Million Dollar Cowboy Bar
(Jackson, Wyoming)
When I heard they had leather horse saddles
instead of stools
a slick polyurethane topped bar
covering silver dollars
said to be worth a million dollars
I couldn’t help it,
I mean
clomping down the old west
wooden sidewalk
into the local branch bank.
Exchanging hard earned
green back paper dollars
for shiny new silver ones.
One precariously placed behind
a rattle snake skin rimmed
beat up brown Stetson cowboy hat.
Sidling up to the row of saddles
stepping into a stirrup swinging
a Frye booted denim leg over it.
A real tourist
biting down hard on a shiny coin
not realizing it would hurt my tooth.
The way it never did
my childhood cowboy heroes.
Tossing it clinking on the bar
growling redeye bar keep.
My eyes drawn to his holstered
wood grained handled 44
rawhide string strapped thigh.
Thinking about it just now
I’d be tempted to ask.
Listen,
would you consider
a seedy graffiti filled
New York city subway car
5 black men with
razor sharp screwdrivers drawn
menacingly approaching asking
Brother can you spare a five?
A life threatening situation?
Or as a columnist for the New York Times
tells the story
a casual shakedown.
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