. . . and living was mistakes not made

Play Late,

Starting with lyrics . . .

The old gunfighter on the porch
stared into the sun
and relived the days of living by the gun
when deadly games of pride were played
and living was mistakes not made

and the thought of the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
Ah, the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

It's always keep your back to the sun
and he can almost feel the weight of the gun
it's faster than snakes or the blink of an eye
and it's a time for all slow men to die
and his eyes get squinty and his fingers twitch
and he empties the gun at the son of a bitch

and he's hit by the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
hit by the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

Now the burn of a bullet is only a scar
he's back in his chair in front of the bar
and the streets are empty and the blood's all dried
and the dead are dust and the whiskey's inside
so buy him a drink and lend him an ear
he's nobody's fool and the only one here

who remembers the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
remember the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

He said I stood in that street before it was paved
learned shoot or be shot before I could shave
and I did it all for the money and fame
noble was nothing but feeling no shame
and nothing was sacred but stayin' alive
and all that I learned from a Colt 45

was to curse the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
curse the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

Now he's just an old man that no one believes
says he's a gunfighter, the last of the breed
and there are ghosts in the street seeking revenge
calling him out to the lunatic fringe
now he's out in the traffic checking the sun
and he's killed by a car as he goes for his gun

So much for the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
so much for the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

People either love me or hate me . . . and they take almost no time to decide. For me . . . it’s about the same. I am leaving a lot of folks I love behind . . . and it feels like a mistake. There is a scar on the back of my hand that will always remind me of someone I loved and now hate. Emotion is funny that way. And leaving WOW comes with a lot of emotion for me.

Hallgrima, Twinkleheal, Akmalla, Clive’, Owl’ and Fel’ and otheres . . . they are a family to me that is hard to explain [as my gal questions that 'silly game'] and I know that in the next game they won’t be there. I want to stay just so I can be at their service and at their side, but that is not a reason that has ever kept me from moving on. Damn them . . . and bless them . . . and I WILL miss them.

I never know if folks have the same level of affection for me I have for them. I’m often surprised. I know Hall’ and I started this, but Twink was there [almost] when I turned 60 and he was there when I logged off [almost] for the last time. I will miss him most of all.

I’m downloading Vangaurd right now . . . and pouring another drink . . and lighting another cigar. I looked in the mirror and looked old. I’m . . . well . . could be called names like alcoholic or stalker or asshole, but I’m just a dwarf warrior moving on and none can say I wasn’t a good companion in an instance or incident.

I don’t know what Vanguard will bring, but I’ll report regularly. I expect a lot of the same, but I expect a lot of what Hall’ and I had first . . .wonderful confusion. We were in a world where we didn’t know . . . and that’s the world I want to return. I fear the rest of you are too comfortable with your levels and your characters and your understanding as well as your Thottbott. The adventure is gone . . . now it is just chasing quests and exploring for equipment.

I hope you will consider joining me in this new realm . . . partly cause I think it is right to move on an partly cause I will miss your companionship deeply. Yet, going it alone . . . yeah . . . I can do that.

Next stop . . . next post . . . SOH!

JBR