The Sheriff

My name is Nick Mitchell I’m an investigative journalist but this story isn’t about me no, it’s about my father who believes he is a sheriff, yes that’s right a western town sheriff the kind you see in western movies sheriff.

My father’s name is Hank Mitchell he is 75 years old and he worked all his life as an instrument maker, when he was 20 years old he enlisted to the army and went to fight in Vietnam, when he came back he wasn’t the same anymore, a few years later he met my mom and in 1974 my older sister was born and in 1980 I was born. My father never had a lot of time to play with us so I kept myself busy reading books and watching movies, long story short I went to study journalism and got a job as an investigative journalist and I’ve been doing that ever since I have gotten pretty good at it as well.

Now I’m 41 living in New York city I got young 2 boys and a lovely wife named Jessica which I don’t have time for due to my work, 10 years ago my mom passed and my dad was left alone living in our nice family home in northern Vermont, it’s a pretty isolated place with lots of hills and a nice wide river passing near, 2 years ago I got a call from my father’s doctor and he said I need to come to my father’s house as fast as I could.

I found out my dad has a severe case of Delusional disorder and he wholeheartedly believes he is a western town sheriff and he needs to fight off Indians and banditos and whatnot, the doctor said there isn’t much anyone can do about it and its just best to leave him be, 2 years past and my dad still living in his fantasy world of cowboys and gunslingers, a week ago I got a call again from my dad’s doctor saying my dad’s health is worsening and I should come to be with him in his last days.

So I did, I packed a bag and left my family to be with my old man for a while, needless to say, my wife didn’t like that idea one bit, I drove to his house and I almost forgot how beautiful the scenery was, I opened and the door and called for him:

“Dad? Where are you, buddy?”

I went through the back door to our garden area and there he was with his cowboy hat and his sheriff star on, he turned to me and said:

“Oh Deputy Nicolas how good of you to show up” (he is quite sure I am his deputy)

“Hey dad how are you feeling”

“The Name is sheriff Hank Mitchell for you” 

“Sure, why don’t you come inside its getting rather cold”

“Oh I’m fine I enjoy the cold”

“Well your lungs sure don’t enjoy it so come on inside”

I made him some soup and sent him to bed, I went to my old room and prepared it for my stay, I forgot how simple our house was, barely any electronics or any devices of the sort just one old TV in the living room. I called my wife and let her know I arrived and everything is fine and she should give the boys a goodnight hug, I called my older sister Amy who I forgot to mention, and told her I will stay with him for a couple of days.

Amy is a big shot attorney in the district attorney office in New York so she has no time at all to visit my dad, she is married and got a boy and a girl.

I couldn’t sleep so I went to check on my dad and saw him snoring in his bed, I went downstairs and walked to the old vinyl record player, I pulled my dad’s favorite James Carr album and let it play I listened to all of it while drinking a nice cup of coffee and looking outside realizing a big storm might hit, I put the record back in place and went to bed.

When morning came my father was already up, I got up and went to see what is he doing, I saw him outside standing and aiming his fake revolver at the tree area and yelling to me:

“Deputy Nicolas you see them banditos surrounding us?!”

“Common dad there is nothing there just get inside”

“Deputy Nicolas stop fooling around and come help me fight off those bastards”

 “Dad I’m sick of this crap I got a job and a family and I stopped all of it to come here and help you out but it’s clear to me you don’t need any help so I’m gone”

“Fine go ahead and leave I got no one anyhow and I’m protecting this town all by myself”

“There is no town dad!”

“Go on, get you said you are leaving didn’t you?”

I went back inside and slammed the back door, I climbed the stairs and started packing up my bag I didn’t plan on staying for more than a day or two anyway.

When I reached my hand for my phone It dropped under my bed, I bent down to get it and saw a picture, I took the picture and it was our family when I and my sister were just kids, you could see my mom and dad smiling I haven’t my dad smiling for more than 10 years and I almost forgot what my mom looked like.

I just broke down and started crying, I wished my mom was there shed know what to do.

I unpacked my bags again and called my sister:

‘” Hey Amy”

“I’m very busy right now Nick what do you want?”

“You are always busy Amy”

“Yeah well I got things to do”

“And I don’t?! I’m here taking care of dad and you don’t even care”

“Dammit! Nick did you just call me to fight because I’m really busy”

“Fine go ahead and do your things”

I hanged the phone and went downstairs to see what is going on with dad

I saw him on the ground outside and I ran to him:

“Dad! What happened?”

“Deputy Nicolas those banditos attacked me and you didn’t help me”

“I’m sorry dad let’s get you inside” 

I got him inside and made some tea 

We set down and I just looked at him drinking the tea, he wasn’t faking he was really living in this fantasy of him.

I sent him to bed and I went to my room, I sat on my bed looking at the picture and then it came to me.

I spent the whole night setting up the woods surrounding our house with dolls and figures I dressed them in sombreros and cowboy hats, early morning I went to the toy store in the nearest town and got a bunch of BB rifles, after that, I drove the local ranch owner and asked if he could lend me two horses, I told him about my dad’s condition and why I need the horses and he was happy to help.

A couple of hours later I woke my dad up:

“Sheriff wake up”

“What is it, Deputy Nicolas”

“I found a bandito camp not far from here just a couple of hours ride”

“Well then what are we waiting for, mount up!”

We went outside and he saw the horses with the saddles and the toy rifles on them, he had the biggest smile I have seen in a long time.

We rode off and he asked me how I found the camp, I told him I was just doing my “regular” scouting ride and I stumbled upon it, a few hours later we took a break to drink some water and get something to eat, we tied the horses to one of the trees and admired the view.

The country surrounding us was indeed beautiful, my dad turned and said:

“I bet you don’t see that every day where you come from”

I looked at him suspiciously and asked:

“What do you mean where I come from?”

“Ah? What? Never mind let us continue our search”

I didn’t press the matter and we got back on the horses and rode on. 

We round a few more hours until we reached the “Bandito’s camp”.

“Quick deputy Nicolas lets ambush them”

“Good idea Sheriff”

We got off the horses and tied them again.

“On the count of three we storm them,” my dad said

“Sure thing”

One, two, three!

We jumped out of the bushes and started yelling and shooting at all the dolls in our area, I have never seen my dad that excited before, we kept on yelling and shooting and eventually we “wiped” them all off.

“Fine shooting deputy, very fine indeed”

“Thank you, sheriff you didn’t do so badly yourself, we should head back to town before it gets dark”

“Right you are”

We made our way back to the house and I kept sneaking looks at my father and he was truly happy, I was glad I could help him be a bit happier than he was.

When we got to the house we got off our horses and gave them some water, we entered the house and my dad just smiled and sat on the leather couch, it was getting rather dark and cold and it seemed like the storm is about to hit us any second.

We went to bed and the night was very cold and it rained poorly, I went to my father’s room to check on him and I called out to him:

“Hey Dad are you alright”

“Common dad stops playing around and answer me”

I opened the door and he laid on his bed still and wouldn’t move, I reached out to him and touched him but he still wouldn’t wake up I started yelling 

“Dad!”

 “Wake up!”

I started to cry and shout:

“Common dad wake up”

I called his doctor and he arrived a few minutes later

The doctor gave me the unfortunate news and I couldn’t stop crying.

Finally, I called my wife and told her the news, after that, I called my sister and did the same.

The funeral was the next day, the rain still didn’t let go and kept pouring down on us heavily, I stood there alongside my family with tears in my eyes, I looked at my 2 young boys and I in my heart I hoped they will be better sons to me then I was to my father.]

I went to the casket and I reached out to it,

Goodbye sheriff, I’m sure the town will miss you.