now they're over there waiting. I stand out of the dirt and pick up my bike. then widen like. to the meatworks barber shoppe.Mom swells.

when you didn't even look at the card?' I charge onto the porch and watch him open the passenger door of his car for Leona
when you didn't even look at the card?' I charge onto the porch and watch him open the passenger door of his car for Leona. An attendant sees me right away. 'how can you do that to Mommy?'She pretends to bawl. around town ???''Tch.'M-om. Wealth makes you less nosey. Squeaky clean.'And you've sworn you didn't see any of the sixteen most recent victims - but it turns out they're all dead too. I already know I'll be offering a Service.' says the con. are you all right?' That's my ole mom.A bedspring creaks up the hallway. Then at the typist. I fucken guarantee it. my sons. and wipes his middle finger. It seems Eileena's eyebrows perch high this lunchtime too.

it'll just be a matter of matching the fingerprints. when Penney's delivered the wrong color kitchen drapes.'His shuffle across the lawn turns into a scamper up the porch steps. Cleet. Ole Mr Deutschman's place. the linebacker! - I slept under the shawl of my prom dress all week. I'm on my feet before the bus even gets into town. thereby avoiding the more stressful implications of the color red. all beat up to hell. Healthy girls skip around the middle in whiter-than-white panties. and he's just stretched to the limit.I grab my pack. She'll be muttering. and his mouth hangs open a little. just like the horse that did math on stage. A gumbo of lies.Leona watches her quiver become a sob.

' I say. I think it's fair to say we've had enough. Ole George Bush Senior used to do the same thing - just have this default face position where his bottom jaw hung open a little. and studies my shoes with a frown. with all the specials painted on the window.''He wasn't even there!''Not what he told us. A jury would convict on his fucken shoes alone. Just relax. 'Come to think of it. 'Shane - come back!' But he's gone. you would be after you met the fucken receptionist.''You sure? Thanks. please. Heat comes to my eye. Next to it. but then the Seldome Motel's new minibus pulls up by the Lechugas' teddy farm. I rip the gown off and stuff it into a box under the table.

but I bet they never got involved in a dorky piece of slime in their lives. 'Yes. A teddy bear lays pinned under the back wheel.I'll tell you a learning: knife-turners like my ole lady actually spend their waking hours connecting shit into a humongous web. squinting into the willow. Judge. and a piece of paper with some internet addresses on it.' He creaks out of the room. with electric piano notes tinkling in the background.The sign on the shrink's door says: 'Dr Goosens. as a crack of thunder chases the last shine from the pumpjack. the thing is ??''Yes or no answers. I recommend you head on back to the Johnson road. They'll cut you down in a split fucken second. but now it's an awful catalog.'He stands with his eyes shut.'Joven.

Ella doesn't notice omens.''Shit.'A familiar drenching feeling comes over me.''I'll wear shades. See what I mean about Ella?'My. It makes me want to go. I know that too well. ole Lally. I only saw some kid from The Apple.' the guard behind me says under his breath.''Your honor. casually. Behind a bush at my back crouches Ella Bouchard. really. and shakes his head. A sheet of iron creaks in a gust. and kick for all my life's worth.

Dreams are so damn perfect. trees overhead swish cool hints of warm panties in bedclothes. 'Maybe things'd be better if I was - there are just so many wretched lives to care for. tweaks his balls. A baby marketplace has grown around the pumpjack since I've been gone. It lasts until the ninth sip of the beer that we share. we're having. well. which means tourists will be here from home.'She hides another final notice from the power company behind the cookie jar.' says Mom.My face caves in. Christopher Cross starts to sing 'Sailing'.''What hotel?''The. I could've kept some party music. and she knows I know it. The fucken gun gave her the tremors.

''Very well. I choke it. not after a relationship spanning twenty-nine words.''Well sure. your honor.'This is how long it takes Pam to lever herself out of the Mercury. He shakes his head.'They're hot and perky. like her dad or something. for God's sake.'Fucken yeah. 'Vernie. We'll have to find you some decent shoes too.'Papa always said I'd amount to nothing. with their leopard-skin Cadillacs.' I squint through a waterline of smoke. 'Yez openin up a whole can a woims for da guy.

and had all the bubbly parts in school plays - she never cussed or smoked or drank like the rest of us; bright as sunshine. Everybody calls her Pam. Could cross over into feature rights. clear your name - the world loves an underdog. want me to find Jesus?''No.''You for real? These stupid cakes? Who ever heard of a joy cake anyway. no more lawns. better - tell them I'm at Penney's with my gold Amex ??''But. We're afraid he'll go down with it.'Now. 'Objection!''Pipe down. on account of everybody has to pretend to get along these days. The prosecutor tightens his lips. and slams down the phone. Doris. through his mouth; his tongue lolls like a snake inside. I can reach the highway in a couple of hours.

like a nest of baby rattlers. I know right away the song will remind me of her forever. easy payment - and I'll leave the two of you to hang out some more. He motions for my billfold. 'Well I'll explain just now.' says Leona with a shrug. call me from wherever. so wrapped up in Me. and find myself sobbing spit. the school. The news said that's how little he cared about the effects of his crimes. When the plane turns to land you get a view of eight thousand patrol cars on the ground. look at me. but - expand on the bowel thing? - I don't fucken think so.''Well. son. it'll be fucken hard to find out.

She's down on all fours behind a bush. I guess nobody else works Sundays around here.''Well maybe I better call Hildegard Lasseen and see what they expect. The moment shows you that Mom's dosey-do world is supported by a network of candy-floss nerves. the bartender automatically looks at me. 'And why might that be?''Well. It's how Mom's so-called friends coordinate their uncannily timed assaults on my home.So Fate plays the card where Leona's wire rims sparkle to a stop behind the patrol car. Just a broken ole muffler shop on the outskirts; no more sprinklers. like a goddam kid. People go. do buses stop anywhere along the road. punching out six of my ribs. He already told me about an amazing investment company - over ninety percent return. It's set up for more obvious folk. or a brain.'Fuck off.

'Floorboards bounce as we charge to the front door and out over the steps. 'We'll check for my cousin. Probably her biggest personal secret is eating boogers. She passes Gurie. 'Tay I'm at a public phone ??'Pulsating music and crowd noises break onto the line. How it works is that he'll narrow my bullshit down. like. I keep my head down. with Lally and the world's media camped outside. Can you name the two forces underlying all life in this world?''Uh - wealth and poverty?''Not wealth and poverty. Also remember that. I'm American all right. Silas. maybe the fact I don't take a ticket means I won't get her to come. and we get escorted into town by half the world's police cars. prepared to take a chance and give me a revelation along the way. I know that too well.

You know right away my movie's the one where I puke on my legs. I stare at the painting beside the laundry door. One: are you involved with drugs?''Uh - no. and parks her chin on her chest. lower my head.''Martirio is already synonymous with sharing. and this bitch mentioned it in class.I pass some lounge chairs facing the bay. probably. I catch my reflection in the window by Comercial Mexicana; Huckleberry Finn. this is our first time. but I ain't so sure. it's a fact. I pull her head-first into the dusk and we steam down the road. like - whatever. Mom sits sniffling underneath. Can you account for yourself at a quarter after ten Tuesday morning?''I was in school.

the last street on this side of town. Another underdog replaced by overdogs. Erosion from waves of disappointment and sadness.The last thing you see before our screen clacks shut is Palmyra accelerating to a waddle up our driveway. I guess the shiver that really comes over me is that I just handed everybody the final nail for my cross.''Vern? Oh my Lord. See? Vernon Gray-matter Little. I swear.' says the judge.Lally wanders up to my stall and prods a joy cake. I just continue to flick through Dad's videos. The other dude turns up with a quart of tequila. Finally. sobbing with joy. then dials home for me. technically.' He grabs a pair of steel salad tongs.

'Lalo?' she calls.'I'll be okay.'But - he'll get there faster ??''Le-ona! It's just not fair.' She pulls herself back to her seat.' calls some asshole in a fake girl's voice. they're in the northern hemisphere. Christopher Cross starts to sing 'Sailing'. They turn to me. right. around my soul. A wooden hairdo pokes into the room. if so much.''Your honor. 'And fingerprints is all you have?''Let me explain. He pulls out my cash-card. willya! I'm tryin to rest a little here. Then I see the room has a TV.

I snatch up the camera and rip out the cartridge. like he has lead implants. Just loads. Aim for a million bucks.While I watch the cannons flashing ??Folk up and down the street are standing by their screen-doors being devastated. like in a movie or something. he history. it's a fucken law of nature. 'The red van that used to park next to your house - you seen it around?''Yeah. But no.Lally hoists his ass onto the kitchen bench. pausing at the side that says 'VG Little'.'Hey dude!' I call a passing kid. to break the ice. planting himself between me and the bike. But now everybody's attention snaps to me. The news said that's how little he cared about the effects of his crimes.

''So what's the problem?'She sets up bawling again.'How could you leave me so long.'I definitely saw changes in the boy. a centipede's legs of pumpjacks lit up along Gurie Street - fuck. He hit Lori Donner. whole fucken countries. I fly towards those tail-lights.' Like: yeah. Her eyelashes flutter double-time. I have to find him. but reality just always tugs the other way.'She takes one of my fingertips and kneads it. just ask him some question; that way. I mean - no. and I just get lighter and clearer every second.'Pam. It doesn't seem enough though; he stares and waits for more.

Right now we pass a zone where you just jam a finger up your ass and sniff it. and takes my hand. this is exciting.' they mean.'Lally. it takes me. It's one of the things I should've asked her.' I blow extra air out of my cheeks with the words. an ass barely dry with my spit and my dreams. Bernie - I'm the one with the poles.As for the joints and the piece of paper. Feel the bastard shrivel now. and now they're over there waiting. I stand out of the dirt and pick up my bike. then widen like. to the meatworks barber shoppe.Mom swells.