'Cause gettin' out of bed just ruins my whole day!

July 17, 2007

I've probably seen more early mornings after the end of a long night than I have after waking - that's my business. I was just getting a few sips of coffee and taking the first drags from a hand-tailored cigarette when I hear the sound of a vehicle and and couple short honks. Looking out the window I see a clean white pickup truck with a county seal on the door - just lovely... I tie my hair back and put on a cap, slip on a shirt, some flip-flops, and tuck a sidearm into my waistband - then step out into the glaring morning sun.

This reputable looking gentleman was from the county's Planning and Zoning department - a bureau that's grown monstrously in just a short several years. We passed a few words about permits or some such - but that's not what this story is about. From the first minute I saw this guy - I couldn't help but notice his belt-mounted shiny gold and blue lacquered badge. Now what is a guy from Planning and Zoning doing with a badge? Does he get to pack a weapon too? How much firepower does someone from Planning and Zoning need? When will bureaucratic nimrods figure out that the more badges are passed around - the more they're devalued?

I'm starting to think that I need something a bit stronger than Bailey's in my morning coffee - 'cause I don't drink as much as I ought to.

 

 

 

What's this "Plug Nickel Outfit"?

Well - a "plug nickel" indicates something that is of little to no value, often implying a counterfeit. The word "outfit" hails from earlier times in the western US when a ranch or its wranglers would be referred to as an outfit - as in 'The Hash Knife Outfit' by Zane Grey.

The Plug Nickel Outfit (which I've been carrying in my back pocket for a couple of decades now!) is currently headquartered (falling out and hanging 'round - more likely!) in Southeastern Arizona in the San Pedro River valley. I've already taken some license in describing these scrivenings as something between Walden and High Chaparral - High Chaparral was filmed and located to the west of here and at a lower elevation. In the series one could see Saguaro cacti in many of the outdoor shots which don't naturally occur around here as the winters are too cold. Technically we're located in a transition area between the Sonoran and the Chihuahuan deserts. The elevation here is about 4400' - and we're on the flanks of one of a handful of Sky Islands in this area. Topics covered here will primarily be the plant and animal life of this region, and side issues such as weather and history - but hopefully not limited entirely to these.

Feel free to visit the home page for current tales, the archives, or a listing of links to other websites that may be of interest. If you have questions, suggestions, or just want to rattle our chain - send the Outfit an email!

 

 
 
 
  Help support the Outfit - consider these recommended products from Amazon: