Doc Brody was late for the appointment, which had clearly been scheduled for high noon. He had personally requested promptness. “Don’t be late,” he’d said. How unprofessional. How inconsiderate. Was his time somehow more valuable than mine?

Really, what kind of self-respecting outlaw shows up late for a gun fight?

J.D. Hager lives in Northern California with his wife and a small collection of animals. When not writing short stories he goes undercover as a middle school science teacher. More words can be found at jdhager.wordpress.com.