Robert

Jimmy saw it the moment he walked into the thrift shop; a Marlboro thermos. He stared for a few seconds. He picked it up, and slowly turned the bottom up. He saw the scratched-in letters: Big Jim.### "Son of a bitch."###
"I can make you the proud owner of that for $1.50."###
"I don't know about the proud part, but I reckon I'll be the owner."###The door squeaked as Jimmy got in his truck. He placed the thermos on the seat, and stared past the crack in the windshield. He closed his eyes and thought of that night.### "Jimmy, we're going up to the gulch tonight. Them damn coyotes are getting too many calves. Bring plenty of ammo, and fill my thermos."###Jimmy saddled the horses, and secured the packs on the mule. They arrived at the cottonwood Big Jim liked at dusk. After supper, they settled around the fire. Jimmy loaded his Henry.###"You ain't said two words since we started."###Jimmy stared into the darkness.###"Sometimes a man has to do things."###"You hurt Momma bad."###"She don't listen."###"Momma says she's gonna leave if you don't stop."###Gripping his Henry, Jimmy's knuckles were white.###"You'd like to shoot me, wouldn't you boy?"###After a few minutes, Big Jim said, "You ought to head up in theose rocks. Near full moon, we'll have good shooting light."###Jimmy found a spot with a good view of the gulch. He thought how hard and cold the boulders were.###About midnight, they could hear yipping. Jimmy levered his Henry, and sighted down the draw.###Big Jim was making his way up the rocks, when he lost his footing. He managed to grab ahold of an outcrop. As he hung on, he shouted, "Shit."###Jimmy leaned his rifle against a rock, stretched across the outcrop, and grabbed Big Jim's arms. As Big Jim was about to gain a purchase on the outcrop, Jimmy's heel kicked the butt of his Henry. The hammer was still cocked when the rifle hit the ground.###Jimmy opened his eyes, and started the truck.###He muttered, "How appropriate, your last word."