Re: "The Horse Thief of San Bernardino": A Western Ballad

Hi Wizard -

Thanks for the kind words and the feedback.

I am pleased that Dan and Dusty can be known by their rightful names from here on out.
Dan had said something to a news reporter about not wanting to be in the media spotlght,
and I wanted to respect that. But both he and Dusty the Wonder Horse deserve plenty of recognition.

The deputy Dusty kicked may not be named Steve, either.

But you can see that there is some poetic license at work here.

Also, based on the description of the Apple Valley perp's behavior, it is very likely that
he is a clinical sociopath. And he is lawyered up. People like that would be inclined to
take people like me to court unless the story I tell differs from actual events in some
key areas.

Perhaps you can answer a vexing question: Is the perp in the NBC news video,
riding on Dusty before the cops tased him, actually wearing red pajamas?

If the cops went to serve the warrant early in the morning when people are still in bed,
it is possible that the perp WAS wearing red pajamas.

An alternative explanation would be that NBC or the county sheriff's tech people
"colorized" the suspect in the video so it would be easier to tell whether excessive
force was being used. (You think??)

Anyway, if the perp actually rode up the Pacific Crest Trail in red pajamas, it makes
a little more sense that the cops might mistake a runninng man in red undershorts
for the fugitive.

Either way, it makes for a very entertaining yarn. I greatly appreciate what you
wrote on the Deep Creek Hot Springs forum providing the rich details to
embellish my ballad.

While I have never taken the waters in DCHS myself, my husband was there
many times during his biker days in Tujunga. We hope to come visit in the months ahead.

I hope that Dan has had a chance to hear my song, and I will work on another
take with his name and Dusty's restored.

Amelia Sue