OW

Lord, he was sore. His normally pink skin was sprinkled with splotches of blue, gray, purple and yellow, gained today in the saloon brawl started by five fools with more nerve than sense.

One, two, three, Ezra silently counted the bruises dotting his chest and stomach. Oops, there was another one. Four then. Wincing, he touched the reddened skin around one green eye. Six times this had happened in the last month. Six!  Idiots would get liquored up and start a fight, requiring whichever of the Seven were closest to end it.

The life of a lawman certainly was hazardous.

ATF

"- - -seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty. Open your eyes!"

Buck whistled appreciatively as he obeyed the command. Balloons of every color in the rainbow filled the room, red, pink, yellow, green, blue, orange and silver; and behind each strategically placed sphere, the curving body part of a beautiful smiling stripper.

"Well, all right!"

"The boys and I got together and decided to help you celebrate your 45^th in style," Chris told him. "Fifteen ladies, three balloons apiece." He handed him a small box. "Have fun."

Opening the box, Buck grinned and held up his gift. A shiny new straight pin.