Showdown at Rickety Market

     The story of 'Silly' Jean Muckelberry's death is a tricky one to tell. On the afternoon of August 18th, 20XX, 'Bigman' Royal Doyle entered the town of Rickety hoping to sell a sizable dust rat he had trapped. Doyle had recently been run over by a car and was experiencing multiple symptoms of an untreated concussion.

    In the market square, the nephew, Rick Rickety, of the mayor had tripped and fallen, seemingly dying in the process. This happened just a few minutes before Doyle showed up. In the crowd was 'Silly' Jean Muckelberry, wearing his signature huge cowboy hat.

    Jean Muckelberry was a well-known scout in the area. His most famous escapade was when he intercepted the small army of Las Vegians led by the relatively obscure 'Las Vegas' Tom. At one point Muckelberry was the best, but as of late, he had taken up painting instead.

    Accounts vary on why, but Jean was very fond of Rick Rickety, the mayor's nephew. Jean was understandably upset. After all, it seemed his friend had died.

    Royal Doyle, experiencing another concussion symptom, saw the breeze ruffle the fur of the dust rat. This startled him, as he thought it had come back to life.

"He's moving!" He shouted. He was talking about the rat, but the crowd thought it was an ill-timed joke at the expense of Rick Rickety, the mayor's nephew, who had seemingly died.

"Well, ho-lee shit!" Shouted 'Silly' Jean Muckelberry. "Looks like we got one disrespectful son of a gun in town today!"

    Doyle, not paying attention, was attempting to order a plate of spaghetti at a nearby sandwich stand. The sandwich artist tried to direct Doyle's attention toward Muckelberry. "I believe Mr. Muckelberry has a bone to pick with you, friend," he said.

    Muckelberry rushed Doyle, but in a strange twist of events, when he was merely inches away, the intense Arizona heat caused the muscles of the deceased dust rat to contract, causing him to bite Jean Muckelberry.

"Yeeeowch!" Exclaimed Muckelberry. He ran away to find a cool bucket of water to submerge his hand in, as the wound had started to burn.

    'Silly' Jean Muckelberry died two and a half months later from the infected wound. He had refused any and all treatment. In his words, claiming "all doctors wanna do is poke and prod at'cha."

    Rick Rickety, the mayor's nephew, was completely fine, he has just been a bit dehydrated. 'Bigman' Royal Doyle would unfortunately pass away a mere month later while trying to make love to the radiator of a 1973 Buick Century.