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Bill's still rolling his eyes when he slides Joanie a twenty-dollar tip, thanking her for her service. "Any idea for the rest?" she asks, suggesting service of a different kind. He says he believes he'll stay with cash, and heads out. Aw. It's heartwarming to think he's staying faithful to his new wife or something, until you see him wandering down the street to meet up with his man-crush, Seth Bullock. Too worn out to clench, Bullock is still working on the erection (oh...haaaa!) of his store, alone and in the cool of the evening. They exchange the pleasantries of two men who are clearly forming a mutual admiration society, and Bill asks if Bullock's all right with the nickname he's given him: "Montana." If that doesn't give y'all the gay vibe, I don't know what will. Anyway, Bullock says that he's fine with it, seeing as how the only other nickname he's ever had was "Sloth." (Except for "Clench," which he doesn't know that all of us have calling him behind his back. Shh!) Bill says "Sloth" doesn't quite seem to fit him, and as Bullock raises yet another beam in the store frame, it's difficult not to agree. "Choice was among the seven sins," Bullock explains. "Guess I got out before the others surfaced."
I like Timothy Olyphant and Keith Carradine together. Both of these roles are so macho-good-guy-misunderstood-hero...seeing them together somehow balances them both out to a manageable level.
Looking out over the main thoroughfare, Bill comments that the "camp looks like a good bet." Bullock says that his wife and son are in Michigan with family and that he hopes he can bring them out soon. Bill says that when peace is finally made with the Sioux, Deadwood will turn into a real town with laws and "every other damn thing." I have to wonder what other damn things he's talking about, considering the damnable things currently featured. Bullock says he'd settle for just getting property rights, and Bill smirks, doubtful that Bullock would ever settle for anything less than complete justice for everyone in town. They talk about Bill's own wife, who runs a circus, waiting for word of his prospecting success. Bullock tells him on that subject that he and Sol have put aside their last sifting cradle for his use: "Why don't you go ahead and use it, Bill?" Hickok sighs. "What slows me down is thinking about freezing my balls off in a creek," he says. "Or the cocksuckers I'd lose my gold to at poker." Wild Bill knows himself. He pauses again before saying he's flat-out tired. This is all laden with symbolism, of course, with Bullock clenching meaningfully at his shoot-'em-up hero before oh-so-seriously telling Bill to "turn in," glancing back at the thoroughfare to add, "I got 'er covered."