In the days of the Wild West, there was a young cowboy who wanted more than anything to be the greatest gunfighter in the world. He practiced every minute of his spare time,but he knew that he wasn't yet first-rate and that there must be something he was doing wrong.



Sitting in a Kayenta Arizona saloon one Saturday night,
he recognized an elderly man
seated at the bar who had the reputation of being the fastest
gun in the West in his day. The young cowboy took a seat next
to the
old-timer, bought him a drink, and told him the story of
his great ambition. "Do you think you could give me
some tips?" he asked.



The old man looked him up and down and said, "Well,
for one thing, you're wearing your gun too high. Tie
the holster a lil' lower down on your leg."



"Will that make me a better gunfighter?" asked
the young man.



"Sure will, " said the old-timer.



The young man did as ! he was told, stood up, whipped out his
44 and shot the bow tie off the piano player. "That's
terrific!" said the cowboy.
"Got any more tips for me?"



"Yep, " said the old man. "Cut a notch
out of your holster where the
hammer hits it. That'll give you a smoother draw."



"Will that make me a better gunfighter?" asked
the younger man.



"You bet it will, " said the old-timer.



The young man took out his knife, cut the notch, stood up,
drew his gun in a blur, then shot a cufflink off the piano
player. "Wow!" said the cowboy. "I'm
learnin' something' here. Got any more tips?"



The old man pointed to a large can in a corner of the saloon.
"See that axle grease over there? Coat your gun with
it." The young man went over to the can and smeared
some of the grease on the barrel of his gun.



"No, " said the old-timer, "I mean smear
it all over the gun, handle and all!"



"Will that make me a better gunfighter?" asked
the young man.



"No, " said the old-timer, "but when
Doc Holliday gets done playin' the piano, he's
going to shove that gun up your a$$ and it won't hurt