Act III
Scene 1, Scene 2, Scene 3, Scene 4, Scene 5
Scene 1
now, Jimmy White dreams
filled with the stuff of fevers
nightmares from the deep
struggles against hellish flames
but giving him strength to rise
an old man, gray beard
and long hair, Jimmy knows him
The Lord Almighty
Scene 2
and rise up he did
far above the lake of fire
out of his nightmares
breaking fever’s cloying grip
he woke without knowing it
‘twas dark ‘fore his eyes
save for the dim dance of flames
he cried out in fear
then the old man loomed
Jimmy sighed and then asked him
with a furrowed brow
“is this not God’s great kingdom?”
barking laughter filled the room
“Lordy no miboy!
this is my kinda livin’
but Heaven it’s not.”
“but am I not dead?”
“nope, pretty close, but you’re strong
and came out a’ it.”
“I thought you God Almighty”
huge harsh laughter filled the room
louder and longer,
followed by coughing that made
Jimmy fear for him
finally he said
“that’s gotta be tha best thing
I heard in ten years!
my name is JB, and this
is my humble home. I’m just
livin’ my last years,
an old trapper lettin’ the
frontier pass him by.”
“so where…where am I?”
“Dakota Territory.”
“how far from Holman?”
“about a days ride give take.”
“I…I have got to get there.”
struggling up, pain
shooting through his left shoulder
and slumps back, wincing
“slow down, you just broke
a two week fever—” “two weeks!?
I’ve got to get home!”
again the pain flattens him
“told ya,” JB said gruffly
“we’ll get ya there, but
it’s gonna be week or more
‘fore you even walk.”
Jimmy nods slowly
looks to his bandaged shoulder
remembers now, pain
searing through him, rifle blast
expanding to fill the world
he told the story
hoping to give some reason
to his behavior
JB took this in
and thinking about it, said
“ina couple days
I’ll make the trek to Holman,
some trading I can do there,
look for yer father.
we’ll get a wagon and he
can take you back home.”
Scene 3
for the next two days
JB continued to nurse
Jimmy back to health
he left supplies within reach
and then set out for Holman
Jimmy lay there still
listening to receding
hoof beats. now he waits
a few hours pass
then he starts to move, slowly.
his left arm cradled
stiff from two weeks on his back
his muscles awoke and screamed
forever passes
before he has got his legs
over the bed-side
one more forever
as he catches his breath, then
tries to move again
after a few attempts at
standing, he decides to crawl
it takes him an hour
to find some of JB’s clothes
and to make them fit
by now he’s standing
using the walls as support
he gets to the door
listens to the cold beyond
and is caught at the threshold
was there a horse? could he
ride? could he make it on foot?
could he wait anymore?
Jimmy bows his head,
leaning against the doorway,
and begins to pray
“Almighty Father, humbly
I seek thy guidance. patience
is a virtue, so
is perseverance.
show me a path, Lord.”
“Stay.” a thunderclap,
gunshot, the piercing blast of
a locomotive,
the dull crumpling thump of
a mining blast knock Jimmy
kneeling, stunning him.
the word fades, echoing a
receding stampede.
God’s messages had
never been so strong, so clear.
he had to obey
“thank you Almighty Father.”
he stumbles back towards the bed,
still wrapped in JB’s
clothes, crawls under the covers,
shivering, at peace.
Scene 4
he sleeps through the day
and into the night. waking
early next morning,
he feels rested and restored
better than he has in weeks
slowly sitting up
he searches in the darkness
to light the lantern
taking his Bible
he begins to read again
in the beginning
God created the heaven
and the earth. he put it down
hours had gone by
the morning sun now shone bright
through rough window panes
he rises from bed,
walking a bit unsteady
he strikes a fire
in the dull cast-iron stove
centered in the small cabin.
he pumps well water,
boiling some oats for breakfast
softly singing hymns
he worked at small things
around the room, tidying.
hoping to repay
JB some tiny measure
venturing outside he finds
a stable, inside
he finds Caroline, unhurt
peacefully eating
softly in her ear
“good girl, you are a good girl”
pats her mane, her neck
she noses against his hair
whinnies in recognition
he finds a brush and
after warming it a bit
brushes Caroline
now, it is evening.
Jimmy found a storage shed,
took a few items
prepared a buffalo stew.
having eaten, he keeps the
stew warm, quietly
sits listening for horses,
creaking wagon springs
it’s late. he dampens
the fire and places the
pot in a snow bank
after tying down the lid.
he can wait another day.
he reads his Bible
then blows out the light and dreams
of a reunion
Scene 5
midday, the sun bright,
high. a cold, clear winter day.
horizon stretches
to heaven. even in this
dead of winter Jimmy can
feel the landscape breathe.
it is alive and again
he’s alive in it
when JB arrives,
Frank White’s not with him. Jimmy
knows his father’s dead.
he does not cry but looks up
to heaven where his father’s
gone to be with God.
still, his heart clenches, his gut
turns hot. he’s alone.
JB tells Jimmy
the story he found in town
bandits, the shootout
then his father’s funeral
Mr. Holman has left town
Jimmy’s anger builds
bandits nearly end his life
then they brake his heart
with prayer he finds strength
and forgiveness in his heart
as God wants him to.
another week, one morning
he saddles Caroline, thanks
JB and rides to
see his father’s grave; after
that he does not know
