(You've probably landed here because you've followed the link from Terry Teachout's site. Thanks for stopping by! Glad to have you! As you can see, Terry posted the whole of this quote at his place, although he didn't include the great picture of Wayne as Rooster Cogburn. Worth the price of admission, I think. Feel free to look around while you're here. I've posted a sort of official welcome to the site. The post that this quote is follow up to is called Bold talk for a one-eyed fat man and if you're curious about what else goes on here follow the links to your right or jump to here.)
Lucky Ned Pepper said, "Well, Rooster, will you give us the road? We have business elsewhere!"
Rooster said, "Harold, I want you and your brother to stand clear! I have no interest in you today! Stand clear and you will not be hurt!"
Harold Permalee's answer was to crow like a rooster, and the "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" brought a hearty laugh from his brother Farrell.
Lucky Ned Pepper said, "What is your intention? Do you think one on four is a dogfall?"
Rooster said, "I mean to kill you in one minute, Ned, or see you hanged in Fort Smith at Judge Parker's convenience! Which will you have?"
Lucky Ned Pepper laughed. He said, "I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man!"
Rooster said, "Fill your hands, you son of a bitch!" and he took the reins in his teeth and pulled the other saddle revolver and drove his spurs into the flanks of his strong horse Bo and charged directly at the bandits. It was a sight to see. He held the revolvers wide on either side of the head of his plunging steed. The four bandits accepted the challenge and they likewise pulled their arms and charged their ponies ahead.
It was some daring move on the part of the deputy marshall whose manliness and grit I had doubted. No grit? Rooster Cogburn? Not much!
----from True Grit
by Charles Portis
"Fill your hands, you son-of-a-bitch!"
Poetry.
I plan to say that five times today. Whenever it is appropriate.
Posted by: Nance | Friday, November 19, 2004 at 03:57 AM