Nathan had just completed a circuit of the town. It was New Year's Eve and the whole community was celebrating. The hotel and saloons were busy serving food and drinks. Children ran up and down the streets laughing and shouting as strings of firecrackers were set off. After some incidents last year, the town had decided to set aside areas specifically for firecrackers, and had also declared that anyone shooting off a weapon in the streets of the town would be arrested and fined. The seven were taking turns patrolling the town, trying to stop trouble before it began. When not doing a patrol, each was finding his own way to celebrate, eventually coming back to the saloon.
As he reached the saloon, Nathan gave the street one more survey. He noticed a figure sitting on the balcony near his room and paused with his hand on the door. With only a moment's hesitation he changed direction.
Reaching the top of the stairs, Nathan leaned against the balcony railing observing the man sitting before him.
"Ain't ailin' are ya, Ezra?"
Ezra's lips twitched in a smile as he turned his gaze to his friend.
"No, Mr. Jackson, I can assure you that I am in good health. I simply felt the need for some relative solitude."
Nathan was torn. He was curious as to what had driven Ezra away from the crowds and his card table, but he also wished to respect the other man's desire for privacy.
Correctly reading Nathan's hesitation, Ezra took a drink from his flask and then offered it to him.
Accepting the flask with a smile, Nathan joined Ezra on the bench, stretching his legs out in front of him.
For several minutes the men sat in a comfortable silence, watching as the celebration continued in the streets below, and taking turns drinking from the flask.
Ezra sighed contentedly. "While there are obvious drawbacks to the location of your abode, Nathan, I will admit that there are also advantages. In particular, the perspective one can gain on the town from here."
"Hadn't thought about that too much." Nathan paused, considering the thought. "Does help me see what's comin' sometimes. That what you're doin' out here? Gaining perspective?"
"Perhaps." Ezra took another drink from his flask. "I've realized that this is the second New Year I have welcomed here in this town, and I can't remember remaining in any other place as long."
Something in his tone caught Nathan's attention. "Since you've been away from your ma?"
"No, Nathan. Even as I child I led a traveling life. I don't remember staying anyplace for as much as a year."
Nathan considered what it would have been like to always be on the move. "Wasn't there a place you kept returning to?"
"Not even that. There were relatives I returned to at different times, but there was no consistent abiding place."
Nathan couldn't imagine not having a place to call home. He looked back over the town feeling he'd gained an insight into what Ezra was doing up here.
"Don't reckon you figured on bein' here near this long."
"Hardly. I had intended to gain as much money as I could, get a bath, at least one good meal, and head for more lucrative prospects. It seems that life had other plans."
"You sorry about that?"
"No, I'm not." There was a long silence and when he spoke again his voice was soft. "I must admit I have gained much by being here. Though assuredly not anything that my mother would approve of."
"Your mother does have her own way of lookin' at things."
"Indeed she does, my friend, indeed she does. I don't believe my mother would ever allow herself to become attached to a place, no matter how charming she might deem it." There was a rueful smile on his face as he continued. "I, on the other hand, seem to have acquired an unfortunate affinity for this dusty, backwater town of ours. As well as to its inhabitants. It is truly appalling."
Nathan couldn't hold back a grin at the comment, or the tone of pretended disgust in which it was delivered.
"When did you realize you had acquired this ‘affinity'?"
"I believe it finally sunk in when the railroad brought in that new Marshall and it looked like we would all be continuing on our separate paths. I consider that event to have been the worst part of this past year."
"Yeah. It was hard to lose what I'd built up here." Nathan thought back to that time. "But we came back. The town still needed us. Still does need us."
He turned to look at Ezra. "You sure that was the worst thing? I would have thought…" He trailed off, suddenly realizing he might be treading on dangerous ground in his relationship with the gambler.
"Thought what? That I would grant that position to the trouble with the ten thousand dollars?" Ezra returned the look with a crooked grin. "I actually consider that business to be the best thing that happened all year."
"What?" Nathan jumped from the bench, glaring at Ezra. "That money," he stopped, seeing Ezra's raised hand.
"Please, Nathan, let me continue."
Nathan searched Ezra's eyes and found an unexpected look of peace. "All right."
"Because of that money, I learned things about myself, and about my friends." Ezra never broke eye contact as he talked. "I realized that I was capable of fooling myself, and that I was worse than I thought."
"And better than you thought."
"Yes, that too." Ezra looked embarrassed. "Apparently my friends know me better than I do myself." He took a deep breath. "I also learned that in spite of appearances, in spite of failures on both sides, that you all are truly my friends. And that is something worth any price. I won't be forgetting it any time soon."
For a long moment the men looked into each others eyes. Ezra tilted his head sideways and Nathan nodded.
"Well, now. That is more than enough sentiment for one night. Shall we see what our companions are doing?"
"Must be getting close to midnight." Nathan watched as Ezra pulled out his pocket watch.
"We have about ten minutes." He looked down into the street. "I do believe Mr. Larabee is looking for us."
Nathan turned and saw the gunslinger standing at the saloon doors. "And here comes Buck." He nodded towards the man who was sauntering down the street.
"Let us join them and our other compatriots in raising a toast to the New Year."
"After you." Nathan made a sweep of his hand towards the stairs and the two men shared a quick grin before trotting down the stairs.
The End
