
—Charlie Waters

Onion Headline de Jour
Wife Always Dragging Husband Into Her Marital Problems

"All is perspective. To a worm, digging in the ground is more relaxing than going fishing."
—Clyde Abel