Chester's Coffee. G
TITLE: Chester’s Coffee
AUTHOR: Ashley-Pitt
FANDOM: Gunsmoke
PROMPT: Gunsmoke. Matt/Chester. Chester’s Coffee.
GENRE: pre-slash
WORD COUNT: 1490
RATING: G
DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters, nor am I making any money from them. I borrow them once in awhile but put them away tidily.
AUTHOR’S NOTE I : Not beta’d. I was too tardy. All mistakes are mine. And Chester really talks like that… sorry.
AUTHOR’S NOTE II : Okay, I admit that I have a Chester/Dennis Weaver thing going on. More perhaps about that later. This story goes forward from a story I wrote a few years ago. Please go to my page to see the story. I can't make LJ work to show you at the moment.
Matt Dillon poured the last of the coffee into his cup and sat down at the table. He sipped. Somehow his coffee just never tasted right. Never quite like Chester’s.
Chester was the first of his friends to leave Dodge. That had been, what four years ago. No, it could have been that long since he had gotten that letter from Chester.
Matt leaned back in his chair and stretched out legs.
First Chester and then …
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Matt, Matt. Can you hear me?”
“Yeah, Doc. I hear you. What happened?”
“You were shot by that Scrogg fellow. But you got him, he is dead.”
“Doc?”
“Yes Matt.”
“Why do I hurt so much? I don’t remember hurting this bad when I was shot before.”
“Because, you have never been shot this bad before.”
“Oh.”
“Matt, have you ever thought of retiring? I mean a body, your body, can only stand so much abuse.”
“But Doc, I only just forty years old. I have a lot of marshalling left.”
“Well, the choice is yours I guess. Live to be a forty-one year old marshal or a sixty year old plain citizen.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That got Matt to thinking. Then one day about three months later he went to the bank, withdrew his small but adequate savings and bought a ranch. Then he went over to the office and wrote out his letter of resignation. He went to the stage office and posted it before he made his way to the last stop, The Long Branch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hello Kitty. Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure Matt. Come and sit down. Sam, two beers.”
“Kitty, I want to tell you two things and then ask you something.”
“All right Matt. Go ahead.”
“Well, first thing is that I bought a ranch. It is a small place about fifteen miles north of Dodge. It has good water, good pasture land, and some good ground for growing food. What are you smiling about, Kitty?”
“I know all about it, Matt.”
“How can you? I just signed the papers two hours ago.”
“It is a small town. Word travels fast.”
“Oh, yeah. Well, I resigned effective in two weeks… I suppose you know that too.”
“I guessed that was the special delivery letter to Washington that you posted an hour ago. I told you…”
“Yeah, it is a small town. So I am guessing you know what I am going to ask you now?”
“Yes. I have to tell you that I am very flattered, but I have to say no.”
“Why? I thought…”
“Matt, if you were ever going to ask me to marry you, you would have done it years ago. I love you dearly, but Matt Dillon, you just aren't the marrying kind. And besides, I am already engaged.”
“What?”
“Do you remember Jim Rackmil from a couple of years ago?”
“Yeah, I remember that we thought he had kidnapped you. Wasn’t he sort of a dude?’
“Yes, that is the man. But Matt, he s a real nice man, a gentleman. We have been corresponding. He settled up in Denver and never went back east. He says he loves me.”
“Do you love him, Kitty?”
“Matt, he says he loves me and he asked me to marry him.”
“But do you love him, Kitty?”
“Yes, Matt I do.”
“I see.”
“Matt. Can I ask you a favor? A big favor? Will you and Doc give me away at my wedding?
“Kitty, I have always wished that you would marry a man who would treat you right. I would be honored to.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Matt and Doc gave Kitty away at the biggest wedding Dodge City had seen in some time. The happy couple took the train to Denver the next day. And on that day Matt Dillon took off his badge, shook hands with the new Marshall and rode off to his ranch.
The next several months passed quickly as Matt got the ranch fixed up. Doc came out at least weekly to fish or play checkers, depending on how the weather was.
Then one day when Doc didn't show up at the usual time. Matt waited until the afternoon. He then saddled up his horse and rode into Dodge.
He went up the stairs to Doc’s office and knocked. No one answered.
He pushed the door open.
Doc Adams lay slumped over his desk. There was no sign of violence. The general opinion was that he died of nature causes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A horse whinny jarred Matt from his reverie. He heard a slight knock at the door.
He opened the door and there stood Chester. A little thinner, if that could be possible and a little worn, but Chester.
“Hello Mr. Dillon.”
“Chester. My golly it is good to see you. Come on in.”
“Mr. Dillon you sure are a hard man to find.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I rode home this morning. And when I went by Doc’s place I notice that his shingle was gone. So I tied up my horse and went up to his office to tell him. But the door was locked and when I peeped in the window the room was empty. So, I went back down the stairs and over to the office. But when I went in, there was this strange fellow sitting at your desk. And I said “I am looking for Mr. Dillon.” and he said, “Oh he retired. Can I help you?”
Well, I just backed out of there as quick as I could. I got all kind of swimmy headed and thought maybe I was having a bad dream. So I thought I would go over to the Long Branch and ask Miss Kitty what happened to everybody. So I walked in and looked around. I didn’t see Miss Kitty but Sam says. “Chester, long time no see. Have a beer!” so I went over the bar. And Sam told me everything. About you and Doc and Miss Kitty. So that is why it took me so long to get here.”
“Chester.”
“Yes Mr. Dillon?”
“ It is so good to see you. Sit down. And tell me where you have been for four years.”
“All right, Mr. Dillon. You got any coffee? I ran out of it about a week ago and I sure could use a cup.”
“Sure Chester. I have the makings right here.”
“Mr. Dillon? Could I make the coffee? I kinda talk better when my hands are busy. You have any eggs shells left over from breakfast? No? Any chicory? Well, I think the old grounds will be enough to flavor one pot. Well, after I left you the letter...you did get that letter? Oh my goodness, if you didn’t get the letter then…”
“Yes Chester. I did get your letter. Go on.”
“Oh. Well. Then you knowed what I had to do. So I followed them. All I really wanted to do was to ask them why they had to shoot me. His name was Jud Weems. I found that out after a spell. I followed them through Kansas and Oklahoma and Colorado. But I never could catch up with them. But one day, I rode in to Lamar. I was just tying up my horse when somebody yelled, “There’s a gunfight on Main street. It’s Jud Weems.” So I hurried over. But I heard two shots. I thought I was too late. But Jud Weems was a laying there on the ground and I went over to him. I hunkered down and said. “Jud Weems, You remember me? Why did you shoot me out on the prairie outside of Dodge?’ Well, he coughed and looked me and said, “Yeah, I remember you. You were that skinny Reb that we found.” And I said, “But why did you shoot me?” He said, “Oh we was just funning with you. I was all likkered up and I kinda missed.” And then he died.
Mr. Dillon I spent all them years thinking about him and then chasing him. He thought I was a a confederate soldier and I wasn’t. So, now…”
“You don’t know what you are supposed to do?”
“Yeah. I had to find out and to finish what was started. And now it is finished.”
“Chester?”
“Yeah, Mr. Dillon.?”
“This is the best coffee that I have had in years. Thank you.”
“Well…”
“And Chester, I have missed you not being here.”
“Me too, Mr. Dillon.”
“Well, I guess, I wanted to say that if you wanted to stay here and help me run this place, well, I would be obliged.”
“Oh, well, Mr. Dillon. I would. Mr. Dillon, I would be… .’
“Chester. If you are going to say yes to this, you have to start calling me Matt.”
“Oh, Mr. Dillon. Matt, I would purely like to stay here. Thank you.”
AUTHOR: Ashley-Pitt
FANDOM: Gunsmoke
PROMPT: Gunsmoke. Matt/Chester. Chester’s Coffee.
GENRE: pre-slash
WORD COUNT: 1490
RATING: G
DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters, nor am I making any money from them. I borrow them once in awhile but put them away tidily.
AUTHOR’S NOTE I : Not beta’d. I was too tardy. All mistakes are mine. And Chester really talks like that… sorry.
AUTHOR’S NOTE II : Okay, I admit that I have a Chester/Dennis Weaver thing going on. More perhaps about that later. This story goes forward from a story I wrote a few years ago. Please go to my page to see the story. I can't make LJ work to show you at the moment.
Matt Dillon poured the last of the coffee into his cup and sat down at the table. He sipped. Somehow his coffee just never tasted right. Never quite like Chester’s.
Chester was the first of his friends to leave Dodge. That had been, what four years ago. No, it could have been that long since he had gotten that letter from Chester.
Matt leaned back in his chair and stretched out legs.
First Chester and then …
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Matt, Matt. Can you hear me?”
“Yeah, Doc. I hear you. What happened?”
“You were shot by that Scrogg fellow. But you got him, he is dead.”
“Doc?”
“Yes Matt.”
“Why do I hurt so much? I don’t remember hurting this bad when I was shot before.”
“Because, you have never been shot this bad before.”
“Oh.”
“Matt, have you ever thought of retiring? I mean a body, your body, can only stand so much abuse.”
“But Doc, I only just forty years old. I have a lot of marshalling left.”
“Well, the choice is yours I guess. Live to be a forty-one year old marshal or a sixty year old plain citizen.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That got Matt to thinking. Then one day about three months later he went to the bank, withdrew his small but adequate savings and bought a ranch. Then he went over to the office and wrote out his letter of resignation. He went to the stage office and posted it before he made his way to the last stop, The Long Branch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Hello Kitty. Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure Matt. Come and sit down. Sam, two beers.”
“Kitty, I want to tell you two things and then ask you something.”
“All right Matt. Go ahead.”
“Well, first thing is that I bought a ranch. It is a small place about fifteen miles north of Dodge. It has good water, good pasture land, and some good ground for growing food. What are you smiling about, Kitty?”
“I know all about it, Matt.”
“How can you? I just signed the papers two hours ago.”
“It is a small town. Word travels fast.”
“Oh, yeah. Well, I resigned effective in two weeks… I suppose you know that too.”
“I guessed that was the special delivery letter to Washington that you posted an hour ago. I told you…”
“Yeah, it is a small town. So I am guessing you know what I am going to ask you now?”
“Yes. I have to tell you that I am very flattered, but I have to say no.”
“Why? I thought…”
“Matt, if you were ever going to ask me to marry you, you would have done it years ago. I love you dearly, but Matt Dillon, you just aren't the marrying kind. And besides, I am already engaged.”
“What?”
“Do you remember Jim Rackmil from a couple of years ago?”
“Yeah, I remember that we thought he had kidnapped you. Wasn’t he sort of a dude?’
“Yes, that is the man. But Matt, he s a real nice man, a gentleman. We have been corresponding. He settled up in Denver and never went back east. He says he loves me.”
“Do you love him, Kitty?”
“Matt, he says he loves me and he asked me to marry him.”
“But do you love him, Kitty?”
“Yes, Matt I do.”
“I see.”
“Matt. Can I ask you a favor? A big favor? Will you and Doc give me away at my wedding?
“Kitty, I have always wished that you would marry a man who would treat you right. I would be honored to.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Matt and Doc gave Kitty away at the biggest wedding Dodge City had seen in some time. The happy couple took the train to Denver the next day. And on that day Matt Dillon took off his badge, shook hands with the new Marshall and rode off to his ranch.
The next several months passed quickly as Matt got the ranch fixed up. Doc came out at least weekly to fish or play checkers, depending on how the weather was.
Then one day when Doc didn't show up at the usual time. Matt waited until the afternoon. He then saddled up his horse and rode into Dodge.
He went up the stairs to Doc’s office and knocked. No one answered.
He pushed the door open.
Doc Adams lay slumped over his desk. There was no sign of violence. The general opinion was that he died of nature causes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A horse whinny jarred Matt from his reverie. He heard a slight knock at the door.
He opened the door and there stood Chester. A little thinner, if that could be possible and a little worn, but Chester.
“Hello Mr. Dillon.”
“Chester. My golly it is good to see you. Come on in.”
“Mr. Dillon you sure are a hard man to find.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I rode home this morning. And when I went by Doc’s place I notice that his shingle was gone. So I tied up my horse and went up to his office to tell him. But the door was locked and when I peeped in the window the room was empty. So, I went back down the stairs and over to the office. But when I went in, there was this strange fellow sitting at your desk. And I said “I am looking for Mr. Dillon.” and he said, “Oh he retired. Can I help you?”
Well, I just backed out of there as quick as I could. I got all kind of swimmy headed and thought maybe I was having a bad dream. So I thought I would go over to the Long Branch and ask Miss Kitty what happened to everybody. So I walked in and looked around. I didn’t see Miss Kitty but Sam says. “Chester, long time no see. Have a beer!” so I went over the bar. And Sam told me everything. About you and Doc and Miss Kitty. So that is why it took me so long to get here.”
“Chester.”
“Yes Mr. Dillon?”
“ It is so good to see you. Sit down. And tell me where you have been for four years.”
“All right, Mr. Dillon. You got any coffee? I ran out of it about a week ago and I sure could use a cup.”
“Sure Chester. I have the makings right here.”
“Mr. Dillon? Could I make the coffee? I kinda talk better when my hands are busy. You have any eggs shells left over from breakfast? No? Any chicory? Well, I think the old grounds will be enough to flavor one pot. Well, after I left you the letter...you did get that letter? Oh my goodness, if you didn’t get the letter then…”
“Yes Chester. I did get your letter. Go on.”
“Oh. Well. Then you knowed what I had to do. So I followed them. All I really wanted to do was to ask them why they had to shoot me. His name was Jud Weems. I found that out after a spell. I followed them through Kansas and Oklahoma and Colorado. But I never could catch up with them. But one day, I rode in to Lamar. I was just tying up my horse when somebody yelled, “There’s a gunfight on Main street. It’s Jud Weems.” So I hurried over. But I heard two shots. I thought I was too late. But Jud Weems was a laying there on the ground and I went over to him. I hunkered down and said. “Jud Weems, You remember me? Why did you shoot me out on the prairie outside of Dodge?’ Well, he coughed and looked me and said, “Yeah, I remember you. You were that skinny Reb that we found.” And I said, “But why did you shoot me?” He said, “Oh we was just funning with you. I was all likkered up and I kinda missed.” And then he died.
Mr. Dillon I spent all them years thinking about him and then chasing him. He thought I was a a confederate soldier and I wasn’t. So, now…”
“You don’t know what you are supposed to do?”
“Yeah. I had to find out and to finish what was started. And now it is finished.”
“Chester?”
“Yeah, Mr. Dillon.?”
“This is the best coffee that I have had in years. Thank you.”
“Well…”
“And Chester, I have missed you not being here.”
“Me too, Mr. Dillon.”
“Well, I guess, I wanted to say that if you wanted to stay here and help me run this place, well, I would be obliged.”
“Oh, well, Mr. Dillon. I would. Mr. Dillon, I would be… .’
“Chester. If you are going to say yes to this, you have to start calling me Matt.”
“Oh, Mr. Dillon. Matt, I would purely like to stay here. Thank you.”