Roy, Dale, Gene & Hopalong

(If you don't recognize those names you might as well stop reading now.)

When I was a little kid I watched Roy Rogers at 6:30 a.m. every Saturday morning. Most Saturdays I had to watch the test pattern for about 30 minutes-to-an-hour until it was time for Roy to ride in. I was an early riser.

While visiting family and eating my favorite foods to celebrate Thanksgiving I had the opportunity to visit a big kid's dreamland. Its name is Wild West Toys in Azle, Texas.

This family-owned business has acquired many old cap gun molds and produces new cap guns built the old-fashioned way. Take a look at their website. They obviously have devoted more of their talents to toys than to website design but I say their priorities are right.

I got to meet the family (they go to church with my sister and brother-in-law) and they are really nice people. They all play musical instruments and have had a music store for many years. (It's right next door to the toy store.) After spending a few minutes with them, you'd have no doubt how much they love the old west some of us grew up with on TV and they've dedicated much effort to preserve it.

If you have a little boy, or nephew or grandson, who needs a cap gun, you now know where to find a good one. And if you want to wrangle up some fun western memories of the 1950's and 1960's drop in and handle the guns. Bob will be glad to furnish the caps if you want to try some out.

I double-dog-dare you to shoot the Bronco model and not reach for your wallet.