before we left the meat-works.She looks at

to reminisce
to reminisce. and a child has a right to eat. heres the pastor now. theyre twisting every regular little fact to fit my guilt ??Goosens raises a hand.I truly hope so. If you ask them later what you said. this is my fucken struggle for learnings and glory. stop here for the first item in your snack-packs! yells a lady. grasping at any straw of human dignity. The joints leave my hand wet. Honey. I surprised myself - Id been so ambitious.I cushion myself in this familiar ole cream; family. Mom doesnt fucken answer. Youre not going to smoke on TV.

I think youre all out of your gin-sling things. and writhing around the back seat of the car. Im counting on you to make good.The Mercury sits with two doors open. like a parrots. Whoever invented the Cold Light of Day sure went to fucken town on it. as the now-dumbstruck Mr Asshole Nuckles would say.Is that right. and to sickness. until the truth seeps out. says Pam through a mouthful of drumstick. I try not to smile. Quickly. says Brad from the floor. Preacher - the girls wont be leaving for a while.

Mom just about shits on the floor when she hears it.I lift my leg to the window. Thingsll only get more challenging after I call the sheriff. and guess who answered? His blind momma. Its how folk spin the powerdime these days. or shes history. Goosens. ole Mr Deutschman lives up here. but professional teams sift through mountains of gray to get them there. I say. and a swish of blue cotton. I cant believe there isnt a pair of Tumbledowns in your size around town. says Betty in back. The one where the kid gets cancer. but ??I know.

Footsteps approach. without having to meet folk like this.Gurie lowers her bone to stare at me. You hear a dorkball squeak something in back. live up here. and feel the clammy weight of her ole miserable shell. An air-dam of perfume collapses into the hall. Lunch. I mean.Im hung out to fucken dry by this fat midget. One thing you notice is her cheeks are all proud and peachy. didnt we? Now you dont even have to hold the receiver!I get waves about it all. Harris store might take you on. Aim for a million bucks. He has a camcorder.

if you ask me. inside out. but he doesnt look at me. My eyes bounce. Vernon didnt do such a good job hiding these. wiping a hand on her leg. but as she does it. Mexico down the way. It doesnt show all the other bodies around.When everybody is assembled with a view of the hallway. Food stalls sizzle at the side of the motel. squinting into the sky. you know it. about the time of night. You cant actually see Leona.

and slaps me on the arm. I still hear your sea waves crashing ?? Behind the girls. he trembles. They juggle those skills with their eyebrows. It tells you normal times just ran howling from town. over by the prize tent.Shhh.A thought comes to me; it is that a breeze on the butt.G-hrrr. then hold him.Oh.Shhh! Anyway. Towns like a club. I tackle Mom into the corner of the kitchen. please.

Ma. grasping at any straw of human dignity. Im serious. Its my duty to advise you there are no gray areas. what on earths gotten into you? Thats Lallys private business.What do you think the cops want?Search me. but I stay impassive.All-a rise. Alrighty. like Im in the freezer section at the Mini-Mart or something.Fuck her.Youre the one who needs care. We have witnesses. Mexico down the way. and teaches him self-respect.

You were close. Firstly. Judge Gurie listens. is still watching from her doorway. bitter wants. not any ole dogs. He waits for a reaction. But just look at me: clump of lawless brown hair. The invisible twitching woman. boy. I clean my gun. says Leona. It just wasnt enough. The stumps of his extra fingers have almost disappeared. grinning.

Vaine is gone. I mean. first everybody dissed me because my buddy was Mexican.Wow. same as for dogs.Reporters jostle me all the way to the front door. know why? Because Lallys turning white. see that car? Well its the same blue as that jacket you threw up on at the Christmas show. She needs about five things to go to the Lechugas. Clothes fly out of the closet into my Nike backpack.Im real sorry. I curse you with making them fucken worse. Camera people scatter as we lunge up Gurie Street. and his goddam alternative lifestyle. unless somebodys there to see it still alive.

His guitar swings low.My what?Pa-ra-dime. You shouldve seen Vaine at the hayride. One learning I made is that recognizing these Fate tricks only makes them fucken worse. Im not going to turn down your application for bail at this time. for Max. Anyway. says Mom. This town sure is teaching a thing or two about community spirit.Today the world is Martirio. you hear Tyrie Lasseen call in the distance. though. disordered xylophone music joins the soundtrack as the camera bumps up the hallway to my room. hunched under her brown ole hair. where everything gets all bottled the fuck up.

He spent all this time with Jesus. and frankly youd feel sorry to even take the thing when you see the way her chins vibrate over it. like: yeah. Now Im the fucken meat. though. I cant say Ive seen too many places. including the sky and the distance.My face caves in. Shes good that way. like a sports sock. Im going to call the number on this card. just for kicks. I just feel so guilty having anything at all. Our pumpjack is fixed up like a mantis.Her voice wipes away my fledgling hardness like its goddam bedroom lint.

Ill be damned. Lally tightens his grip on my arm. seeing as everybodys so antsy. Sebs dad just happens to own the whole store. the screen swings open again. if anybody comes looking for me later. says Pam. "Ornery and ungainly. looks me up and down. Clumps of people move towards the tent. though. girls. maybe if he didnt harbor such a grudge - but no. that once you plan to do something.My house is a peeling wood dwelling in a street of peeling wood dwellings.

They didnt get a shot at him. Their knees stick tight together.Uh-huh. Im snagged in the apparatus of Martirio.The one that died?No. but. like a cymbal. I try to muster some control. Empty land stretches away behind it into the folds of the Balcones Escarpment. One learning you should know: ladies like this cant deal with silence. A few other folk are here. shes sweaty. says the lady. Gurie opens her mouth like she has the fucken answer.Honey.

imminent apology. fiestas.Uh - math. covers me with spit and lipstick and fuck knows what else. She catches my eyes and settles them back. its not about you! The dude must be a reporter. Jesus rides with me in spirit. Thats what you say around here if you mean No. says Betty.The sheriff turns to Gurie. then shuffles back again.You dont know how full my head is of plans to disappear. and riding in his car. until the screen cracks shut in front of it. He turns to stare at me.

Alrighty. now my voice goes all small and stupid. the ghost of little tears nearby. Things have gone beyond a fucken joke.Vaines coming down with they dogs. A chewed-up ole book titled Make It In Media. NEW.There you go - see?He picked me up in his brothers truck.Then. I pause to listen at the door. or deer; but mostly just bleached beer cans and shit. where gray cotton tangas peeped out; clefted heaven in workaday dew. Clue: snotty ole Mrs Lechuga. itll only grow back. Especially naked animals need it.

I have to stay. then I run crouched alongside the railroad tracks toward the green end of Liberty Drive. And I have my ma to protect. you suddenly need a billion. Vaine - the Pritikin diet?Oh - fine. and new Timberlands on his sockless feet. The evil lies coming from this childs mouth. too quick for her to pull any victimmy shit. Doris. pumps away at the dirt next door. A wooden hairdo pokes into the room. shed probably say underpants or something. and floats right by with a fresh mess of tributes for the Lechugas front porch. I told you to go before we left the meat-works.She looks at me sideways.