New hat, boots, and tie

In Boot Hill, I got a bolo tie. And in Raton, N.M., while my Dad was taking a photo of an old movie theater, I saw a Western wear shop. My Mom and I went in, and it was practically a hat cemetery. But Dad will talk about that.

I first went to try on a hat. The store clerk led me to three piles of hats. They all looked the same in shape, but the colors were different. The first pile was black, the second pile was pink, and the last pile was camouflage. So I tried on the black hat. The style was called "one size fits all." But the hat didn't fit me. So the store owner came over and picked out a hat for me. The hat was black but it was slightly bigger and fit like a glove, and it had a braided leather band. Then my Mom picked out another hat. It was black also. But the band was different, and I did not like it. So I chose the first hat, and it made me very happy.

Then I went to the boot section. I tried on a lot of boots, and none fit me. The store owner came over again to see how the boots fit. She went away and got me different size boots, and these fit. They were black and white, with a bunch of swirly designs.
Now I'm ready for the WEST!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Dad:

Walk into Solano's Boot and Western Wear Shop, and you can't help notice the hats.
hey hang on the walls near the original, turn-of-the-century stamped tin ceiling -- lots of hats, more than 340. The Solano family calls it their "hat cemetery." They've been collecting the Stetsons and other western classics since the store opened in 1956. Each bears a tag with its donor's name. Some look well-preserved; some look as though they spent years on the range. Horses might have stepped on a few.

All surely have a story, and the store wants as many as it can get. So far, it has 20, said Sandy Solano, the daughter of the founders and the present manager. If she can coax 80 or so more of the former owners to reminisce, the store will gather them in a book. Hats off to the Solanos. Could that be considered a crowning achievement?