The kids in the neighborhood played cowboys and Indians. Sometimes we were just cowboys, and if we played that way, there were good and bad guys. Good guys protected damsels in distress, guarded the cattle from rustlers, warded off swindlers, and made sure the stage with the strong box got through. When we played in Bill’s yard we occasionally used his swing set as a stagecoach and his sister, Susan, as a damsel.
We did it for fun. We emulated what we saw on TV. There were no political overtones intended. Heck, we didn’t know what politicians were. The only elections we knew of were the mayor being elected by the “town folk”.
We learned of those elections, and how to drink whiskey, on Gunsmoke. It was the story of Marshal Matt Dillon, his town, Dodge City, and its people. Each of us took a turn having our imaginary Miss Kitty as a girlfriend. We didn’t make fun of Chester’s limp, but we occasionally walked with one after being shot in a make believe gunfight.
When we did get injured in a shootout, each of us had the ability to “fix” our friends. We simply twisted our thumb and index finger over the wound, said, “Fix, Fix, Fix” and the wound was healed.
We packed six shooters (Bill Graham and I) and twirled lariats (David Ruff). We chose up sides and battled each other or banded together to fight an invisible enemy. We became quick draw artists like Paladin on “Have Gun Will Travel”.
Grandma Tebo lived with us for a couple of years after Grandpa Tebo passed. Her favorite show was “Paladin”. She ignored the formal title. She liked his smooth talking, wine drinking, sophisticated approach to problem solving. In the end he still shot many of the villains he faced.
Some of us excelled in handling a Winchester rifle like the Rifleman, Lucas McCain. Others preferred buddy personas like the Cisco Kid and Poncho or the Lone Ranger and Tonto. I favored Hopalong Cassidy and his horse, Topper, because I owned one of his watches. Plus, I look good in black.
None of us were singing cowboys like Gene Autry or Roy Rogers, but we did admire their horses, Champion and Trigger, and their sidekicks, “Gabby” Hayes and Andy “Jingles” Devine. Gene wrote a “Cowboy Code” to help guide his young fans.
- The Cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man, or take unfair advantage.
- He must never go back on his word or a trust confided in him.
- He must always tell the truth.
- He must be gentle with children, the elderly, and animals.
- He must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas.
- He must help people in distress.
- He must be a good worker.
- He must keep himself clean in thought, speech, action, and personal habits.
- He must respect women, parents, and his nation’s laws.
- The Cowboy is a patriot.
We’d all do well to follow this code. He wrote it almost ninety years ago, but its principles still ring true today.