Sure is quiet around here.

[Delmonico]

Decidin' that he's has carried the anise shell thing long enough Delmonico reaces inta the over head compartment of the plane and grabs 2 boxes of 10 gauge shells and stuffs his pockets full before any one can see what is marked on them.

<We will be landin' at the Long Beach Orygun International Airport in 10 minutes, pleeese be seated and fasten yer saftey belt.  Thank you again fer flyin' Delmonico airlines.>

[Delmonico]

When the door of the plane is opened, Duke is the first one out again.     Delmonico is next and hollors back, "Annie you and Duke untie Forty Rod from the wing, he said he wouldn't get in this thing back in Great Falls so Slim and I tied him to the wing."    "I'll hail us a cab, I bet the cabby will know how to get to the local Starbucks."

"Oh one other thing, get FR to comb his hair, he looks like he's havin' a bad hair day."   (But at least he ain't complainin' about it bein' too quiet anymore.")

[Forty Rod]

  Somebody's about to get shot! 

[Advertising]

[Uncle Eph]

Del, I could be wrong but I think you missed by one state; Long Beach is either in Ca, or Wa, take your pick.

[Forty Rod]

Told you all this dang thing wasn't safe.

See, the driver and the navigator are both defective.  So's anybody who gets on this dang thing on purpose.

[Scattered Thumbs]

So this is what they calls an air plane hein! Funny contraption it is. I wonder if there is any future in this? 

[Delmonico]

In the night a disturbance is felt in the force.   The risin' sun shows that Hext has moved us to the Tall Tale section of Cas-City.  This means he don't belive were tellin' the truth.   Ok maybe we stretched it a bit.

After readin' the Uncle Eph post Delmonico reads the sign that says Welcome to Long Beach Washington International Airport.   Delmonico is glad the plale has one of the pewter controlled navygation systems or they would have ended up somewhere on the wrong side of the river.

But the right longatude and laddertude was plugged in so everything is ok.    If you want a peek use this link.

http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=13&Z=10&X=262&Y=3210&W=1&qs=%7cLong+Beach%7c%7c

The Long Beach International Airport is that strip of sand between town and the sea.  (Don't tell Forty Rod we landed on a beach. )

With that a taxi comes to take us to the Starbucks.   (I wonder if they have a saloon or Staarbucks in Dripping Springs Texas.)

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Hext is safe from the rampaging Delmonico, as the nearest Starbucks to Dripping Springs is in Austin, 12 miles away. The next closest one is in Lakeway, 14 miles away.

AnnieLee

[Delmonico]

Do they have an International Airport that will take a Learjet that is held together with rawhide, sinew and has A guy strapped to the wing who don't think it is safe to ride in.

(Delmonico's friends who work at Duncan Avation here in Lincoln would cringe at the rawhide and  sinew referance. )

[Delmonico]

As the taxi nears a Starbucks somewhere on the "NORTHSIDE" of the Columbia river Delmonico starts handin' Slim some 10 ga. shells.  "Here these are a new product of Delmonico Catridge Company, put one of each in the barrels of yer double."  (One is marked cumin seed, the other cayenne pepper.)  "When ya fire both barrels at once ya get chili powder."

"Buck here's some new ones fer yer 45-70 Fishgun, don't think nuthin' bout the eyes, the're 45 caliber sardines, special loads just fer fish guns.  Annie here's another box of gumdrop loads fer yer 45 Colts, Scattered Thumbs had to work, sides that he needs to tell me what he shoots if he wants food fight ammo. " 

"Some one go out and untie Forty Rod off the hood and see if he needs ammo, wait better not give him any.  You'd think he'd want to ride inside the veeeeehickles." 

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Scattered Thumbs got turned loose early and he bailed out for home. I dunno about this, I kinda like Walt!

<Loads up anyway, mumbling> Don't tell the Frumpy Fairy Godmother I am doing this.

[Delmonico]

I like Walt too, thats why I pick on him a little, I never pick on anyone I don't like. (Slim breaths a sigh of relief. )  The idea is he's young and easily influenced, he's gonna be better off hangin' round us that these folks in Starbucks.  He ain't been on-line much lately, I'm hoping he ain't in there and he's finnally got the doors open and bulbs in his new house.

Delmonico and the crew walk inta the Starbucks and walk up to the bar.  "Arbuckle's EEEesssprrresssoo fer us humans please.  Oh and the dog wants one of those fancy imported $5 bottles of Cola."

[Forty Rod]

Last time I landed on a beach, I had the time of my life.  Landing boats, amphibs, about six thousand Marines and Swabb....uh, Sailors (Why do they still call 'em 'sailors'?  Most of 'em wouldn't know a sail from a fid.), guns, an' planes, an' choppers, an' rockets, an' bombs.  Lots of explosions, shootin', yellin', and cussin'.

Yeah!

My kind of beach party.

If you folks never pick on anybody you don't like, I'm gonna change my name to Forty Rod, The Much Beloved.

[Delmonico]

Go ahead and change it.

No get what ever ya brought to the food fight and see if these folks even know what Arbuckle's is.  

Don't worry Annie, I went and checked Walt's picture he ain't in here so he don't have to worry 'bout friendly fire.

[Delmonico]

The person behind the Starbucks bar looks at Delmonico and says, "And um, ya like mean, ah you know a er um esspresso.  Or like ya know would like um er ya know rather have a grape lattee with soy milk."

Well the chili powder was thick in that coffee house, gumdrops were a flyin', Delmonico and crew head out the door and inta the taxi and back to the plane.   A shot of ether in the left engine got it goin'.  (It'll fly but not take off on one engine, Delmonico needs to get it overhauled someday.) 

As Forty Rod heads to the wing, Delmonico grabs him and drags him inside.  "Pard I looked at the next stop, ya might want to be in here when we land.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Dang it, I didn't get to shoot at that thing that makes gingerbread latte. What ever makes that just isn't human and really needs to be shot!

[Delmonico]

As the plane levels off in flight Delmonico goes and talks to the  plane driver. (I really should learn to spell the other word.)   A quick check shows that one of the crew is missin', Slim ain't here. 

"Hey did anyone see what happened to Slim, I think they got him, I checked and his light is out.  Poor Slim, got his light put out in a food fight in a Starbucks."

"Lets have a moment of silence for poor Slim who got the whole day off at verk."

"Guess what I found."

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Slim's not the only one off verk today, though some of us are doing the kind of work where you get paid with a clean house and clothing.  What'd you find?

[Delmonico]

First put the guns away, we're goin' on a friendly visit.  I done looked and there is a landin' strip 'bout 5 miles NW of Dripping Springs Texas, it's on the Geo map.  But I looked at the Saterlite photo and there is one right in town.  Click on this link, it's kinda crooked but the plane driver says with some fancy reverse thusters and after burners he thinks he can land on it.  That's why Forty Rod is inside, the rope might not hold up.

http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=10&Z=14&X=2940&Y=16704&W=1&qs=%7cDripping+Springs%7c%7c

Radio Hext and have him meet us at the plane with Essspreeessooo.

[Russ T Chambers]

First put the guns away, we're goin' on a friendly visit.  I done looked and there is a landin' strip 'bout 5 miles NW of Dripping Springs Texas, it's on the Geo map.  But I looked at the Saterlite photo and there is one right in town.  Click on this link, it's kinda crooked but the plane driver says with some fancy reverse thusters and after burners he thinks he can land on it.  That's why Forty Rod is inside, the rope might not hold up.

http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=10&Z=14&X=2940&Y=16704&W=1&qs=%7cDripping+Springs%7c%7c

Radio Hext and have him meet us at the plane with Essspreeessooo.

Hope he has a drogue chute and is good with differential braking.    Rot’s a ruck, and it hope the nose gear holds on those curves!