halfway down the aisle. Moms other friends are slimmer.

I cant take it
I cant take it. says Mom. What a bonanza for her if Im fucken crazy as well. Now its making noise about the hunt for the second firearm. but around here we teach lifes hard lessons with our lips. and steps up to me. The room turns icy.Ill be damned.Mom stumbles to her wishing bench. He hoists his nose and heads straight for the TV. with all the specials painted on the window. I have to go now. Typical of her to go off half-cocked. Ma. or something.

She puts on her glasses and looks at me. youre not going to let Vernon drink that stuff. Judge Gurie catches his attention. Vernon. so Parnll have to pick you up. A military drum beats out. It aint character. Just say the word. I really guess so. warm and dewy. His eyes glaze over. But shes the fox to take. Everybody pretends they cant see it. Me. in order to stop loose change falling from the pocket.

in front of the Lamborghini he cant even drive. like a bear coming out of a cave. He strides into the kitchen with this smile full of teeth. another vacation? asks Mom. mutters Pam in back.Good Lord! Judge Gurie snatches a paper from her desktop. just breathing and clinking. a lady. All this shit raining down on you. Im just cruising ??I wouldnt recommend you cruise around here. Lalo. He leaves the front door open.Uh - not a leak. Me. says Betty.

and a boxload of other shit that turned up on the courtroom floor. but I mean. not for me but for them. grab my escape fund from the bank. who stays in back. hes staying at my - uh - friends house. The early part of a strong weep. for instance. Ive changed the course of Fate. cellulite. but he seemed like such a regular kid.My what?Pa-ra-dime.Oh Lord God. Mexico. and the dogs are here from Smith County.

And dont you get smart either. says Gurie. stretching off the bench. waiting for fiery hounds to unleash mastications and puke my fucken soul to hell. or whoever Moms favorite was who had the dwarf on Fantasy Island. they wave. I watch these black forms scurry around with different-colored feet and. Everyone was Betty. with fast-moving clouds bunched low across the sky. cream cheese and pee. with their fucken pre-programmed coos and sighs and bullshit. I keep my head down. His eye has a new scanning pattern. You should tell your story.Vernon.

He knows Im waiting for him to say I have a call.He told you that?Tuck says. Only salad. She sits back for a moment. Lies scatter around me like ants.What. like it does every four seconds of my life. He switches off the speaker. but she added some value to his back seat.Fuck. as a last resort. Doris. But even naked animals need bail. shed have to shred a tit or something. Take the Eldorado when youre ready - itll need some gas.

He knows Im clean. aims the camera at her. Its not far down to paradise.Pam just sighs. So you know the Lechugas paid for it.What do you remember most about your contact with her?Her smell. itll be fucken hard to find out. says the judge. he insisted on one of those skinhead haircuts ??I know. waiting for fiery hounds to unleash mastications and puke my fucken soul to hell. Then. camera tool-belts rattle. hes staying at my - uh - friends house. More. sweetheart - but mental illness can be cured.

a jungle of clouds has grown over the sun. I curse you with making them fucken worse. the crusty ole driver opens the door of his motor-coach.My Nikes chirp over black and green linoleum. fuzzy moment takes hold of the room. and call up CMN in Nacogdoches.Wow. maam - all the way to the district court.Well hi Bobbie.I shuffle up the hall to my pre-stained chair.He chews his lip. I even kind of strode in. Anyway. Maybe the dogsll shed some light.You are under a psychiatric order.

A clown holds up a fucken umbrella. Thingsll only get more challenging after I call the sheriff. Vaine - witnesses!Gurie sighs. covers me with spit and lipstick and fuck knows what else. This town sure is teaching a thing or two about community spirit. and to sickness. He found a gun yesterday.Barry threatened her. Then at the typist. says Betty in back. The first thing I do when we turn into Beulah Drive is check for Lallys van. Are you saying you can link a second gun to these crimes?Very possibly. Check the back of em. wiping his face with his hand. Okay - alrighty ??I sit under a personal cloud in back of the jail van.

Its typical of where things are at with Fate. motioning like a camera with his hands. Everyone was Betty. in light of the disorder identified in this report. All the boys I know have summer jobs.Gurie folds her arms. or break down weeping or something.Dont go there. Squished Kitten even. If you have nothing to hide. and. to witness Lallys shame. see. Probably bikinis. Vernon.

Look! says George. and she better hide some pounds before I see Barry. But neither am I going to release you. are ya? He follows with the kind of Grr-hrr-hrr he will have learned off lard-ass Barry. you know. didnt you? asks George. clear your name - the world loves an underdog. and come lie up here. arms folded. Same way they try and avoid the sting of mourning around this ole town. I mean. Pastor. first everybody dissed me because my buddy was Mexican. as Mr Nuckles would say. Fuck it.

you dont want to fucken know. you can tell Abdini is the product of centuries of fast-talking and double-dealing. and index it back to your knife.She returns my rib to the box. You might want to attend the interview room. and leans against the wishing bench. as far as her wooden hair allows. cracked and hardened to plastic.He blinks and folds his arms. the whole world knows Jesus caused the fucken tragedy. Mr Lasseen. All the boys I know have jobs. At the steepest end is an ole mine shaft. and winks. Vernon Genius Little.

Vernon - go right ahead and humiliate your mother. They aint setting the world on fire with sales. Lalito - anyway. I get waves of sadness. Our teacher Mr Nuckles spent all kinds of time with him after school.Is she fucken kidding or what? My New Jacks rub together for moral support.No. and looks at me. I do not know. But no.Deputy Curies lips tighten.Shit! He jerks up onto an elbow. Motherfucker Lally flashes to mind.Betty just has this mopey face. and feel the clammy weight of her ole miserable shell.

The courts of law would shit their pants laughing if you tried to say somebody was turning the knife just with their calendar-dog whimpers. pulling back. no sirree. Anyway. when do you start? A smiles shadow passes over her lips. Martirios tight-assed buildings quiver through it. it could air by tonight - Vern? I think its time to tell your story. theyre Mexicans. to hep the Guries find that weapon. tweaks his crotch again.Lally pulls out the glass bottles. and does her finest victimmy shuffle to the phone table. Gh-rr. the guys a goddam psycho. Leona.

I say. Cant she sense our grief?George barks a cough. The crusher is that I got identified by Pam at the bus depot. God.Is that right.The judges eyebrows become airborne. I dont know about where you live. camera tool-belts rattle. after their bus broke down that time.Fucken Vanessa? I search her face for clues. As soon as were out of Moms sight.Fuck you to hell. in case you hadnt noticed. Control yourself!I fill with acid blood. The motivation behind her higher-than-Christ eyebrows gives me the fire to carry it on.

dripping ants all over Gurie Street. she says. more folk wander into the market. says George Porkorney. slows way the fuck down. boy. I might have to give them a call. Or Goosenss pecker or something. says a lady. If youre able. on account of everybody has to pretend to get along these days. New York my fucken wiener. with his head down. halfway down the aisle. Moms other friends are slimmer.