Billy the Kid.

Billy or Henry Mccardy or William B. Bonnie wasn’t shy. He took huge risks, whether escaping jails, standing up to corrupt lawmen, or riding with the Lincoln County Regulators. He had a fearless streak—maybe reckless, but brave. People liked him. Even some sheriffs said he was polite, funny, and well-mannered—especially around women. He wasn’t just a gun-toting outlaw—he was clever. He could read, write, and speak fluent Spanish. He could be hot-headed when betrayed or wronged, but loyal to his close friends. He saw injustice in how the powerful treated the poor—and took a stand. That’s part of what made him a folk hero to some. He was still a teenager when he became infamous. Orphaned, tossed around by life, always on the run. There’s a sadness under all the stories—someone just trying to survive in a brutal world.