different needy people find the quickest route to get some attention in their miserable fucken lives. watching her through the corner of my eye.

'to hep the Guries find that weapon
'to hep the Guries find that weapon.'I'll leave you two alone now. to reminisce. Ole Ricochet Rabbit really did get fired. I'm hungry. and Betty. This far down the road.'Shit!' He jerks up onto an elbow. don't ask me why. I guess he sees the pictures. spiders and bugs? Eew!''You never saw Against All Odds?'I already paid for the room. 'See these internet addresses? That's where all those hard-core pictures are kept. this fucken moment in time. Or from me. I mean. like extra work just landed at knock-off time. Against All Odds. where this babe has a beach-house in Mexico? That's where I can run. See? Vernon Gray-matter Little. One of them farts. if somewhat awkward teenager.

They'd know. 'The Planets - Mars. I twist and buck with the horrors of Jesus. cranking the volume way up. Type of folk who get lighthearted over dinner-music. All you hear is the TV in back. A new resignation settles over me.'Then. which is mostly station-wagon owners. and slams down the phone. Another big woman helps her through a screen-door. And hope like hell she never tries to open page 67 or 68. It's like my mom invented all the damn rules of the world. Mr Little. Her closet is probably full of that lingerie. 'Lally!'The prosecutor throws out his arms in despair. but I haven't come across them yet. 'Mom. these credits are gonna run out - what's important is that I'm fine. see.'Oh my Lord.

.'Weeds blow across the trail home. Then I set off toward the hills. but it's fucken hard. A learning: deep shit sweetens your plans like crazy. uh-uh. Believe me.'What. or no deal. It makes me picture my new beach-house. and two hits of LSD. they're unloading a new almond Special Edition side-by-side into Nancie's!''What a day. just in case you fucken looked at him. what a fucken genius.George parks an arm around her shoulder as they disappear inside the house. like. downtown skills that let them soak it up without looking like they're at a traffic accident and fucken enjoying it. and you'd know it too if you saw Mom watching Court TV. Here's a woman who pulls the drapes and makes up some half-assed conversation if two dogs start screwing in the street.' he says. He looks at me with black.

In this light you can't see the stains on the sidewalk by the school. Doctor.Don't fucken ask me when the first tequila arrived. you can go by Harris's store. 'I'm devastated. 'I'm sorry. with the flies. look!' I crane to the kitchen window; sure enough. like mobile cathedrals or something. Squished Kitten even.' says Brian 'It's old news. 'You might want to attend the interview room. I have to find him. Everything you have to do is written here. you know it. Then shakes his head. The ole lady tightens her lips. You know how impassive you can look. I look out over the garden of this place. I only have a condition. I'll come home for lunch.

It's almost possible to be brave in here. in return for everything. Mom's other so-called buddy. boy. Can you account for yourself at a quarter after ten Tuesday morning?''I was in school. the guy from Nacogdoches - you seen him?''Uh - Nacogdoches?''Uh-huh. 'Lord. I ain't running for that. Fuck. you know - Seb Harris even bought himself a truck!''That ain't what I'm talking about. 'Forget it. All this shit raining down on you. 'Vernon Gregory Little?' asks one.'Si el g??ero eres tu. including the sky and the distance. What happens with sassy music is you get floated away from yourself. devastated ??'We finally stop in a town where they must have a fly farm.'Then there's no need to worry.'You owe me a story.''Language. 'Your star just saw a spider back here - is this how the job's supposed to be?'I haul up my backpack and sprint onto the road.

And he smiles plenty. Mr Smedma.'Game on. without instructions from me. just like that. completely innocent in her dumbness to the world. We crunch past a clay figure of a sleeping Mexican. one of the Wild West's most beautiful buildings. quivering all over the place. 'Well no. 'Might as well throw the darned pedal out the door.'Judge. too; an up-and-coming one. you know. chilling under window-mounted air-conditioners. unfolding the sheet of paper. all spiky and gnarled.'I stand at the phones. Judge. and a few more shine besides. Probably just touched them and shit.

They come with their own wave of sadness. forgive me if it's a crime to even say it.''The hell you will. I beg him for peace. you can see the working spine of town. I mean. A flash of red catches my eye at the back of the lot.' she says. he was in the far distance. smart-looking guy called Victor. We're safe and comfortable.' as Mr Nuckles would say.'Pulling a clean bone from the Bar-B-Chew Barn box. See the way folks are? They don't want to smutten their Wint-O-Green lives by saying. the eyelashes of a camel. I grunt like a tied hog. and two acid pearls in my pocket; nasty gels. the car still isn't ready and I'm minding an ovenful of joy cakes for the Lechugas. yo! Lalio. and other people's tears. Like the thought that my ole lady will be up by now.

and I jump in and save him. I'm being indicted as an accessory to murder for chris-sakes ??''Well don't cuss at your mother.'I don't look up. 'Any further submissions in respect of this application?'Abdini stops fussing at his table and looks up. Moist air from Ella's mouth strokes my face.'The prosecutor turns back to me. Moist air stirs me through the bars of my cage. This Brian gives me some real hope. 'Stand clear of Jaysus's ass. okay? Nothing heavy - okay? Call me if he goes too far.' I say through a curtain of spit. 'Ten minutes till the cops arrive and take you in as an accessory - let's jam. I swear she's like your cat or something. Chunks of a Smith County truck flash through the legs of the marching band. Taylor's here. with all the wrong fingerprints on it.'Cual Ledesma cabr??n.'Happy Birthday!' It's fucken Taylor. Dogs? Yes sir. The barber catches another ole guy's eye across the beer stand. like she does.

'No. I mean it. 'Up his ass. George. She doesn't though. and she sees it. Everybody's face lights up. His eye has a new scanning pattern.Martirio twinkles like a nest of fireflies from the land above Keeter's. well. 'Your witness.' says Lally.'Yeah. even though it's the dead of night back home. 'Let's not push our luck. like that she'd probably be at the Barn with Pam. and just lost count of all the bodies mounting up.' says Betty. Anchormen across the land would drop mountainous loads if you tried to tell them that. yo! Lalio.''I suggest you killed them.

It's set up for more obvious folk. What a disgusting human being. 'Vernon. but first I need to be sure she didn't squeal on me to fucken Leona Dunt.A shimmer rises off the hood of Pam's ole Mercury. just like that. if you need to know. . The beach ain't as white as Against All Odds. 'Yeah.'Doris.' band practice starts. Gh.'Well hi Grace. always getting the nice boys and ??'After God-knows-how-many years of life in this free country she doesn't have the tools to just say. Maybe that percentage of negative energy contributed to his death.'Shit.'Mom stumbles to her wishing bench. go figure. Then he sits back. got lulled into thinking anything goes.

if they can't take the heat ??''Get out of the fire!' Wrong. I guess a kind of smelly honesty is what you find at Crockett's.'Exactly. I try to stay in the lobby and avoid it.''Vaine?' says the lady into her phone. fucked and nailed through the eye of my dick to the biggest cross. But my ole lady will be home.' I say. but the judge quickly scowls him out of it. I hear Brian Gumball is down here. thereby avoiding the more stressful implications of the color red.'He shrugs and turns back to his partner.'Vernon. Pissed as hell. one guy. It's a slimy secret. My face even acts like I'm scanning the bay. and buries his face into his shoulder. it takes me. pork 'n' beans? Did you get dessert?''Not really. She's good that way.

just to keep up with the Unfolding Tragedy of Her Fucken Life.Martirio twinkles like a nest of fireflies from the land above Keeter's. please tell the court - is this your son?''It's him. I can tell she's staring. slowing time down all over the place. You should've seen Vaine at the hayride. like: yeah. but Lally grabs my head. I thought friendship was a sacred thing - then it all went to hell. 'Come to think of it.'Sweat starts to pool in my ass. shaking my head from the dumbness of it all. Vernon. praying for some kind of hopeful distraction. I never heard of no joy cake. So far he's done nothing but lie.''You're getting fuckin loaded and fuckin wasted off your ass. 'Care to elaborate.''Uh - excuse me?''Tell me whappen in school. love the hair!''Not too frisky?' tweets Eileena. My eyes flee to a TV in the corner of the room.

and a stranger lazing next to a van in the shade of the Lechugas' willow. then frowns.' He jams one into my hand. I almost don't get it anymore. I know the routine from here. Mr Deutschman ain't expecting us. the sheriff's lips tighten. Took the truth with him. then stands tall like a majorette to take her oath. I thought friendship was a sacred thing - then it all went to hell. now wouldn't it?''Gh-rrr. but as she does it.' calls Lally. but I don't. then I better get the hell out of town. I'm sorry. Doris. and this bitch mentioned it in class. Leona barges into Mom's room. taut glory unfurling. 'Jordan New Jacks.

A few other folk are here. 'But if we share the expertise of my partner in the venture. 'Mr Deutschman? We're not here to make any trouble. I tremble off the floor and make my way to the bar. I get it in fucken stereo. and raises his bottle. 'I can't imagine why. And now - heeere's Ella. Grab a private juice. so you hopped a fucken plane. calm down - is it about the gun?'Her eyes brighten for a moment. He pulls out my cash-card. In a way it's kind of embarrassing. His lips seem to quiver in midair. I thought our two countries were in a pact or something. I guarantee it. or something equally innocent-sounding. what can dogs do now?' asks Mom. thanks a lot.' His eyes squint into knife cuts.'Ma.

Silas Benn has an ole washing machine for a letterbox.''Vern? Oh my Lord. I only have what's left in my purse ??' Coins clatter onto a tabletop at her end. and justice. He slaps my back. Silas is a sick ole puppy - don't even go there. and she's faking this look of terror. in my movie I do. lavender-smelling thoughts I get every day about the dead. pinning its fucken hem with my foot. crested waves which instead of foam spill flies. Erosion from waves of disappointment and sadness. 'Big man - come round to the door. such a quiet guy. Mom starts to bawl in the corner. and stares gravely at my truck disappearing. She's usually busy reporting who barfed in class. Sie. 'Hell.After a tequila. 'Tay! Taylor - it's Vern.

but there ain't much I can do. back in the days before they'd bust you for that type of thing. I lower my face as the creases on her mound disappear. 'A witness will testify that you presented this card as your own.''Vern? Oh my Lord. fluorescent green Nikes. hunched over a wedge of pizza. and just present one to Taylor. 'Only salad. and I get a feeling it's like the borderline to my future. Gurie pays no mind.'The guy taps at his keyboard. back home. and putting a stop to this ridiculous business with Vernon. The other ole flaps are in the background acting natural.' says the guy. A motorcoach hammers around the bend. Then they sentenced him to death. I'm being real selfish here - I didn't even ask how you're doing ??'She rattles both my hands. you feel it on your blade. aims the camera at her.

to reload my backpack. I look around at the women in the store.' says Mom. God. geeing him on. until finally the least fucken thing makes you bawl. it's just - regular.'He laughs. that's why I share myself with your cause - you and all the other beautiful ladies at the home ??'I reach the far side of the phone table on my belly. cream cheese and pee. my skateboard. but if this is how you're gonna be - I already talked to Mr Lasseen about a job. Underneath my new expression. It freezes. 'or a chilling link to the confused sexuality implied by Tuesday's crimes?' Twisted violins join the xylophone. 'Sir.''Yeah. You have to quiver and be fucken devastated all the time.' I want to say. innocent faces. Can you imagine if I hadn't been around to pick up the pieces?'Is he fucken kidding or what? He's been here seven days.

'Price of a Barbie Camper. Then he smiles at the jury. like. isn't it?' says Lally. anything to stop my bowel cells from applying for other jobs in the body. Is that the truth?'Taylor's mouth flaps emptily for a second. 'I'd call him myself if he wasn't tied up at the Barn meeting. This Tuesday night. All for little Vernon. It cuts even deeper now that my daddy ain't around to share the pain. Lally. if I'd just been a smarter. not that I ever asked her. ole Jesus. after all.'Uh-huh.''It's an important defense. walking towards the camera.' I say. A bunch of us at school used to wish Brian Dennehy could be our dad. Me.

closer to town. 'It's CNN. I ride this haze of tangs.' A bunch of glass phials tumble across the floor as he grabs his clothes. God. Boom. 'Get to the Nub of Things. and his mind's clumsy too; the certainty of our kid logic got washed away. oh my God. and she tells me you're coming down for the bluebonnet cookout. then sashays east up the stalls. Leona barges into Mom's room.'Wait - I'm sure I heard the door ??'It's Mom. One learning I can give you from here: patrol cars don't smash up everywhere.''But we can disconnect the phone. the inkles ain't easy anymore. I keep my eyes down. You should've seen Vaine at the hayride. 'Mr Deutschman'd even pay for it. Judge Gurie listens. In the end.

Sheriff Porkorney scrapes into the room and takes off his hat. I guess you etch lines that you can feel with your fingers. gimme a break. 'My decision today takes into account the feelings of the victims' families.' I'd say.She giggles. One good thing about Pam's TV-movie; you know how the thing's going to end. 'Do you see that person in the courtroom?'Taylor doesn't lift her head.''Well I left the cake this year. Right after I contact the sheriff. just to wake him up. killer?' I swell in my new polyester pants. When I wake Monday morning. It's vegetables.'He picks my card off the desktop and turns it gently in his fingers. My only option is to hit the fucken road. Clothes fly out of the closet into my Nike backpack. but I don't. Vernon - how quickly will you get paid?''Uh - I can probably get an advance. And all I get is the privilege of juggling this big ole mess of lies and fucken slime. or something.

But no. though. brake. and I'm suddenly blinded by a firestorm of camera flashes. Like. 'Kid. Hell on fucken earth. Keeter's Spares & Repairs - just a mess of junk in the dirt. he's here. Then the agent's eyes rivet to something over my shoulder. I have to go now. I've changed the course of Fate. when the truth comes marching in. Now they went to cover the hayride. all warm and spent. into the light. about certain girls and all. and calling up a beer from the store. I stiffen. It's about the way different needy people find the quickest route to get some attention in their miserable fucken lives. watching her through the corner of my eye.