Category: eBooks Converted and Formatted By Us
Author: John Frook
Price: 0

Description

In the spring of 1965, John Wayne arrived in Chupaderos in the state of Durango, Mexico to make “The Sons of Katie Elder.” Between 1965 and 1973 he made six more films here: ”The War Wagon,” “Chisum,” “The Undefeated,” “Big Jake,” “The Train Robbers.”

Westerns, cowboy pictures.

“El Wayne,” as he was called, last visited Chupaderos in 1973 to shoot “Cahill, U.S. Marshal.” He died in 1979 and within a few years so did Hollywood Westerns.

Chupaderos was a sunburned village of 839 very poor people when then movies came to town. Hollywood was attracted to its clear sunny skies and its quiet … the kind you can almost hear.

Overnight, Chupaderos was turned back in time.

Overnight, it was transformed into a false-front, frontier town with hitching posts and watering troughs and board sidewalks. A pretend town that could have been 1870’s Wyoming or Colorado.

Pool halls, cafes, The Elite Hotel, blacksmith shop, six saloons., harnessmaker, gaming house, sheriff’s office and jail. The French Lady’s Pleasure House, gunsmith, mercantile, a church with a fancy cupola and a fine brass bell.

And the people had work as extras, wranglers, cooks and maids.

And John Wayne became … a deity, a god.

They still talk about the old Mexican cowboy songs he sang in his mis-pronounced Spanish. Late at night around the Double Eagle with maybe Burt Lancaster and Ernie Borgnine and Shelly Winters.

They still have one of his high-crown Stetsons under glass. There on the back bar.

They still have the John Wayne dinner special on the chalkboard menu at Best Eats.

They still have his private bottle of Sauza Commemorativo tequila on reserve at The Ace High.

And to this day no one has set foot upon the brick tiles he laid in the entryway to Francisca Flores’ house. Took a day off from shooting to do hard, manual work. Because he damn well felt like it.

It has been almost 40 years since John Wayne sauntered down the main street of Chupaderos, a gun on his hip and blood in his eye. Today the town is sad and confused and very poor.

Nothing is as it was.

Except the church. The adobe is even more beautiful, the bell more sonorous. Villagers still make the sign of the cross as they pass by and some go in to pray. They pray to the Virgin of Guadalupe and then they stop before a picture of John Wayne – a movie poster under plastic. “The Duke” in heroic pose and armed to the teeth.

And they ask-- very quietly – “When you comin’ back, Chon Wayne?”

Date insert: Wednesday, 29 March 2023

T'was the Night Before Christmas... 

 (With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, may he forgive my doggerel...)

...and all through the shop,
all we minions were working,
   until ready to drop.

The ebooks were flying,
the covers were spare,
The edits were crazy,
   with "one more thing I must share!"

We waited for Santa,
'Cuz we love old Saint Nick,
But Hitch made us work,
   Waving 'round an old stick!

So slave we all did,
And made all your books,
So that Hitch would say now,
   that we're off the hook.

Come today we're off,
to rest up our fingers,
Our hats we will doff,
   No books they do linger.

But we'll all be back,
Don't give it a thought,
for like all wage slaves,
   we're easily bought.

We'll be back on the fifth,
all eager and fresh,
All ready for you,
   after a well-deserved rest.

So Hitch wants to say,
very strongly and loud,
THANKS ALL YOU GUYS,
  you're the best type of crowd.

Indy and Len and Hitch and the gang,
will be back on the 5th,
to do books with a BANG!

In the meantime don't worry,
if you're in a hurry,
'cuz some poor guy got stuck
   sitting here like a duck.

Your emails we'll receive,
so no need to grieve.
We'll be a bit slow,
but we're raring to go.

Your books will be worked on,
your edits still made,
we're just resting a bit,
   before we all fade.

So please excuse the delays;
It won't be for days;
we'll jump on your queries,
   for your wondrous new series.

We waited for Santa,
'Cuz we love old St. Nick,
And sure 'nuff he came,
   It wasn't a trick.

And as he rode off,
into the night,
I could swear I heard Hitch yell,
   "That Edit's Not Right!"

~~~~~~~~~~

We'll be back on the morning of January 5th; we'll be here parttime between now and then, thanks.