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he'd run with there, to the rough motorcycle group his father had belonged to when he wasn't working as a first rate diesel mechanic. All of it was cooling now, kissing him goodbye with a painful rush of images that he refused to let go of and didn't want to substitute with anything else-especially this bleak place.

They rode past the sign welcoming them to town:

WELCOME TO AGONY TEXAS
WE HANG HORSE THIEVES!

"No matter what you do, Charlie-boy. Don't steal any horsesplease." Carla said sardonically. They both chuckled. "This is it, pal. The real deal, the Wild, wild West you always dreamed of. . ."

Charlie could only stare out the window in pained disbelief.

"Well," She continued, reaching for the radio dial. "Let's see if we can pick up anything yet. I haven't gotten a station tuned-in since San Antonio and that was some sort of Farm report that nearly put me to sleep."

"You must be tired, Mom."

"I'm fine; I'll sleep once we're in the new house. Look, a baseball field!" Carla said.

The radio wound down Tex Ritter singing 'Back in The Saddle Again'. As the song ended, a very deep, slow drawling voice came behind it. . .

"Good morning, Agony, its six thirty and time for our community announcements. This is Travis Drylander on KAGY 650am, your source for news and the best music in the Pecos basin!"

"Oh man!" Charlie said. "Where'd they find this guy?" He couldn't help feeling a bit giddy as the town came into view. A swamp stood off to his right filled with oil rigs and pump-jacks. Beside it were fair grounds with some sort of activity going on in there; stands in progress of being built, some rides still on their trailers were littered here and there.

A tart, overpowering smell suddenly assaulted his senses.

"God! What is that awful reek?"

Carla wore a pinched expression as well,"Cattle." She pointed at the sign that read:

AGONY STOCKYARDS

The radio voice continued. . .

"Yes folks, this week our town celebrates its one hundred year anniversary and what a week its gonna be! This Saturday is the big day, the fair, the parade and,well. . .you all know about it 'cause it's all we've been talking about the last few weeks. But here's a run down of what all you can do this week. Now, this run down of events is brought to you by Lutz' Dinner. You all know Mildred puts on a real fine feed bag. Why just this morning I had another big'o plate of her biscuits and gravy and whew-lawd, that was lip-smacking good, folks! Yes, sir, hard to beat the food at Mildreds, so, get on up, and

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