Last week John, Rose's brother, and I hung out in John and Rose's old "hood," North Beach. We had such a good time. I love to listen to John, so clever and great ideas. John and I share many things, not the least of all our love for Rose. John is a "Lonesome Dove" fan and a passion we have in common. "Lonesome Dove" is this very powerful cowboy TV mini series of a few years back. It was based on a book by Larry McMurtry and the only time I've known where the movie is equally as powerful as the book. The book/movie is about a group of cowboys taking a herd of cattle to Montana. John and I compared notes on our favorite parts. Not surprising, we both loved the episode where Gus, played by Robert Duvall, a renaissance man--bakes biscuits in the early morning while reading what his partner, Woodrow Call, played by Tommy Lee Jones , calls "the good book." Anyway, a treacherous outlaw salvage, "Blue Duck" steals Lorena, the prostitute who has taken up with Jake, a somewhat undependable former partner with Gus and Call when all three were Texas Rangers. Jake and Lorena are traveling close to the herd but he has gone to San Antone to gamble and left Lorena alone and that is when Blue Duck takes her. Are you following me here? "Whew!"
Gus, without hesitation, goes after Lorena. With drama in his path, he finds her, along with six or so Blue Duck cohorts. When night falls, Gus swoops down upon the gang and shoots 'em all and rescues Lorena. Is there any wonder that John and I would love that part. Heck, John is in fact, a U. S. Marshall and in my mind, John is "Gus," a renaissance man.
Rose loved John and was so proud of him that I know she is delighting in hearing us guffaw about "Lonesome Dove."
