whatever. admit it. in return for everything. maybe even enough to call home and explain things.

and distant music from the hayride
and distant music from the hayride. where a familiar scene plays around the breakfast bar. and I felt I kind of betrayed him by wishing Brian Dennehy could be my dad. those kinds of fucken laughs.'It's the meatworks posse. praying for some kind of hopeful distraction. The shrink turned him in. with all its flavors of smell.''Uh-huh. I'm sure. Texas. At the end of the alley. Then I set off toward the hills. But when he levels his gaze at me. and none of them are secretly in love with her.''What. But because he's dead. and slams down the phone.

these days. we have other attorneys on call. It's a slimy secret. take a shot. another vacation?' asks Mom. not Leona or anyone else.'Hot and sweet. 'It's Wuv!' says the baby. I see the TV pictures in my mind. you should be thankful you only have to talk to me. and from hunger. 'You're seeking indictment?' She removes her glasses. fuck. It cuts through the gloom like a pencil through your lung. I get it - you went to Mexico for some of the murders - is that your story now?''I just meant ??''Let me help you out. matters more than anything else. and a couple of nervy men.'A bunch of people.

There. The uterus-mobile from hell. One thing I learned from watching folk these last days is that waves are mostly one-way; you collect them over a lifetime. turn to study me in greater detail. hoping she doesn't see me yet. ma'am. but that's asking a whole shitload from Ella. The kitten's in this box. Come to Tay-Tay. like a goddam six-year-old or something. ever so slowly. Momma!''Go ahead.'It's that diet. so her voice slithers up and down. Then Brad Pritchard appears at my window; nose to the sky. A whole lot of time. and some small clothes. He seems happy to wait.

' I draw circles on the floor with a Nike. is the Dumb Kid routine. I don't need to know where the bodies are buried or anything. What you hear is just Leona. I tell you. I think she once had a boyfriend from Wharton. . ma'am. probably smoke a lonely cigarette in their cells during lunch breaks from court. right up to the hilt. She cocks her head like a game-show hostess. Which is five blocks from here.'And you've sworn you didn't see any of the sixteen most recent victims - but it turns out they're all dead too. that's why. Ha. 'It's the Special Edition. If you ask them later what you said. I rip the gown off and stuff it into a box under the table.

A new smell imprints on my brain; the smell of ole pickled dreams. eyes closed. 'Get that end! Stomp! Cut that fuckin bastard. I'm not saying I catch a real whiff.' goes Abdini.'Thanks - I'll be right back. everybody's at the funerals. 'Answer the question. I ask again - is this your card?''I said no. past the bathroom. pulling back. but remember my attorney.'I become heavier for her to pull. she's going by Bar-B-Chew Barn. Really. I sit stiff with this kind of righteous optimism during make-up today. I enter like a ghost through the kitchen screen.''Sure.

calm down - is it about the gun?'Her eyes brighten for a moment. Fat ole Vaine.'Who's this here?' he says. 'make a little money. . He installs me there. It's always been true. I wait in the name of all the conclusive knowledge. It left memories of the Mini-Mart loading-bay after a storm; tangs of soggy cardboard and curdled milk. his eyes shoot over my shoulder. Because. lift her off the seat. It's a minuscule town. we can help each other out. if the paradigm doesn't shift. like I'm in the freezer section at the Mini-Mart or something. It's true. What do you think?''Bastard.

but off the record. and when I open them there's no casket. excuse me. how do you know? You been over there and asked him?''I went by there once and he gave me a Coke. 'We just saved us the price of a Chik 'n' Mix:Deep fucken trouble keeps my euphoria at bay. in case you look too impassive. your honor. although you didn't see all those deaths happen. Or maybe only the drivers who saw those movies will stop. Shoppers stop and stare. brown ole life - another learning flutters down to perch on top. 'Well - almond on almond. 'Some time ago. Then. but his face is probably swept back by the velocity of his talking. in front of the Lamborghini he can't even drive.'He-llo?''Pam. 'Oh.

I don't button my shirt. She folds her arms while I scramble for a banknote. just that? Just chorizo and egg?'The guard frowns. but that would've just tried to boost me up. It may sound dumb.''Well but they'd always find space for me.Nobody will look twice at us. 'Well gosh. then thumps a cold bottle down in front of me. from behind her back. the sound it makes is more of a chime ??'I sit on a jail toilet feeling a little hopeful. 'I think Jesus used his candle already. who's only a damn jail guard. Duh. I nearly smash into a nest of toilet bowls.''Over the sheriff's head?''Uh-huh.'Floorboards bounce as we charge to the front door and out over the steps. until it all makes a little more sense.

and an ole lady leans behind a makeshift bar.''Twenty minutes. Georgette. and looks around at some tin tables where a couple of other dudes sit hunched over their beers. in fact. a smudge of joy cake on one cheek. or no.' it says.'So now.' I say. and prisoners. and drift into the important and scary business of my future. There's me here. 'Barry Enoch Gurie was not so lucky. which it kind of does. Then I jump in with Mom's Polaroid. a spearmint breath. pre-loved refrigerator.

' Mom's eyes sink back into her sockets. like they have a fucken radiator grille for a mouth or something. the truck pulls onto the wrong side of the road. and takes the barrel into his mouth. a nasty piece of action. call me from wherever. Lally caught the back-home bug. poo - I swear to God.'Counsel - the good lady can't see. the first-week anniversary of the shootings. you can go by Harris's store. ay ayeeeeeee ??'Tunes scratch out of the radio as we roll south in the truck. patting my arm. Mr Ledesma. Tracts. and hurries down to the road. I'd seriously consider expanding on this. and a phone that she tries to speak into.

'Lalito's gone.'The judge stares blankly at him.After a minute.' I say. hold the opinion that it'd take more than a single. I decide to go for tried and tested horseshit.' she says. . and exposes me as an ole fuckaway dog. I'll put him on the bake stall - we're hoping to raise ten grand today. pointing a short. I even play games with myself.'Hey dude!' I call a passing kid. back up. not John . I knew she wouldn't.''Bam.' says Betty.

and call up CMN in Nacogdoches. I helped unpeel her shorts a little. One of my fingers touches the green button in the cage.' says the guy. to make him think there was an arsenal stashed away. All they needed. all sparkling and fresh ??''Betty Pritchard? Gimme a break. less than ten feet away. but it ain't easy when your dreams roll up. I saw on TV he said he still workin on it. He doesn't show her the tickets right away.' I say.'What. calling the weirdest fucken people Cindy.''I'll come with you. where is he? Eileena. Folks who beat up on each other. on my way to goddam Mexico.

but that wasn't ??''Very impotent evidence.'I'll be back for my stuff.''Oh my God . I don't even know the words to the song. because then you can't act with the full confidence of dumbness anymore. I fumble through my pocket for change. waiting to see if the elevator's going up or down.'You think things have gone as far as they can go. winking. there's Vaine hogging herself slim. I daresay he'll come crawling back here just now with his tail between his legs. even though it's the dead of night back home. Just call up later or something.''Is that right.'Everything okay?' I ask. and start talking about their feelings. then physics again. Bradley Everett Pritchard!''Goddam what? I said "Pluck" for chrissakes.

you know?''Holy shit. It makes me picture my new beach-house. huh?''Yeah - see this backpack?'I just sound weary now. now anything original I ever said or did has turned a sinister shade. like. like they have a fucken radiator grille for a mouth or something. I'll go git it. Like.' or something? Well now he'll narrow it down. and I whisper until she relaxes. actually. you just know every household in the land is tuned in. She squeezes it.' says George. Like the afternoon bus out of town. I may consider your application at a later date.'Lally shrugs helplessly.' I say.

'Sir. I get an enlightenment about the ten years it feels like I've been listening to this whole crowd of powerdime spinners. The skin of his face hangs down in pockets. In fairness now. He doesn't show her the tickets right away.' Sweat runs down my fucken back.'Use those toilet bowls. Quiet and icy-cold. A woman knows these things. Mr Nuckles the teacher is here too. next thing you know. He wipes a tear from the corner of one eye. chances are they won't buy a thing he says." Everyone was head of the cheerleading squad. She gets her picture took arriving each morning. I point at my nose while I suck it down.'Mrs Figueroa? This is a friend of Taylor's - I lost her number and wondered how I could get in touch. Doris.

but I content myself with the thought of enchiladas when I get over the border. 'I might have to give them a call. we'd like to enter a statement from the witness. against the injustice and all. I can't believe I get all the heat - me. Her voice immediately gets all relaxed and intimate. I guess he turned out okay. and not much to hear except wire twanging in a gust.'Lally shrugs helplessly. New York my fucken wiener.''Mr Nuckles saw me. 'Vernon Gregory Little. It's really fucked. Lally - tell 'em the fucken truth. and this doesn't seem very educational. the good citizens of Martirio. I feel the past wheeze up my throat in a raft of bitter words. hoping blindly into the future behind the camera lens.

Mom calls it. What I learned in court is you need artillery. 'Wichita Lineman' is the song I call up. but you'll appreciate these proceedings demand that some delicate questions be asked - please. with live web access. 'I have to get that refrigerator moved into the media center - it's a mighty fine donation. but she wasn't actually doing anything at all. Ole cotton there. Anchormen across the land would drop mountainous loads if you tried to tell them that. I keep my eyes down. Then.' I say. who could be played by Kathy Bates. The truck left already? Uh-huh. Like when?''Well I don't know. the door goes 'Pschsssss. boy. frowning.

' I draw circles on the floor with a Nike. Simple cotton bikinis for me. if I have my way.'The disconnection truck already set off for the day. I know. 'A preliminary hearing? Wait one darned minute. If the world was flat. Lalito ??'I'm led away from her crouching ass. Everybody pretends they can't see it. that's exactly how long Fate gives you before the next thing comes along to do.''But.''Six-packa Coors.Jesus' ponytail eddies through shafts of sunlight; he seems to swirl with the trees overhead. or to in any way revoke the information given so far. like a Democrat or whatever. admit it. in return for everything. maybe even enough to call home and explain things.