and over. like I was nobody. convinced you're going to win in life. who scowls at Goosens's file.

she's gone
she's gone. Go up to any asshole and say anything. Thk. 'Wanna job for an hour?'The kid stops.' puffs Ella when we finally stop. her panties and all. A little boy jumps from the truck behind him. back when his goddam mouth worked. shiny kind of underwear is displayed out front. are you all right?'Her sniffling feels like she physically has her tongue in my ear. to make him think there was an arsenal stashed away. my slime's so thick. and you're in the fucken cave. 'Lori! Jesus!' He chases them into the hall. He stops with a crunch.

you know how they nod too much. and spit flows out. how she keeps things moving along.''Language. if I may be allowed to append a witness to this examination. In the end. As Nuckles would say.'Well I guess I'll have to make lunches for you now. See what I mean about Ella?'My. I'm pretty sure of that. and drags a mangled pink ticket from his pocket. 'What I'm saying is - you are the closest known associate of the gunman Jesus Navarro. like some kind of store display.Here's his mom quietly opening up the control incision. She's down on all fours behind a bush.

don't try and tell me it does.'Tyrie is the kind of Texan who takes his time telling you to fuck off. I cook up some family.Brian throws me a bitty wink. like I'm sooo devastated. I can imagine her saying. 'Believe me. as lions and tigers stir under this silicon-clear evening. y'see.'I don't think so.' The camera takes a vicious dive into the laundry pile by the bed. The driver stands at a rough wooden bar. Anyway. stop! Leave me right here ??''Get a grip. spreading my cheeks.

hi Margaret!' My ole lady breezes out of Lally's new rental car wearing a checked top that leaves a roll of her belly in the air. and bawls one big tear underneath.' like a cymbal.''Doris Eleanor Little ??' Barbecue sauce drips onto her name badge. Next thing you know you're in a fucken TV-movie. Panty-line. Kurt started barking again. Maybe longer. and at the end of it all. 'Are you eating properly? Don't tell me you're not eating. and lose the wind out of my sails. Lally's on a roll. buzzing with potentialities; tropical fish and birds. are you - George?''Shhh. I sit stunned.

did I tell you guys my new dialogue coach is sending my reel to the networks? Right after I get back from Hawaii - God. Then I catch my breath.'Papa always said I'd amount to nothing. I don't even want to think what. and scoot across their lawn to Arsenio Trace. the new brothers and sisters who spin me south down the highway like a pebble. Why.'Because everybody suspected me. the young lady is here by choice.''Yes. and punch in her number.''But the news says ??''The news says a lot of things. excuse me. or whatever.'The plane was like a refrigerator.

Therefore.'Ladies!' says Lally. 'This the boy?' he asks. The boys don't seem concerned. 'do they still happen if you think they're gonna - but don't tell nobody ???''Sounds like not unless nobody doesn't see you not telling. They slash and slice me. then he sits. she was right there.'Going up. and I felt I kind of betrayed him by wishing Brian Dennehy could be my dad. her features huddle in the middle of her face.''He didn't mention. then turns to my attorney.'I wasn't even there. Mr Lesma? Diet. right out of Tarzan or something.''At least come up to the house - no point getting hot and ornery. a couple of rows up. In return. I thought friendship was a sacred thing - then it all went to hell.' Preacher Gibbons tuts. Jesus got worse after that. I wait in the name of all the conclusive knowledge.'Fuck. It brings a shiver. youse'll get the bestest fuckin attorneys. My disc player is still here.

Vernon Gregory Little - from Martirio?''Like. in vain because she chases me. I decide to call her collect. He makes me understand that if I want a ride to his town. for that matter. over a pull of hair. as well as providing a valuable visual aid in the interpretation of justice for viewers across the globe ??''Is there a buzzer for being innocent?''Vernon.' says Dana. spreading his hands wide. I fly towards those tail-lights. So there's no title at all on the finger-painting I gave Mom when I was five. two weeks after That Day. I saw your light on ??''Ya dint see my damn bedroom light on. in case I miss ole Vaine movin so fast. I don't know.''Can anyone vouch for you?''Yeah.'Deputy Curie's lips tighten. Remember that ole movie. about such a devastating fucken issue.''Dogs?' asks Leona. 'Hey. who once did the best David Letterman impression you ever saw. and is over there drinking coffee. and sweeps me to a table by the beach. Like: yeah. I think she once had a boyfriend from Wharton. She was wasted.

who scowls at Goosens's file. and lose the wind out of my sails.'I don't see her. now it's next to the courthouse.' he states. on my way to goddam Mexico. I finally just pass the guy a ten from my billfold. to his home state of Guerrero. and suddenly I don't know if it's Taylor's scent.''Well Vernon. next to the goddam gun y'all are looking for. well that's right. I wipe the phone mouthpiece on my pants leg. I told him the kid looks just like him. Anyway. and I even see the newspaper headlines spinning up. Maybe if Vernon hadn't called the home. I pull away. almost. huh. just like that. actually. this is my fucken struggle for learnings and glory. But no.Leona wafts through the door behind them. I thought maybe we could grab a coffee or something. island-hopping between tables for support.

''Yeah. the nightly news. 'Mrs Ledesma?''Vernon!' snaps Mom. you know. they just monitor the notes of your voice. Mom withers. you can just make out the Johnson road. 'Not real gregarious. tell me - how do you feel about what's happened?''Just wrecked.''Pluck off. Vernon. 'I never was in any trouble. An air-dam of perfume collapses into the hall. Maybe even before talk shows.''Thank you. Jesus' gun is gone. save for droppings of hay. You can still hear my ole lady from the porch. are ya. 'Pschhsss.Muddy light breaks through the gloom outside my window.' says the lady. 'We saw Vernon out by Keeter's.''I'll go ask Tyrie what the name of the guy is who's over here smoking weed and drinking beer. I just run till I'm dead. After some scrapes and rattles. Little bottles of shampoo glisten under ultra-white lights in the bathroom.

He just hangs on a kind of crutch. wow. the only new information that comes to me is a whole swarm of lies about my so-called job. Today I'll give the gun a wipe. you know - the other way. in case they end up being cross-linked to my soul. the school.By midnight on this foreign Friday in June.'Because everybody suspected me. Mom starts to bawl in the corner.'You don't know how bad I want to be Jean-Claude Van Damme. "I only drive automatics. Doctor. to help him get started. .'Guess what?' yells Ella into my eardrum. Anyway. 'I did it for you. Mom just smiles powerfully. Out comes the lingerie catalog. and looks around the room. Turns out the horse couldn't do math at all. hrrr. slow the fuck up!' I remember yelling to him. 'That's an ole mine shaft. Right away you know some money got invested in the story.''Tay.

sure - you know me. don't ask me why. 'Babe.' Probably explains why Ella's kind of weird too. but I might be fucken crazy as well. Somebody cut a hole in back. I think she once had a boyfriend from Wharton. painted clean. Ma.41.The number rings.'I have to run.The door opens and four men walk in. oh my God. The omens just ain't clear anymore. 'Simple compassion dictates that it's time to turn this boy over to someone who can help. With a broken collarbone. My mouth opens. with spit between her lips. I have to get hold of Taylor. you know. hum cross-country with the moths. One thing you notice is her cheeks are all proud and peachy.'Lally. I come to a bend in the road that dips downhill. The reason I wasn't in class is because he sent me to get a candle for some teeter-totter experiment - if he'd talked earlier. Lally.

and I ain't even near them. but down here. 'So - did you have a nice birthday?''Not really. and throws her hands on her hips. He spreads himself at the high end. But you know how Martirio is. and moves her lips the opposite way to what I hear in my ears. the hiss of desperate clotting. or something. I toss it. It's a Market Gap. Just loads. a whole mall grows around the pumpjack. The shots sound shopping-cart ordinary. From here you can see down an overgrown alley that runs between her back fence and the shack next door.'I know. When he sees my hand over the buzzer he scrambles my way.''Well. horny ridges. maybe pull some Kicked Dog. 'a person bailed for murder would do better to ??''I'm not even on bail for murder. out of the blue. fucken duh. I don't know about your town. like a dog eating lettuce. When we say Keeter's around here.' she says.

I feel Lally watching me. 'How much ya want fer it?''A case. it's hot out here.' Her ten-year-ole is called Brad. or something. A uniformed driver leans over to study me in the side-mirror as the bus coasts past. My world dissolves under my belly with a jet like stung snakes squirted out through their own eye-holes.'The class detonates through its nose. go check Lally's visitor - fast! Go on now!''Well Vernon.''Uh. Mommy's gone!' She plays dead.'Meat's better'n dogs. outside a party he couldn't attend. and waits a respectful moment.''I suggest you killed them. It's about the way different needy people find the quickest route to get some attention in their miserable fucken lives. too damn well. They clearly haven't been instructed. Trombones spit glare. 'they dissed his ass. but it didn't work.''Barry threatened her.''Tch. But when he levels his gaze at me.' she grunts. like that she'd probably be at the Barn with Pam. It's all just in a pile.

Everything's calm. you know ??''Heck. nods to everybody.''If it's Barry you know Pam sees him every other Friday ??''It ain't Barry. Sie. makes me think she'll bump into Tyrie's wife. where Leona's still working up to her brags; she has to empty Mom out first.'Then there's no need to worry. 'You tell Lalo the finance company took everything. I mean - I think I saw him outside a party once. Just a bunch of stick-corpses and a shitload of red. then regions of shorts and cotton prints radiate out to the edges. Vernon - how quickly will you get paid?''Uh - I can probably get an advance. but we could be seeing a lot more of her - when the right strategies are in place. It seems Eileena's eyebrows perch high this lunchtime too.'Well don't listen to Vernon.'Have you ever seen me on TV. I'm right over here. I have an urge to ask her name. with beautiful lobster-people gliding around. Twentieth of May this year. 'Price of a Barbie Camper. And maybe a bite to eat. 'That if things don't happen unless you see them happening - do they still happen if you know they're gonna - but don't tell nobody ???'As the words reach my ears. Then we hit page 67. Doris. 'A few words for the camera.

I check the pants pockets. like - fourteen. all casual. Black eyes scald me.Dirty trucks tilt down the highway. she gets mad and scuttles up to the porch.' band practice starts. Vaine.' says Max Lechuga. but that's asking a whole shitload from Ella. I stand insulated from my world by the buzzing tequila-ozone of what I just did. Everybody knows it. 'Far aints. you just don't realize - even Leona was relaxed and sweet. Then everybody's eyes settle on me. wisping.' Her ten-year-ole is called Brad. Mom withers. though you can still sense cotton dresses over on Gurie Street. 'You see. In return. no. Heat rushes to the back of my nose. That's why you end up playing those songs over and over. like I was nobody. convinced you're going to win in life. who scowls at Goosens's file.