MADISON ON THE AIR: HAVE GUN – WILL TRAVEL, “THE ROAD TO WICKENBERG”

ADAPTED BY CHRISI TALYN SAJE: AUG 2024

SCENE ONE

MADISON
The three men who robbed you are trying to kill me. It happens to me more often than you think.

ANNOUNCER
Have Gun – Will Travel! San Francisco. 1875. The Carlton Hotel. Headquarters of the man called Paladin.

HEY BOY
Mr. Paladin! Mr. Paladin!

PALADIN
Over here, Hey Boy.

HEY BOY
Oh, yes, sir. The bank almost close. Here’s the money. One thousand dollar.

PALADIN
Good. Thank you, Hey Boy. I need this for my trip to Wickenburg.

HEY BOY
Wait. You go?

PALADIN
I go.

HEY BOY
You just come back from going.

PALADIN
I go again.

HEY BOY
But what about the lovely lady with the blonde hair, Miss Richards?

PALADIN
Absence will have to make the heart grow fonder.

HEY BOY
A very persuasive lady…

MADISON
Wait, they’re starting the episode in San Francisco?

JIM
Yup. The show always starts there.

MADISON
And O.M.G. O.T.R! Another stereotyped Chinese servant character?

JIM
Well, what’d ya expect? The gunslinger to be a Chinaman?

MADISON
Yes. I think that would be an interesting show. And seriously? He’s called “Hey Boy?” 1958, stop that right now. You’re old enough to know better!

JIM
Why don’t you git back to work.

MADISON
How long till Paladin gets to our scene?

JIM
I dunno, I’d say San Francisco’s about a week’s ride to here.

MADISON
I have to wait a whole ‘nuther week in this smelly saloon?

JIM
You signed a contract with Saul to work in this “smelly saloon.” Don’t matter when Paladin gets here. You’re workin’ till Saul says ya ain’t.

MADISON
I feel like this is my penance for dressing up like a saloon girl in all those Old West photos I got at the county faire.

SCENE TWO

SHERIFF
Howdy.

PALADIN
Hello.

SHERIFF
Passin’ through?

PALADIN
I haven’t made up my mind yet. What’s the name of this town?

SHERIFF
We call her Bluebell. Lookin’ for a job?

PALADIN
No, just a drink.

SHERIFF
Yeah, they’ll give you one in there– if you can pay for it.

PALADIN
Thank you, Sheriff.

JIM
What’ll it be?

PALADIN
Uh, rye. Just give me the bottle and the glass.

JIM
That’ll be five dollars.

PALADIN
All right.

JIM
Must have worked up quite a thirst, stranger. I’ll git you a better brand than the bar bottle. Anythin’ else?

PALADIN
This’ll do.

JIM
Yeah, it oughta.

MADISON
You’re Paladin, right?

PALADIN
That’s right.

MADISON
I thought you’d never get here!

PALADIN
I didn’t even know where “here” was until a few minutes ago.

MADISON
Same. This is where I got zapped this time and O.M.G. I used to complain about the vast nothingness on the drive between L.A. and Vegas, but now I will happily move to Barstow if I can just get out of this septic tank of a town.

PALADIN
Uh, would you care for a drink?

MADISON
No, thanks. And a little advice, don’t drink that.

PALADIN
I already have. Why?

MADISON
You’ve clearly never been a woman in a college bar full of frat boys.

PALADIN
How’s that?

JIM
Get along, Madison. Customers waitin’ for you at the faro table.

PALADIN
Now, just a minute. There’s a customer right here at the bar.

SAUL
There a problem over here, Jim?

JIM
Yeah, Saul. Madison won’t git back to work.

SAUL
That true, Madison?

PALADIN
The lady and I are having a conversation.

SAUL
Well, if she ain’t workin’, she’s breakin’ her contract with me.

PALADIN
That so?

MADISON
Ha! Paladin’s here now. He’s an Old West hero so he’s gonna fight on the side of good, defend my honor and we’ll ride off into the sunset or whatever.

SAUL
How’s that?

MADISON
I dunno. The last western I saw was “Shanghai Noon.” Hey! There’s a Chinese character who’s a hero and totally kicks ass! Jackie Chan is awesome.

SAUL
She right? You some sorta “hero,” fella?

PALADIN
Now, look, I don’t want any trouble.

MADISON
He said, “I don’t want any trouble,” which definitely means there’s gonna be trouble.

SAUL
You plannin’ to make trouble, mister?

PALADIN
Well, I– Oh…

JIM
Havin’ trouble standin’, stranger?

SAUL
Your “hero” can’t hold his whiskey.

PALADIN
What… what was in that drink?

JIM
Just whiskey.

MADISON
And horse tranquilizer.

PALADIN
What?

MADISON
Come on, Paladin! Show ’em they can’t get away with treating a woman like this!

SAUL
He can barely stay on his feet.

MADISON
I’ve worked an entire shift at Applebee’s with more drugs in my system than he has. Never should’ve offered to work the day after Easter. Come on, Paladin! Show ’em who’s boss! Great. My gunslinger’s a lightweight.

SCENE THREE

MADISON
Well, looks like Deputy Dawg is finally wakin’ up. Did ol’ Muskie Muskrat get the better of you?

PALADIN
You’re the… the girl from the saloon.

MADISON
It’s possible. It’s possible.

PALADIN
Where am I?

MADISON
My place. You remember what happened, or is the blackout permanent?

PALADIN
I’m… not sure.

MADISON
They slipped enough drugs in your drink to kill a horse. Or what Charlie Sheen would call, “breakfast.”

PALADIN
I’ve felt better.

MADISON
Come on, sit up. This your first time in the “big city”? Flashing a roll of bills like a tourist in Times Square.

PALADIN
Oh, it’s gone.

MADISON
Yeah. Tickle Me Elmo spotted you as a mark, easy.

PALADIN
Ah, an old Barbary Coast trick.

MADISON
Oh, right! The Barbary Coast in San Francisco in the 1870s was full of brothels and opium dens. In my day, it’s just hipsters and weed dispensaries.

PALADIN
I should’ve known better.

MADISON
How come you fell for it?

PALADIN
No excuse. I was careless.

MADISON
Well, at least you’re ownin’ it. Hey! What’re you doing? You need to stay in bed. Don’t gunslingers ever call out sick?

PALADIN
I can’t I– Ooh, my ribs.

MADISON
Saul sucker punched you with a boot.

PALADIN
Saul who?

MADISON
Goodfellow. But it really should be Douche-fellow.

PALADIN
Saul Goodfellow. I’ll remember.

MADISON
Here, you might need this.

PALADIN
My Derringer.

MADISON
Saul wasn’t very thorough when he rolled you after he found the money. Me, I woulda stripped you down like a stolen Honda Accord. Oh, and I also found this card, “Have Gun – Will Travel.” I like that branding. It’s up there with “Just Do It.”

PALADIN
Gets the point across.

MADISON
So, ya gonna kill him?

PALADIN
He took a thousand dollars from me. Took my gun and my holster — and I suppose my horse went along, too?

MADISON
Yup. So, ya gonna kill him?

PALADIN
Would you care?

MADISON
Look, if the old west were a gym shower, this town would be the athlete’s foot growing on the tile.

PALADIN Meaning?

MADISON
I got zapped here and was stuck for cash, so I had to get a job, right? And Saul is the only game in town.

PALADIN
I think I see where this is going.

MADISON
Yeah, so, he made me sign a contract and now says I’m not allowed to leave until he says so. Is that even legal?

PALADIN
‘Fraid so. You know, I have a lot to thank you for.

MADISON
If you want to thank me, why don’t you step up, be a hero and get me the Hell outta Dodge?

PALADIN
Dodge? I thought this town was called Bluebell.

MADISON
Sorry, wrong Western. Get me the Hell outta Bluebell.

PALADIN
What’s your name?

MADISON
Madison Standish.

PALADIN
All right, Madison. You can pack whatever you want. I’ll take you as far as Wickenburg. But I’m going to see Mr. Goodfellow before I leave.

MADISON
So, ya gonna kill him?

PALADIN
I– don’t know yet.

MADISON
The name “Paladin” is literally the name of a knight. You’re supposed to be my knight-in-shining-armor. Pull it together and shoot the dude!

PALADIN
I’m not an executioner. That’s not my idea of justice.

MADISON
So your, “Have Gun – Will Travel,” is false advertising. Just like RedBull saying they’ll “give you wings.” I drank gallons of that stuff. Still earthbound.

SCENE FOUR

SHERIFF
Still in town, stranger?

PALADIN
Sheriff, when I came here this morning, I had a horse, a gun and a thousand dollars. I intend to leave the same way.

SHERIFF
You sayin’ somebody stole your money? What’s his name?

PALADIN
Saul Goodfellow.

SHERIFF
Mmm. I can’t go along with that.

PALADIN
Just tell me where I can find him.

SHERIFF
That won’t be hard to do. You just called my brother a thief. I’m Tom Goodfellow. Next thing you’ll be saying is that Cousin Jim there doctored your drink.

JIM
Howdy.

SHERIFF
Or that maybe our Uncle Ed over there has your horse and saddlebag.

UNCLE ED Howdy, mister.

PALADIN
Seems to be your town.

SHERIFF
Sort of a family affair, but– Saul! Saul, come here!

SAUL
What is it, Tom?

SHERIFF
Fella here’s making a complaint against ya.

SAUL
That the truth?

PALADIN
I’ll trouble you for my gun and my money.

SAUL
What’re you talkin’ about?

PALADIN
That gun in your holster. The money in your pocket.

SAUL
This is the gun you say I took, mister?

PALADIN
That’s the gun.

SAUL
I’ll tell you what. I’m gonna take five bullets out of this here gun. See? Then I’m gonna throw them away. Like this. Now, I got one shell left in here. And I’m gonna kill you with this one bullet if you try to take this gun. So come on, take it if you can, mister.

PALADIN
Hand it over. Or you’ll be dead before you can draw the hammer back.

SAUL
That so? Where’d you get that Derringer…?

SHERIFF
Saul… he got Saul.

UNCLE ED
Where’d he come from?

JIM
We gotta take ‘im.

PALADIN
Stay back! My gun holds two shots. Now, who wants the second one? All right. I’ll take my gun and my money. There’s only two hundred here. I see you each took a share. Drop your guns, fellas.

JIM
Don’t do it! He killed Saul, but we got three guns and he’s only got one bullet left in that Derringer!

PALADIN
One’s better than none.

SHERIFF
We got him.

UNCLE ED
Yeah.

JIM
When I say three, draw. One–

PALADIN
If you say two — I’ll kill you.

SHERIFF
Keep calm, boys.

PALADIN
I’ll kill the next man who speaks.

UNCLE ED
Look out! It’s Madison!

JIM
She’s gonna run us down!

SHERIFF
Git outta the way!

MADISON
Stop, horse! STOP!!! Oh, thank god that worked.

PALADIN
Madison!

MADISON
Come on, you drive.

PALADIN
Giddy-up!

MADISON
I hate horses!!!!

SHERIFF
Boys! Shoot! Shoot!

SCENE FIVE

PALADIN
Whoa, boy, whoa. We’ll stop here. Madison, get off the horse.

MADISON
Is it over?

PALADIN
Yes. You can open your eyes now.

MADISON
No, I can’t. I’m frozen in sheer terror. You’re gonna have to help me down.

PALADIN
Fine. Here we go.

MADISON
Ahhh!

PALADIN
You all right?

MADISON
I’m just not a horse-person, okay? You know those girls who love unicorns and wish they were real? I just see a huge animal with big teeth, strong hooves, and a spear on it’s forehead. That’s not a sweet fantasy, that’s horror.

PALADIN
Well, I’m grateful to you for taking such a risk for me.

MADISON
I realized I couldn’t wait around for you to be the hero and ride us off into the sunset, so I took matters into my own hands.

PALADIN
I appreciate it.

MADISON
Now, if it’s all the same to you, I’m gonna bury this trauma in the back of my brain — along with the year my parents forgot my birthday — and move on.

PALADIN
All right, let’s get our bearings. By the time they backtrack, it’ll be dark. We’ll spend the night here.

MADISON
If that means no more riding today, I’m all about the plan. Gimme your gun.

PALADIN
My gun? Why?

MADISON
I need to take a bath. And the one time I was camping and took a bath in the river, my brother’s friend took pictures. And no one uploads nudes of me except me.

PALADIN
How about I promise I won’t look?

MADISON
You better not. Because I got back at him while he was sleeping. Did you know maple syrup attracts fire ants?

PALADIN
Yes, but, if you pull that trigger, you’ll attract three rifles to our hiding place.

MADISON
I guarantee, fire ants on your manhood is much worse. Mmm. That smells good. What’re you making?

PALADIN
Rabbit.

MADISON
Rabbit? Okay, we’re doin’ that moment where I’m supposed to be repulsed by you serving a cute bunny, right? Because I’m a city- slicker and don’t know how to survive outside of a Starbucks?

PALADIN
We’re in the middle of the Arizona desert. It’s rabbit or lizard.

MADISON
In this episode I’ve had to be a saloon girl — and all that entails — rode a galloping horse, and just bathed with fish nipping at my private places, so, bring on the bunny.

PALADIN
Here you go.

MADISON
But if you didn’t want me to shoot a gun to attract attention, what about having a campfire?

PALADIN
Dry mesquite doesn’t smoke.

MADISON
Mesquite? Ooo, we’re having rabbit Texas barbecue style.

PALADIN
You’re wrapped in a blanket. Are you cold?

MADISON
I washed my clothes. They’re drying so I gotta stay in this blanket.

PALADIN
That’s the saddle blanket from the horse.

MADISON
I’m fully immersed in the smell, yes.

PALADIN
Go on and sit down. Coffee?

MADISON
Always. Any sight of those guys when you were out killing Bugs Bunny here?

PALADIN
Nope.

MADISON
Not that I’m in a rush to get back on the horse of the apocalypse over there, but wouldn’t traveling under the veil of night be a solid plan?

PALADIN
The moon rises in an hour. It’ll be almost as bright as day.

MADISON
Please. I come from L.A., the land of light pollution. There’s no way the moon can make it as bright as a Chevy Suburban with L.E.D. headlights.

PALADIN
Plus, I want them to tire their horses searching for us tonight. See, ours will be fresh in the morning. We’ll need to outrun them, because we sure can’t outfight them with one bullet.

MADISON
Yeah, okay, I gotcha. So, we’re heading to… where now?

PALADIN
Wickenburg.

MADISON
Still Arizona?

PALADIN
Yup.

MADISON
Where’re you going after Wickenburg?

PALADIN
Back to San Francisco.

MADISON
San Francisco? It’s a real city, even in the 1870s, isn’t it?

PALADIN
Yes, it sure is. We even have cable cars now.

MADISON
Ooo… not a fan of the cable cars. Near death experience.

PALADIN
Is there any mode of transportation that doesn’t frighten you?

MADISON
Talk to me after Henry Ford invents the assembly line.

PALADIN
Well, get some rest. It’s still another day’s ride to Wickenburg.

MADISON
Take me with you to San Francisco!

PALADIN
Now, we agreed I’d take you as far as Wickenburg.

MADISON
So I can stay in Old West Arizona and end up working in another saloon?

PALADIN
I can ride a lot faster alone.

MADISON
You wouldn’t even be riding at all if I hadn’t saved your life!

PALADIN
I still had one bullet left in my Derringer.

MADISON
Then why are you trying to hide from them now? Go ahead, face those three dudes with your one bullet!

PALADIN
All right, Madison, all right. I’ll take you to San Francisco with me.

MADISON
You live in a hotel there, right?

PALADIN
How’d you know that?

MADISON
I saw the first scene. I’ll crash at your hotel for a while, but we gotta talk about that Chinese servant or yours.

PALADIN
Chinese servant? You mean, “Hey Boy?”

MADISON
Shh. Get some rest. We’ll discuss your horrific insensitivity to the entire Asian population on the way to Wickenburg.

PALADIN
I’m starting to think I should just take my chances with the one bullet.

SCENE SIX

MADISON
Ah! I’m falling off!

PALADIN
For what is hopefully the last time today, you are not falling off the saddle, the horse is not about to throw you, and he is not secretly plotting a stampede to get out from under the oppression of his human masters.

MADISON
You can’t say that with a hundred percent assuredness.

PALADIN
Just try to relax. We oughta be in Wickenburg in another two hours, and–

MADISON
What? What’s the matter? Is the horse about to make a break for it?

PALADIN
No, look, there’s somebody up ahead.

KEYSTONE
Hey, you there!

MADISON
Okay, we can’t use the gun, what else ya got? Pepper spray? Taser? Chihuahua with a lotta teeth?

PALADIN
What?

MADISON
I’m thinkin’ woman-alone-on-the-subway maneuvers here.

PALADIN
There’s no need, he isn’t armed.

MADISON
Doesn’t mean he’s isn’t crazy.

PALADIN
Whoa. Whoa.

KEYSTONE
Hey, glad you two came along. How about a ride to Wickenburg?

MADISON
Don’t do it! Never pick up strangers! The guy could be a psychopath!

PALADIN
Who could be a psychopath?

MADISON
I haven’t been fully diagnosed.

PALADIN
What’s the matter? What happened here?

KEYSTONE
I’ve been rustled, or whatever you call it. Just because one of their horses threw a shoe, they took mine right out of the traces.

PALADIN
Three men?

KEYSTONE
Yeah. How’d you know?

PALADIN
What’s your name?

KEYSTONE
Peter Keystone, hide and tanner buyer from New York.

PALADIN For who?

KEYSTONE
For my father. He owns the plant.

MADISON
I call B.S. Your father owns a New York company?

KEYSTONE
Yeah.

MADISON
No way the owner of a New York company sends his son out into the middle of nowhere Arizona. He’d be givin’ him a small one million dollar loan to start his own business.

KEYSTONE
I’m learning the business. But I’ll admit, I’m a bit out of my element.

PALADIN
I need a gun. Is there one in your rig there?

KEYSTONE
Well, that’s one on your hip, isn’t it?

PALADIN
It’s empty. Have you got one, or ammunition?

KEYSTONE
What’s going on? Those three asked me the same question.

MADISON
Those men who took your horse, they’re douche nozzles — probably inbred — and they want to kill me.

KEYSTONE
Kill you? A pretty girl like you?

MADISON
I know, right? It happens to me more often than you’d think.

PALADIN
Have you got a gun?

KEYSTONE
There’s a repeating rifle under the seat and some shells to go with it. Just a minute now, I didn’t say–

PALADIN
I know you didn’t.

MADISON
We’re not robbing you, it’s more like, permanently borrowing under duress.

KEYSTONE
That doesn’t sound any better.

PALADIN
This gun’ll do. We’ll hitch my horse up to your wagon.

MADISON
Paladin, wait a minute! Are you gonna fight them? Can’t we just focus on getting to Wickenburg? Not a big fan of being shot at.

PALADIN
I’m afraid you don’t have a choice. Get down!

MADISON
Ahh!

KEYSTONE
Down the road, coming up in cover.

PALADIN
Yeah, I see them. They don’t know we have a gun.

MADISON
Okay, great. You’re the gunslinger. Shoot them so we can get on with our day.

KEYSTONE
What’s going on?

PALADIN
Just stay down. And stay right here, both of you.

KEYSTONE
But I–

MADISON
You stay with me, Pete. You’re not a gunfighter. You’re salsa from “New York City!”

PALADIN
Yeah, stay with Madison. I’m gonna work my way up towards them.

SHERIFF
All right, Paladin! We got you cut off! Ain’t no sense in tryin’ to fight us with one bullet.

JIM
What’re we waitin’ for? With that Derringer, he ain’t got no range.

UNCLE ED
Git him! He’s got a rifle!

SHERIFF
Hold on, Paladin! Jim’s hit. So’s Ed. We need a doctor!

PALADIN
Come out with your hands up!

SHERIFF
Sure, but don’t shoot me! Don’t shoot!

PALADIN
That’s far enough. Now. Get the rest of my money and throw it on the ground.

SHERIFF
What’re you gonna do to me?

PALADIN
You go get that wagon with my horse and load those wounded men on it.

SHERIFF
The wagon’s gone.

PALADIN
What? Gone?

SHERIFF
Her and that other fella took off in it.

PALADIN
What?! I’m sorry, Sheriff, I’ll send a doctor out to you. But you’re givin’ me one of your horses. I gotta get to Wickenburg.

SCENE SEVEN

MADISON
O.M.G. You are so sweet and smart and handsome and all the things!

KEYSTONE
Really? You think so?

MADISON
Would I lie to someone who’s rich and offering to take me to New York City?

KEYSTONE
You know, in New York, I never saw anyone just like you.

PALADIN
Hello.

KEYSTONE
Oh, hello, Mr. Paladin.

PALADIN
Mr. Keystone.

MADISON
Hey, Paladin! Guess you won, huh? Did ya kill him?

PALADIN
I got back what was rightfully mine.

MADISON
Must’ve been a hellova gunfight. We could hear it well over the ridge.

PALADIN
Hmm.

KEYSTONE
Mister, I– I didn’t want to jump in that rig and run, but I was thinking of Madison here.

PALADIN
A gentleman always considers a lady first. The question is, what does a lady consider first?

MADISON
I’m gonna go with hair. Generally if your hair looks good, you can make the rest work.

KEYSTONE
But I’m sure glad you came out all right, Mr. Paladin.

PALADIN
So, Madison, you made it to Wickenburg on your own. Guess you won’t be coming with me to San Francisco.

KEYSTONE
You were heading to San Francisco with Mr. Paladin?

MADISON
He wanted to take me there after I saved his life but I hadn’t said yes or anything.

PALADIN
Now, that’s not entirely true, is it, Madison?

KEYSTONE
Madison?

MADISON
O.M.G. Pete, he’s totes lying! If you believed everything guys said about me, you’d think I was shallow, self-centered and the reason the Menendez brothers lost their court case. I would never have told them to wear those awful sweaters.

KEYSTONE
What?

MADISON
Guys are a bunch of liars!

KEYSTONE
You think I’m a liar?

MADISON
Didn’t say you specifically. I said “guys.” Which is a term that includes all genders, so… uh…

PALADIN
So you’re a liar, too?

MADISON
Suck a bullet.

PALADIN
Well, I should be going. After all, Miss Standish, you’re only around to save my life when it also saves your own.

KEYSTONE
Wait a minute. Don’t go, Mr. Paladin.

MADISON
Dude, let him go. We have to get our train tickets to New York, right?

KEYSTONE
Maybe you can ask around in here and find someone who will offer to take you to… Paris!

MADISON
Nice goin’, Paladin. I had a rich guy with Daddy’s money willing to take me to New York.

PALADIN
I’m not worried about you, Miss Standish. You’ll make out just fine. Goodbye.

MADISON
Dammit. I’m still stuck in Arizona. Hey! Anyone in here heading to New York? San Francisco? Paris?

SCENE EIGHT

HEY BOY
Oh, Mr. Paladin! Welcome back to San Francisco.

PALADIN
Thank you, Hey Boy. Tell me, did I get any messages?

HEY BOY
Oh yes, all kinds of messages.

PALADIN
But any particular messages from a particular lady?

HEY BOY
Oh! You mean pretty lady with blonde hair, Miss Richards?

PALADIN
Yes. Did she leave me a message?

MISS RICHARDS
Never mind, Hey Boy, I’ll give it to him myself.

PALADIN
Well… Miss Richards. Is that a new dress?

MISS RICHARDS
You like it?

MADISON
I love it! Bustles are the O.G. big butts. “I like big bustles and I cannot lie.”

HEY BOY
Two blonde ladies?

PALADIN
Madison! What are you doing here?

MISS RICHARDS
Who is this, Mr. Paladin? I don’t believe we’ve been introduced.

MADISON
I’m Madison Standish. Paladin and me traveled from Arizona together. Sleeping together under the stars. Right, Paladin?

MISS RICHARDS
Really? Sleeping together under the stars?

MADISON
Riding pressed up against each other on one horse.

MISS RICHARDS
One horse?

MADISON
And O.M.G.! One night I washed my clothes in the river and had nothing but a blanket to wear.

MISS RICHARDS
Nothing but a blanket?!

PALADIN
Well… technically, yes.

MISS RICHARDS
Indeed? Well. Sounds like it was a very… eventful trip. I’m sure you two want to continue reminiscing. Good day, Mister Paladin.

HEY BOY
Oh… she mad at you, Mr. Paladin.

MADISON
Payback’s a bitch, ain’t it, Mister Paladin?

PALADIN
Madison! What are you doing in San Francisco? I thought we parted ways in Wickenburg.

MADISON
You blocked my free ride to New York, so I thought I’d return the favor.

HEY BOY
Mr. Paladin, shall I escort this lady out of hotel?

MADISON
And we gotta talk about this Chinese servant character.

HEY BOY
“Servant character?” I am bellhop of this hotel. I am supposed to serve the guests.

PALADIN
Madison, we’ve both saved each others’ lives and now we’ve both disrupted each others’ love lives. Can we call a truce?

MADISON
A truce?

PALADIN
Come on, I’ll buy you a nice dinner.

MADISON
Okay, it’s a deal.

PALADIN
Hey Boy, a table for two for dinner.

HEY BOY
Right away, Mr. Paladin.

MADISON
Do they have rabbit here? I kinda have a taste for it now.

EPILOGUE

MADISON
“Have Gun – Will Travel” first aired on CBS in November of 1958.A full year after the television series premiered. The radio Paladin was played by a different actor than who embodied the role on the television series, but the same scripts were used so the radio broadcast would parallel the weekly TV episode. The name “Paladin” was taken from one of the Knights of Charlemagne’s court, and the gentleman-gunfighter never once revealed his true identity. Both the radio and the television series ended their runs in 1963. And fun fact! Of the 225 television episodes, 24 were written by Gene Roddenberry who would later describe Star Trek as a space western.