
Message 588                                    DATE/TIME: 02/13/89 17:11
From   : JOHNNY DAGGER                      -- RECEIVED -- 
To     : SHADOW DANCER
Subject: Late one night...
Folder : A, "Abstract Artists"

  As I lean against the bar my brain starts turning thoughts over 
slowly.  Where can I possibly begin to tell the tale that has lead me 
leading this life; a life of danger and death, a life of wandering 
and unwantedness, a life that I'm not sure if I want to live much 
longer..
  "Well ma'am, it began many years ago in a small town named 
Mansfield.  It was a boring rumorsome place, the kind of town where 
the women can be found on any corner gossipping, and the men proudly 
dueling each other to their deaths... just to prove that they were 
REAL men.  It was a life I couldn't agree with, much less join in.  
So I backed away from their style and enjoyed myself the best I 
could.  Then Dawn Carroll came along... Literally the leader of the 
town.  She dated the top gunslinger (a ego filled man named Jeff) and 
was the prettest lady for miles.  She pulled me up and helped me 
adapt to the life in that small burg, a place I had despised from the 
start.  But then Jeff sniffed in, got worried for his woman.. Afraid 
a man like me could steal her away from him.  That's when the trouble 
began.."  Rolling, rolling the words came out, just as though it was 
the first time I told the story.  Odd, the ring seemed to be glowing 
stronger then before.  Shadow Dancer stood quietly next to me, 
looking deep into my eyes, searching for truth, knowing she would 
find it.  I reached for the strong drink, drained it as I continued 
my tale with tears forming in my eyes....
  "Dawn tried to tell Jeff that we were just good friends, but he 
wouldn't believe it.. Soon all his friends would tease him, telling 
him he couldn't control his woman.  And it only made Jeff madder.  So 
he began taking it out on Dawn.  I knew that I was ruining her 
relationship, but then I realized that's what I wanted from the 
start...I wanted her to be mine." Sighing, I relived each painful 
memory over in my mind.  Strangly, it seemed as if it was all 
happening again.  "I though and I thought, weighing all the points 
while Jeff and his "real" men continued to harass me.  Finally, I 
decided to give it all for her.  To make her happy I would have to 
leave.  That day as I packed my bag, Jeff stormed into my room and 
challenged me to one of his duels.  As I tried to explain he became 
only more furious, pushing and hitting.  I lost my control and told 
him to meet me in the street in ten minutes... Off he went to prepare 
himself for the revenge he believed in.   As for me, I knew then it 
was the beginning of the end..."
  "As I walked down the stairs and out into the street I noticed that 
no one was around.  The whole town had disappeared, obviously 
watching from some safe spot, for my blood to run into the ground.  I 
stepped into the street seeing him just down 'aways, hands on his 
guns.  For once in this town I stood tall, faced him and 
waited.........But then she appeared. Dawn ran out of nowhere.. 
Running to me. 'Noooo..  Dawn, nooo!' I yelled, but I was too late. I 
heard the gun fire and saw Dawn, her brown eyes deep and beautiful go 
cold, as she fell to the ground dead."  As tears slowly went down my 
tear, I saw Dawn fall again in my mind, and felt the same loss again 
in my heart...but strange, the ring was hot and glowing strongly 'i 
will have to check that ring later' I thought...
   "At the  moment she hit the ground I fired, and fired and fired, 
and kept firing as my weapon clicked uselessly.  Jeff fell with tears 
running down his face, his body broken to match his heart.. He had 
killed the woman we loved.. I decided then to leave. Without anything 
but the clothes on my back and my gun in my holster.. I vowed to 
never love again, to travel endlessly.... For where I had been  
beaten in life, Jeff beat me in death.. HE was with her.... And so I 
rode out of town, alone, this time not just in my mind.  From there I 
went from town to town, learning, fighting and living.. The three 
gunmen that shot me... they were sore poker players... I had taken 
all their money and they wanted it back.. I guess I couldn't make it."
Wait, this woman made me remember, i thought.  Or maybe it was the 
ring... But she looked at me with care in her eye ready to  
speak......but I waved them away.  This was not the place for that 
kind of words.... Turning slowly towards the door, I regreted it 
immeaditely, making myself alone again.  As I walked out the swinging 
doors and into the dark I thought, 'not here, i can't leave this 
town.. there is something here for me'.....Oddly enough the ring 
seemed to squeeze my hand in reassurance............
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Msg # 588  [13..634]  ? -
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Message 567                                    DATE/TIME: 04/11/99 17:07
From   : SHADOW DANCER                      -- RECEIVED -- 
To     : JOHNNY DAGGER
Subject: Late one night...
Folder : A, "Abstract Artists"

        Slowly I approached the bar wondering if I should get too 
close to a man that entered the bar blood stained and dying, only to 
disappear and reappear healed and changed.  
        "Hello stranger, I'll buy you a drink, If you tell me who you 
are and what you're doin' in our town," I said.
        He looks at me as if he doesn't know what to say. After 
staring at me for a few minutes he stammers, "I would ma'am if I 
could remember myself."
        "You mean you don't even know what happened when you were 
lying on the floor of the bar?"
        "I'm afraid not."
        I take a long look at this stranger who says his name is 
Johnny Dagger, taking in his new leather clothes, his guns and his 
air of confusion.  For some reason I believe him.  
        "Ok Johnny, or whatever your name is, I'll have to accept 
that for now, but if you cause any trouble for anyone in here, We 
won't have any problems with throwing you back out in the desert 
where you wondered in from."  Turning towards Igor, I look at the 
bartender in a way to say that the stranger is alright...for now.
        "Igor, pour the man a drink." After taking our drinks, I 
again begin to wonder if I am being as stupid and as gullible as I 
used to be.  If this man has a killer following him for reasons he 
won't say, the whole town could be in trouble because of me.
        "Johnny tell me everything you remember.  My trust isn't 
easily given, so be warned don't ruin that trust.  Or you'll have 
more than one gunman after you..."
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Msg # 567  [13..634]  ? -
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Message 553                                    DATE/TIME: 04/11/99 09:34
From   : JOHNNY DAGGER                      -- RECEIVED -- 
To     : JOHNNY DAGGER
Subject: Late one night...
Folder : A, "Abstract Artists"

  As I limped over to the bar I noticed the people of Westside were 
eyeing me warily.  Well, I would too if some stranger fell in my bar, 
disappeared and then came back in full health.  "What is it about 
this town," I thought to myself.  "I get this funny feeling that it's
right for me to be hear, and yet I have no idea how I got here."  If 
only I could remember through the haze, to the time after I fell from 
the horse.  "Oh well, I guess I'll remember later," I mused..
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Msg # 553  [13..634]  ? -
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Message 502                                    DATE/TIME: 03/03/93 22:27
From   : JOHNNY DAGGER                      -- RECEIVED -- 
To     : DOC BROWN
Subject: Late one night...
Folder : A, "Abstract Artists"

As Johnny heard the hoofsteps beat off into the distance, his vision 
wavered and everything turned black.......
        "Where am I?" I mumbled as i stepped in the inky darkness.  
Looking down I noticed my clothes were not my own, but fine black 
leather, clean and well-fit.  As I examined myself I noticed the 
gunshot wound I recieved had healed leaving only a small round scar 
two inches above the knee.  I tested the leg and felt little pain, 
but it seemed to cause a slight limp.  "Hmmm.. Now how do I get out 
of this place," I wondered.........  Looking around, I noticed a 
ring, hanging in mid-air!  As i reached for it I fell. down farther 
and farther... Once again I flet reality slipping away... the 
darkeness closing in..
         "Where am I?" Johnny mumbled as he lifted his head off the 
floor.  The entire bar stared at Johnny as one particluarly big man 
walked over to him and questioned, "Boy, I don' know who you are or 
what ya just did,  but disapearin' just ain't regular in these parts. 
 Now who are you and where did you come from?"
   Carefully Johnny pushed himself off the floor and began to speak, 
"I was ridin' through a dust storm when all of a sudden three riders 
appeared.  I shot the first two, but the third got away.  He must'a 
turned around as he rode off, cause I felt a pain in my right  leg, the 
horse jumped, and the last thing I remember was hittin' the ground.  
That seemed to be a few days ago, and the blood kept comin' but I 
finally saw this town and thought it was my last chance... From there 
on, you know the rest..."
   "What," the big man repeated, "is your name, you long  winded 
cowhide!!??"
    "Johnny.  Johnny Dagger." I replied.  It was then that I first 
noticed the ring pulsing on my finger.  The same ring from the dream. 
 And the clothes were the same too.  But no one seemed to 
notice.......
    "Well, ya better watch yourself.  No more tricks, or out of town 
you'll go.  GOT IT??!!"  the man rumbled..
    "Just a tricky kind of guy I guess," I answered.  "Now anybody 
want to buy a stranger a drink," I asked as I limped to the bar.......

cc: Johnny Dagger
    
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Msg # 502  [13..634]  ? -
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Message 500                                    DATE/TIME: 03/03/93 20:57
From   : DOC BROWN                          -- RECEIVED -- 
To     : JOHNNY DAGGER
Subject: Late one night...
Folder : A, "Abstract Artists"

"Doc Brown bounded over the bar table in a Herculean leap, and landed 
squarely on both feet in front of the dazed Johnny Dagger."
'I'M HERE!  Dispell your worries... the DOC has ARRIVED!!' he exclaimed.
"Johnny Dagger looked up, confused and disoriented, and saw four 
Dr.Browns weaving back and forth over his bloodied body."
'Doc.... Doc.... I have to tell you this...' Johnny moaned.
'What, son?  Are you a Gunfighter?' Doc paused, and sighed.  'We've
got plenty of those about the town.'
'No, Doc.  It's just that -I don't have health insurance.'
'Oh.  I see.' Doc slowly shook his head.  Then he looked up-
'I hear sickness and disease spreading across the land!  Ah, duty 
calls, and I must be off!  Someone find a Nurse for this man-'
...and with a gigantic leap, Doc burst out of the Saloon and into the 
street and onto his horse, off to see new (& paying) patients."
              ++ AMA be damned, they condone me anyway! ++
                             Dr. Brown!!!
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Msg # 500  [13..634]  ? -
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Message 496                                    DATE/TIME: 03/03/93 20:13
From   : JOHNNY DAGGER
To     : ALL
Subject: Late one night...
Folder : A, "Abstract Artists"

 It had been a quiet evening in the saloon; the cards played slow and 
the drinks fast.  Suddenly the swinging doors burst open as a man 
fell through them... straight to the floor.  His black shiny hair 
covered in dirt, his cloths covered with dust caused a small cloud to 
rise and settle around him on the floor.   Slowly he raised his head, 
his black eyes glittering in pain, "help.." he murmered, and his head 
slammed back to the floor.   A small puddle of blood appeared to his 
right seemingly flowing from his leg as a cry was raised, "Where's 
Doc Brown"...............

cc: Johnny Dagger
    