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‘You got sad eyes, mister.’
Most awkward goddamn moment of my life; but the words of that old, one armed man haunt me still. I’ve heard tell of a saying, “The eyes are the windows to your soul.” If it’s true, then I must have the saddest damn soul of any man around. I’ve honestly never been a man that thinks much about his appearance, the way that I carry myself or what others thought about it. I could really give a damn, if I was being honest with myself.
Isabella snorts in the distance. Arthur had always been able to tell his own horse from any of the others around. The white Arabian mare being harrassed by Brown Jack. He doesn’t honestly blame her. There was nothing about Bill Williamson that didn’t just scream ‘run away’ to most people. It’s enough to grab the man's attention.
Sitting long and crossed legged on his cot as the chill of morning begins to fade from the rising sun. The journal he’d been scribbling away in is closed, back into the safety of his satchel. A roll of his shoulders before he plants his feet on the ox skin rug Pearson made for him. He’d never been a man for such things but he had to admit to himself that it felt good underneath sock feet.
The past few days at camp have been quiet, at least for the most part. Horseshoe Overlook is one of the best stops that they’ve stayed in awhile. It’s away from everything; the food and water sources are close enough. People seem happy, at least for now. Long moments pass as he loses himself to his thoughts.
Boots long since placed on his feet. Arthur has moments where he just stares into space. Not many people pay attention to it besides Hosea. Dutch always says it’s because he got bucked too many times when he was younger. A shake of his head and he comes back to reality, rises from the cot and grabs his saddle from the corner of the wagon.
“Headed out,” it’s called once he begins the trot away. “Be back in a few days.” Normally, Arthur isn’t the type to let things bother him. This is bothering him much more than he wishes.
“You’ve got sad eyes mister, like you’ve seen sad things.”