Milt Cox – Gunslinger Pencil

“The first time I came upon Milt Cox’s Kentucky cabin. I was greeted with a double barrel kindly pointing in my direction. I said “Hello” and gave my best greeting line, but,…. no response – just silence. Standing still I checked out the home place; the tired shack had a bad lean to it, the porch was a mess of unorganized jewels. The chimney chugged; black coal dust choked the air in the pearl grey December sky. Over in the corner, I believe his hound dog was packin a gun. Maybe, maybe not? O my! I thought, this is not good. Lookin straight back at Milt now the son was locked on me, Milt said “Where you from you sound like a forener?” I said I was from Canada – he said “Canada well come up on the porch and set a spell. Heck I thought you might have been from the power company. Aint it a day to be alive?” I just responded with a” yup”. Over the years I had many wonderful visits with Milt, his dogs and his guns..” -Paul Murray-