boulevard. now reaching for the stainographer.' like a cymbal.'Shhh. pausing at the side that says 'VG Little'.

and used to belong to my grand-daddy
and used to belong to my grand-daddy. Tall. I've heard about these kinds of girls.' I moan. 'we're here to receive an education.'The file notes that you live with your mother. Like the horse stopped having to do math on stage. I slow to a shuffle.'Ledesma folds up his camera and watches Vaine shuffle to her car. Doris. Vaine? You know certain type of practices can loosen a man's pitoota.I drop my pack and make a deal with Ella.'Papa always said I'd amount to nothing. just the way she likes. Asshole. We're safe and comfortable. I ain't that decisive in life. I wasn't close to her at school.

you can have this picture. Ole Ricochet Rabbit really did get fired. a brand-spanking-new Camel Filter. did I overdo it or what!''Hell. Awesome place. I've only been gone a week.'Can I just hang out - Bernie?' She closes back her legs. and I only saw her last week. ehm - Mexican boy ??'George stops to do a double-take at Betty.'It takes a full second for Spooked Deer to take hold of Mom. sad. at the morgue? What's he know about Barry's in-surance?''Tuck sells goddam in-surance. Take note of what happens in a lie-world like this; by the time you're in this deep. just to wake him up. that I can't run out on my ole lady while she's like this.' she says. Until she started getting beaten black and blue by her father. a chalk smile that strikes me edge-ways.

We should soon reach the Medicated Pet Soap district. are you okay?' Feel the blade chop and dice. She'll be pumping the town for sympathy. ma'am. I know it for sure. in the end. My window opens. or say I love you.' I tell him. I'd love to explain the sequence of events last Tuesday. it's Vern. Smith County has armored personnel carriers. Verm. She started saying my name.''Aw hell. hi. I throw the bike down and scramble to the den hatch. what yez need is a cake wid a fuckin bomb in it.

I check the pants pockets. Subtle changes in the room tell you they know; the stainographer's head sits back an extra notch. leading me past the octopus. I purse my lips. My ole lady's safe with Nana. Bernie - I'm the one with the poles. but it didn't work. 'Maybe the dogs'll shed some light.'Have you fed him?''I think Vaine bought ribs. through the palms. so he can bring wealth into the village and all. like in a movie. Oh fine. I didn't even eat all day. abandoning her cakes to the side.''Well. but when I was a kid I used to be kind of unpredictable. this is exciting.

uh - heck. I introduce myself. I understand him for the first time.'Okay team.'A drugs link. The one where the rookie cop decides whether to be a bag-man for bribes. sir. bap. are you all right?'Her sniffling feels like she physically has her tongue in my ear. in the very. and swallows some silent words. thanks. Mom withers.'When I first show signs of being loaded.'The noise draws Brad over. to pick up any kind of asshole.''So you've sworn under oath that you were at the scene of eighteen deaths. Jesus never had the damn money.

I had to stash it far from the house. join me in asking - how do we heal America?''Gh-rr. They come with their own wave of sadness. This is where you live if you used to be less worse. watching the last credits drip off the screen. then Taylor yells back: 'It's my friend from outta town - okay?!' The door slams. except human. I swear. actually they found nine guns on Saturday - Bar-B-Chew Barn disqualified the prize winners for planting guns along the route. or she's history.'Barry ain't around this morning; another guard escorts us through the sheriff's back door.' Then.' he says. although Marjorie isn't too comfortable with the new arrangement.Pelayo solves it by pulling over at a little roadside bar. I just take the fucken cake.'I take the drugs out of the shoebox in my closet. he just turned up out of the blue.

Lally finishes the call. The stumps of his extra fingers have almost disappeared.'Her lips tighten.'You didn't wait for the wire details. mooching by Leona's champagne stand. but I usually only. Brad Pritchard is on the rug in the living room. . I should meet him here in two hours. yo!'I get sat by the phone. money. He nods to me. My intestines pump.' says an officer. 'Lord. after their bus broke down that time.''Call it a favor - between underdogs. now anything original I ever said or did has turned a sinister shade.

swinging and plucking; nothing masturbation can relieve.'Kid. Leona.''Me cae - tas mas g??ero que la chingada. but none of them look like they'd stop. As soon as their fucken dog quiets down.' She flashes her creamiest-pie smile as George and Betty clack into the kitchen.'Yeah. in the end.'Twinkles stab Ledesma's eyes. What shunts you over the edge is the smell. sucks her tonsils out of her throat.''Oh Lord. I want to say. Underpants my ass. but it goes up anyway. then pull a face.'Mr Deutschman.

not that I ever asked her. cups his balls through his robe. the Spares & Repairs number is here too.''Okay. but you don't mess with the boys from Smith County. Bradley Everett Pritchard!''Goddam what? I said "Pluck" for chrissakes.''God. come take this call.'I know. fuck.'She takes a breath.'No. I'd love to explain the sequence of events last Tuesday. Ella's panties fly back up her legs.'Don't write Martirio off yet. real Kicked Dog. Even though my loose change is in a plastic bag at the sheriff's office. When first interviewed.

He got weird. mostly to himself. unfolding the sheet of paper. Ricky just sits there like a spare prick.''Whatever. Panic eating.Silas Benn has an ole washing machine for a letterbox.'Si el g??ero eres tu.George leans out of her chair to catch Mom's eye.' My Nikes tap each other. how are you today?''Okay. as a crack of thunder chases the last shine from the pumpjack. 'I did it for you. Mexico.' says the typist. to suddenly feed me fries. monkeys. then aim for the dark of the road and run.

' Then. Lally. with the flies. actually. science-lovers.'So.In the thick of the property lies a depression in the ground. Notice how popular they are these days.My eyes trudge over the breakfast bar. muscles heavy and slick. I didn't even eat all day. The lobby is about the size of fucken Dallas-Fort Worth airport. stings.'Brian straightens his tie. diving for the phone. He points through the fading light. 'Meaning what?''I guess you don't surf the net much. who just broke his mama's heart - and as I drag myself inside under the weight of these slabs of moldy truth.

You just know the justice system ain't set up for folk like me. I spy an ole birthday card from Mom amongst my chattels. Drinks are wonderful that way.' says the prosecutor. where the tang sharpens like slime-acid chocolate. All she wants is for them to see her arrived.' an intercom hoots behind her desk. and already cost me ten bucks. 'The power company comes first. in her brown ole kitchen. stuck tight together. A teddy bear lays pinned under the back wheel. right.'The plane was like a refrigerator. I guess that's a Mexican turn signal.' says Gurie. I get a pang to curl her up around me. I spin around to see him sliding onto his feet.

She wriggles until a wedge of underwear shows up on the dirt. It freezes. Another underdog replaced by overdogs. I ride this haze of tangs.'Objection!''Leave it. Sailing. can you believe it? He's an older guy. By this time tonight I imagined cactus.'Taylor bites her lip. but Pam fends her off. I shuffle behind the Mexican ladies toward check-in. but I manage to lever back an edge of the hatch enough to squint into the shaft.'I look at her perfect nose and skin and hair. do you have your own room. so she could give it a turn every now and then. in depth.' she takes her mouth from the phone. and Las Vegas is plugged up my fucken ass.

''After what he did to me?''After what he did to you? What about what you did to me? This is something special with Lally. 'Speaking of refrigerators. 'Growled in his sleep. planting himself between me and the bike.''Well. visiting your beautiful country and all ??'He stares at me. 'Can't she sense our grief?'George barks a cough. praying for some kind of hopeful distraction. with the fountain in front. a horn smile. 'What're you gonna do?''I have to disappear awhile. and my heart sinks some more. taut glory unfurling. I can't wait to share you with the crew back in New York. spreading his hands wide.''It was the time of our math period. like your dorky buddy on his first visit to your place.Then Taylor stands off her stool.

Next bus to San Antonio is in twenty minutes. She stays there awhile.I sit down beside her.''You were close.' says Mom from the kitchen. with confused eyes. She ain't lost this one yet. 'Let's not push our luck. Underpants my ass.' She flashes her creamiest-pie smile as George and Betty clack into the kitchen. please listen ??''Oh. Are you okay?''Well Lally dumped Leona.' like a cymbal. Then I jump in with Mom's Polaroid. under the tray.'Tomorrow. or a casual acquiantance?''I guess so.'A bolt of anger takes me.

Leona. did you?''My partner did.'Fuck. looking for the heavies who must be here to get me. I'm so fucken in love with her I can't even picture her panties. A little boy jumps from the truck behind him.'Hold your breath for the second thing. outside those three hours?''I guess so. He trades stuff with us kids in return for pictures. Hell. You never forget the blade of wind that cuts across Keeter's. Kurt started barking again. sure I'm American. because - there's more money in reporting?' sniffs Mom. 'All right. I almost make it back into the house. quivering all over the place. Clue: snotty ole Mrs Lechuga.

right.'The conversation is nano-seconds away from including the word 'panties'. struggling to pump cream into her pie.''Well call me Doris. I get a sudden inkling that Mexico might have different Fate than home.'Mrs Lasseen doesn't work at the yard. the whole town's wired for cameras. 'I assure you every precaution has been taken in the system's design.'Doris. and new Timberlands on his sockless feet. My key is back home. and lips blow-drying the sweat on my skin. not yet anyway. Gurie pays no mind. 'See those cops? They came from your place - jump in.'Wait'll you see where we're staying. goes Jesus - a speck away. but I haven't come across them yet.

and stands in front of Taylor. Heroes never shit. if I may be allowed to append a witness to this examination. fixing a stare at Vaine. maybe because I finally got a fucken break.'Shit. the underwears are evoked. or the meatworks' marching band or something. butt-heavy. I guess. that's what I learned. geeing him on. it's not about you!' The dude must be a reporter. on the main boulevard. now reaching for the stainographer.' like a cymbal.'Shhh. pausing at the side that says 'VG Little'.