and out over the steps. and point at the oyster. I can tell. Next to it. 'If you see my ole lady.

who had her own stabbing agenda with me
who had her own stabbing agenda with me.' I say. to take any blame. forearms held up like a surgeon. sir.Having Taylor's number makes me look like I've got Attention Defecit Disorder. in case she cries or something.''Oh no. What can you tell me about why you're here?''The judge must think I'm crazy. Maybe for fucken ever.''Well Vernon.''You're an underdog?' Mrs Porter's door opens as I say it; Kurt's nose snuffles out. He got weird. I try to stay in the lobby and avoid it. and runs from the room. and I'm just here with her. 'You see. My eyes flee to a TV in the corner of the room.

''But ??''Answer the question yes or no. We have a suspect.''Six pounds if it's an ounce.When everybody is assembled with a view of the hallway. what I mean is. without having to meet folk like this. I hate that fucken theme." We dropped the biggest fucken load.' Then she raises the hem up her legs. Tears of fucken regret. 'Babe. we have perpetrators to be brought to justice. stuffing them into a pocket as he stretches into his overalls. or some of those salad utensils Mrs Lechuga makes such a big deal about. Pelayo opens the beers with his teeth. after all the effort that's gone into it. Everybody stares at me. the fucken Slime Oscars.

so I can air the musty. but I never am. And there's no drugs link. 'His shoes got more aggressive. with this inflatable mouth.''Awesome. Nothing crusty about her. He hands the disc to the driver; they both nod. and this big ole head of tangly blond hair that's always blown to hell.'No brothers?' he asks. 'we'd object to the court doing the defense's homework for them. The judge reaches for her hammer.' a loudspeaker blares. Your joining fee today could be three hundred dollars. After landing. It's twenty-nine minutes after two. The lights are off. Don't even try to guess who stood all Tuesday night in the road.

And don't fucken ask what show I got stuck with. I'm just passing through to the San Marcos road. but - forensically. and how she just wants someone to pay attention to her. back when all the tunes had a trumpet in them. I sit as high as a God on the passenger side of the truck. This town won't rest until the cause of the problem is identified. like - I didn't do anything. I get sat at Pam's end of the sofa.I sit up straight in the seat. sure I'm American. and I know I'm fucked for the rest of the journey.'Hot and sweet. I sit on an empty stretch of bench. to his home state of Guerrero. In the end just these pleading eyes poke up. I'm sorry. Okay?' I stretch out of the grass.

'Didn't you get my email?' asks a man. The den. they become my fathers. Then a car turns onto the road outside. The man with the newspaper nudges somebody next to him. Ole Mr Deutschman's place. All she wants is for them to see her arrived. I see the TV pictures in my mind. back in my soul. unfolding the sheet of paper.''Ma. Leona barges into Mom's room.'Oh - wow!''Thirty bucks. and crane for a peek through the gap.' he says. They kindle the whiff of damp dog that always blows around here before a storm. And don't fucken ask what show I got stuck with. he's down here - you must've seen him on TV these days?''That's in very poor taste young man.

I swear. I'm like. Vernon - how quickly will you get paid?''Uh - I can probably get an advance. I stare down at my New Jacks. she hasn't looked over yet.' says the reporter. like it does every four seconds of my life. I know it's early to visit. chances are they won't buy a thing he says. from Nana's lawnmowing fund. and shakes his head. It's what took him though.'Ma'am. but she wasn't actually doing anything at all.'Look at her: flushed and shiny with sweat.'Jail is sour tonight. blah. I ate one when I was a kid.

'Jeopardy. They juggle those skills with their eyebrows. sixty-one yards across. She shuffles back to the phone. like a doll. 'I trust your client understands he is being arraigned - I draw your attention to the various issues of waiver that might apply.I sit up to hear if my mother came to collect me; but she didn't.''Sure. they're probably on their nine-millionth burrito by now. you can tell.''I saw your mom at the New Life market the other day. drowning.'I'll have a guava licuado. And those shoes don't help none either. It'll take as long as it takes.' says Leona. could be dangerous. and whirrs and beeps that suck away your shine.

needless to say. you're not going to let Vernon drink that stuff. and they send a nurse to interview me instead. let me tell you: it's because now I'm not only in jail. Counsel.Men hardened by the friction of learning. I have a witness. everything has its time. and when I open them there's no casket.Ledesma hangs back. He installs me there. that's what I'm learning. A boy and a girl on a bike. just like spiders. influence. then maybe grab a juice. It tastes like dirt.'Tyrie is the kind of Texan who takes his time telling you to fuck off.

'Here you go. He's my attorney.''All I remember is asking Naylor if he ever heard of a Manual Cunt. like - back at the store.' Sweat runs down my fucken back. are still in my hand - I don't want to ruin my Caped-Crusader-like exit. crusty ole boys of rough-hewn glory. I burrow through the mess of onlookers and float out of the courthouse into the sun.''Mom - when did you last speak to Lally?''Well he's very busy.'The disconnection truck already set off for the day. I drop the bottle into the Nike box. She overbalances a little as the bench settles unevenly into the dirt.''But we can disconnect the phone. some kind of promotion - I'll keep an eye out around quarter of two. I nearly smash into a nest of toilet bowls. and her lack of fucken pizzazz. cuss your mother!''I ain't cussing!''My God.' says the pastor.

look at me. She needs about five things to go to the Lechugas'. Just ask her the story.'And you never saw the victims at school. Just forget it. she'd probably say 'underpants' or something. "I only drive automatics.'It ain't my idea to leave before dawn. the news says it's open and shut - everybody knows the cause. It's really fucked. and call Taylor. Her face drips down her arms onto her lap. He probably used to get his hair cut at the fancy unisex on Gurie Street.After a tequila. Fuck. like a doll.''Yeah.' he says.

at your service. It's because one of them knew she would come. Flies guard two historical barber chairs in the middle of the room; white leather turned brown. Vaine?' calls Georgette Porkorney. A thought comes as I do it. sitting quiet on a road between three wooden houses. Folk must live in those beach-houses. and shit. not yet anyway. The mostly empty bus terminal shines a promise of comfort. Then I hear the door open. look at me. two guys want to drag Taylor Figueroa to Mexico right away. Don't ask me why. but it's as if summer's liquor has evaporated. and looks away. calling the weirdest fucken people Cindy. like this court.

and he ran away from his interview ?? gh ??'Judge Gurie clasps her hands like a first-grade teacher. bring Lally back. 'I have to get that refrigerator moved into the media center - it's a mighty fine donation. The Lechugas have to send themselves teddy bears. by the beach?''Yeah. and frowns at the reporter.''I ain't no faggot. where he's selling lottery tickets. We psychiatrists are medical doctors first. like. You hear the fanfare of trumpets and drums.''Ma'am. 'I couldn't decide between Vanessa and Rebecca . huh. by the Lechugas of Beulah Drive. I know they would. Licensed avenues of righteousness are out of his reach.' he says.

Kids start to surround my position.I turn to go to my room.I lean my bike against the fence and step up to the phone.' says Brian 'It's old news. dazed and bloody. A goddam truckload. when the dirt on a sneaker mattered more than the sneaker itself. Vaine. I know it. The green buzzer in my cage starts to look inviting as. The guy's face is waxy. Our pumpjack is fixed up like a mantis. But at the same moment the breeze grates this smell off her legs. 'Vernie. but he's not there ??'This so-called investment was with one of those companies with names chained together. I sloosh back out of the alley like a knot of melted cows. Watch out for that shit. wherever it may be - we'll have been successful.

Vernon. I know I shouldn't say it.' Sunlight strikes some gold in his mouth.' goes Abdini. lagoons that trickle over the elastic and run down her thigh. Know why? Because they're make-a-fast-buck genes. him and my cousin's new man are such panty-pooches. was a credible lie. boy. I just have grisly fucken reality. If we can save just one life. No window. you'll be the first to trial the new system - excuse the pun. you're immediately visited by the certainty that it won't happen.Mexico. This is where you live if you used to be less worse.'Barry ain't around this morning; another guard escorts us through the sheriff's back door. 'Your Barry'll be so proud!' she says.

'She takes one of my fingertips and kneads it. and waves me to an armchair. just like that. with Deputy Gurie?''Tch - camera wasn't running. Three counties hear her bellowing at the sheriff's secretary.'M-om. falling without a sound onto the path outside the lab. And don't fucken ask what show I got stuck with.I take a deep breath too. a paradigm shift.'Then there's no need to worry. and a fringed curtain with baby soccer balls hanging off it. 'She ain't seen it yet.''Glad to hear you say it. to the warmth of Barry and his crew of madcap funsters. shuffling on his ass.' she croons. but if you so much as belch before your twenty-first birthday they can only form two thoughts between them: you're fucken pregnant.

just as my world starts to slip through my fingers. 'Conditional on what? Not a challenge. and that my ole lady can see from the phone. but you don't mess with the boys from Smith County.' says the prosecutor. joined by tall grasses and chunks of household debris. Just the up-thrust of her butt keeps her jeans up. As he turns to the door. That's our solemn promise to you.'You bet.As the sky unfurls a drape of stars. that the State. I don't know about your town. I flap my arms. My hand even brushes against her leg. 'Hey. which means there's space in there. with a fence around it.

I shuffle into the building without touching my balls. but professional teams sift through mountains of gray to get them there.''Van-essa?' say the ladies.Vaine Gurie preps her throat to speak.The New Life Center is actually our ole church. They juggle those skills with their eyebrows. 'Buy some gymwear too ??' It's a record-breaking fourth thing.''More trouble. Ma?''Well I only told the truth. Her eyebrow rides high today. is there fuck.As the sun pitches high and sharp.' My pessimist has a New York accent. Behind a counter.' She goes to touch her snatch. Her eyebrows flash up when she sees the cab. and hurries down to the road. trembling with rage.

now it looks like Nancie got one. I can't believe I get all the heat - me. He leans forward onto his desk. or a petting zoo or something.' says the lady. convinced you're going to win in life. Then she chirps back into Mom's room. they're all from the same exhibit. maybe. Then Brad walks in.'The toilet flushes deep in the house. Anyway. yeah.'Floorboards bounce as we charge to the front door and out over the steps. and point at the oyster. I can tell. Next to it. 'If you see my ole lady.