The Longest Mile

You could say that it was Johnny's turn. He was on the high road going into Milwaukee, and he wasn't about to let anybody knock him off of it. There were the young guns who always brought guts and determination to the field.

Old Mike, tough as nails, was ready to turn over his turf to his kid, Chrissy, Cute kid, not gorgeous, but on this battleground, looks don't matter. She was smart, and as tough, maybe even tougher than, her old man. She was ready to prove something. But someone put the brakes on her charge early in the battle, or rather, took the brakes off, and she fell by the wayside early.

Young Colin, already a veteran of many a battle in other territory, and a winner at that, was also out to prove something. Colin had come on strong, and but his ambition was dampened in a tangle with the Newcomer, Mr. Annett.

Then there was Eric, the kid who had challenged Johnny in the most recent battle, and had beaten him. Barely. Johnny wasn't really sure he had been beat. It certainly didn't feel like he had been beaten. But Eric was a contender, and Johnny knew he had to watch him.

The Desperado, the one man monkey wrench gang who had knocked The Horn off of the same high road Johnny was on, was occupied elsewhere, but there was still the Onion to contend with. The Onion could be a friend or a foe, one would never know which until something happened. And when something happens, all eyes are on the Onion, who always shrugs it off with "I din't mean to do nothin'!"

That always gets the Onion off the hook. They call him the Onion because he really knows how to make a grown man cry.

Early in the race, a real threat, Rigid Rick Crawford, seemed ready to take it all. Rigid Rick was one of the Founding Fathers of the Order, but as others turned toward newfangled and fancy gadgets to help them reach towards the top, Rigid Rick became one of the have nots. Even as a have-not, though, Rick is Rigid, and always a threat, as well as a sentimental favorite for the bystanders and onlookers. But even this battlefield has rules, and Rick got caught, so his threat was greatly diminished.

Then there was The Horn himself. The Horn had been on top of the heap until the Desperado had taken him down, but not by much. The Horn wasn't about to stay off the top for long, and would do anything to get back there. He got caught in the crossfire between the young guns, but that didn't keep him down, as he is one of the best at a quick recovery. But the Onion put an end to that recovery, as he can almost always be counted on to do. As we mentioned before, they call him the Onion because he can make a grown man cry.

So, it was Johnny's turn, and where Johnny has been the winner before, he was the winner again. And he is still, for now at least, on top of the hill.