it was Clay’s turn to go first. “A few weeks ago, I traveled south to a little town called Bandera. Believe it or not, I was asked to preach a revival meeting.”
“Well, that’s great, Clay.” Reno knew how much this meant to his friend. “Did you baptize anyone?”
“I did. The last night of the revival, I dipped fifteen souls in the blue waters of the Medina and led the congregation in observing the Lord’s Supper. When the service was over, I realized I had leftovers. Not wanting the extras to go to waste, I sat down by the river and treated myself to a picnic.”
Reno was already smiling. He didn’t know what Clay would say next, but he bet it was going to take the cake. “What happened?”
“I guess I drank a little too much of the fermented grape juice, because when I looked up there was the biggest, ugliest beast staring at me from across the river that you ever did see.”
Cole’s eyes grew big. “What kind of beast? One of those wild men?”
“No, this one walked on four legs and had a hump on his back.”
“You mean a camel?” Reno laughed. “An honest to God camel?”
“You’re dern tootin’ it was a camel. I wanted to see it up close and personal, so I waded across the river to take a gander. When I got close to the ugly son-of-a-bitch, the nasty creature hawked up its cud and spit in my face. I chased that goldarned animal all over the place. I learned later that the army brought the bastards here about fifteen years ago and when they didn’t pan out, they just turned the suckers loose.”
“You sure can cuss for a preacher man.” Cole laughed. “That’s a good story, but I bet I can beat it.”
“Let’s see you try.” Clay shifted in the saddle, ready to listen.
“While living in Boston, one of my favorite places to visit was the Smithsonian museum in New York City. You could literally see anything there. I was lucky to know one of the curator’s and he would take me into the vault to see some of the stranger items which never sees the light of day as far as the public is concerned.”
“Like what?” Clay was already intrigued, and Cole was just getting started.
“They have a collection of shrunken human heads from a tribe in South America.”
“Did you touch one of them?” Reno asked, remembering that Cole used to have problems catching a bug to put out of the house for their mother.
“No, but I looked at them real close. They were pitifully ugly.” He paused for effect. “But what I saw a few weeks later made those shrunken heads look like kid’s toys. Rupert took me in the back to show me something they were going to throw away.”
“Throw away? I didn’t know they threw stuff away.”
“Sometimes, apparently. They made the decision to throw these things away because knowledge of their existence would challenge our view of the world as we know it.”
Reno and Clay both waited with bated breath. “Well, what was it?” Clay finally yelled.
“Giant skeletons.”
“Giant what?” Reno asked, a bit confused.
“Giant giants. Huge people. Some over twelve feet tall with bright red hair. They were found in caves in the Grand Canyon. Rupert said the Indians told stories about them and said they were cannibals.”
“Really? You saw these skeletons?” Reno was intrigued. He’d missed his brother so much.
“I did. I even touched one.” He held up one finger. “With this finger.”
“Whooo, you’re brave. What did the Smithsonian do with the giant skeletons?”
“Rupert said they would be put in the same place as the others. Deep in the Atlantic Ocean. They sent those skeletons of honest to God giants out on a barge in the ocean and pushed them overboard.”
“That has to be a crime.” Clay thought for a minute. “I would’ve like to see one of those red-headed rascals for myself. I could’ve told that story when I preach about David and Goliath.”
“What about you, Reno? What can you tell us?” Cole asked, anxious to hear from his brother.
“Well, mine isn’t that crazy, but it’s funny as hell. When I was with Journey, she took me to several stores that stay open twenty-four hours a day. They sell gas to horseless carriages and lots of drinks to thirsty people. They’re called convenience stores, because they’re located all up and down the roads making them – convenient. They also sell rubbers for sex. I bought a box that glowed