October 30, 2009
Went to Tonto Bar & Grill for lunch with Paul Hutton. Had a club sandwich. He bought. Jammed on finishing Mickey Free. Paul came up with a possible breakthrough for telling the story in a more succinct way. Very encouraging. Both of us have been diverted with health issues and we are finally able to clear the decks and talk about bringing this project to fruition.

Mole Man's Top Ten
Based on his homecoming tour of Mexican food restaurants in our area, Tomas Bell has completed his top ten favorite mole list and here it is:

10. Mucho Gusto, Tempe

9. Parilla Suiza, Paradise Valley

8. El Encanto, Cave Creek

7 Adrian's, Phoenix

6. Santiago's, Bisbee

5. Taco Villa, Phoenix

4. El Indio, Tucson

3. La Barquita, Phoenix

2. La Roca, Nogales, Sonora

1. El Conquistador, Phoenix

News From The Front Lines
"Hi Bob, I was looking though my latest issue of True West and I saw someone that I remembered watching on TV in the 50's, Guy Madison who starred in The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickock (side kick was Andy Devine). Seems like you have him labeled as Jock Mahoney, the Range Rider."
—David Minton, Lovington NM

David,
No, you are correct and we blew it. Oh, how we blew it. You are the 367th person to point this out to me—so far! Ha. I'm not complaining, it shows you guys are reading the magazine!
—BBB

I Can't Believe I Drew It
A page from my sketchbook on the mountains of Peru (we had just returned):

Listening To Criticism
Polyclitus, a famous sculptor in ancient Greece, once sculpted two statues at the same time: one in his living room, in public view, and one in his bedroom, that he worked on privately and kept wrapped in a tarpaulin. When visitors came by, they would comment on the public work, saying "The
eyes aren't quite right" or "That thigh is too long" and Polyclitus would incorporate their suggestions. All the while, however, he kept the other statue a secret. Both works were completed at about the same time and were mounted in the city square in Athens. The statue that had been designed by committee was openly mocked and ridiculed. The statue he'd done by himself was immediately proclaimed a transcendental work of art. People asked Polyclitus "How can one statue be so good and the other so bad?" and Polyclitus answered "Because I did this one and you did that one."

"True friends stab you in the front."
—Oscar Wilde