volume one IN THE D U D L E Y C L A R K - Ohio Vine Tours

Pete mixes runny eggs with hash browns.
He lifts an eyebrow at Roy.
“Tolt ya.”
Lucy bends down and stares into Roy’s face.
“Damn. You got his eyes—he’s got Roy’s eyes. Damn. I
wisht Ma was still here. Hoo-whee. Roy Weston. From Texas.
I thought there was something familiar ’bout you when you come
in.”
ding
“Shoot. Y’all need anything, just hollar.” She starts to leave,
pauses to look at the two chewing men, and sighs. “Just think.
Willie Nelson and Roy Rogers on the same day. Hoo-whee.”
Roy sprinkles dots of aged hot sauce over his food.
“You should taste it first,” suggests Pete.
Roy shrugs, caps the bottle and sets it aside.
“Nobody’s ever told me I looked like nobody before. Nobody’s
ever said nothing about my name before, either.”
“Your lucky day. Say—can you make biscuits an’ gravy?”
Roy shrugs.
“Had a recipe, I could.”
“Back on th’ trail, cowboys called th’ camp cook a biscuit
shooter.”
“OK.”
Pete sips from his fourth cup of coffee.
“They got a museum down in California.”
“Biscuit shooters?”
Pete frowns.
“No. Roy and Dale.”
Roy leans in closer and lowers his voice.
“He really stuff his horse?”
Pete nods absently.
“Antelope Valley. It’s a ways from here. Always thought I
might like to visit.”
“That’s weird.”
Pete sets down his cup.
“Goin’ to California?”
Roy shakes his head.
ROY ROGERS IN THE 21ST CENTURY 2