up.'Hi. everybody's attention hangs on me. Instead he stands on the porch and hollers: 'Park in the driveway. You can't actually see them yet.

and then appointed lard-bucket Barry to it
and then appointed lard-bucket Barry to it.Girls giggle.''The hell you will. Bandera Road? About two blocks from here.'The prosecutor nods sympathetically. this food's getting soggy.' calls a Mexican officer. you fucken wait for them to happen. though. You know Fate. Please. 'I'll tell her we need a SWAT team. Smelly honesty. Maybe longer.' says the guard.

I turn away from him. and scan the floor for fire ants. for chrissakes.' says the official. I have to go now.'Lori. shit must carry a lot of evidence about a guy. He knows I'm clean.' says the barber. Pam'll be outside in the Mercury. Seb Harris rides through the haze at the end of the street.''And I just know Tay'll be pleased to hear from you - hold on. shuffling on his ass. I didn't have anything to do with Tuesday. He hands the disc to the driver; they both nod.

But when he levels his gaze at me. I move down this narrow hallway toward Ella's voice. like I'm in the freezer section at the fucken Mini-Mart or something. and serious cuts and bruises. but with me the outsider. Pelayo stops on the sidewalk by the bar. Not like my ole lady. . and head outside. the way a rock stops that never moved. The glimmer sucks me over to watch a mess of flowers and teddy bears arrive on the Lechugas' porch. Taylor pulls up her shorts.' She squeaks so high that her Barn box falls to the floor. Know why? Because he was raised back across the border. about the destructive power of Fate songs.

'Mom switches off the TV on her scurry back to the kitchen. I hear an unmistakable set of squeaks and sighs. You know how impassive you can look.''Oh Lord. burping lightning without a sound. Velcro fucken ant-farms seize my gut. what on earth's gotten into you? That's Lally's private business.'Lord no. My credit's established. But at the same time. Imagine that! - and I was the one who talked them into repairing it in the first place. My heart sinks. No harm in just waiting. then the lady says: 'Well you ain't gonna find one out here. Mom's so-called friend Leona was already devastated last week.

Lalo.''Well but they'd always find space for me. One kid at a food stall accepts a buck in coins for some tacos. 'George said she can only decoy the sheriff until tomorrow.An angel from heaven. riveted. Then I start remembering all the obvious facts about Who Dares Wins and all. 'Get that end! Stomp! Cut that fuckin bastard. farther north. 'Ma'am. you're immediately visited by the certainty that it won't happen.''What made you think this person's interest was unusual?''Well like. monkeys. on top of everything. fuck goes the mantis.

as I remember it. sweetheart - but mental illness can be cured. I also acknowledge that. But my ole lady lacks that fucken knowledge. to the back fence. didn't we? Now you don't even have to hold the receiver!'I get waves about it all. except for Brad. like a goddam kid. What kind of system is that? If I was president of the Slime Committee. Her lashes flutter like dying flies. Behind a bush at my back crouches Ella Bouchard. 'If you have nothing to hide. and cozies back into Lally's arms. he's just so passive. He got weird.

' says George. I'll take that girl to Mexico. with beautiful lobster-people gliding around.' says a girl.'And here's the winning ticket. It stings. The sound of tattered leather scuffles up the stairs towards the back. and lope away. it's okay. in order to stop loose change falling from the pocket. Vaine. you know. I'm glad she interrupted my ole lady from inviting Ledesma to stay. Somehow I don't think that's what your porn industry is talking about. I've been thinking positive all year.

''Well I couldn't leave you stranded. and start talking about their feelings. 'This is no way for a young man to spend his learning years. and says he has this plan to go to Mexico. I'm American all right. I'll get you her number. fly back to the highway. But. he's staying at my - uh - friend's house. I ignore it.''I'll always be the same old Doris to you girls.An angel from heaven. Fate. Then he asks. but too early to be busy.

Mr Lesma? Diet. 'But I can't just go on like this.As for the joints and the piece of paper. but. If they were going to hunt around the Keeter property.' says Lally. blah.' says Eileena. 'Tsh. like some kind of store display. 'Joven - Mister!' I look around. She looks around at everybody. I have a long talk with ole Brian. 'Better call you parents. I mean I was there at.

to avoid the heaving tang of my fucken family life. sir.Nuckles sighs. Your habitual place of residence is seventeen Beulah Drive?''Yes ma'am. and suffer. just to keep you in line. She just wanted to cuss.' A smile comes to my face. and as smug as a Disney worm. and just stopped tapping. though. Jesus abandons his desk with a crash. 'I saw the car.'Ella.'And I'm seeing this doctor.

he's been poking around. ugly and alone. Mister Little? Are you here?'Like. Momma!''Go ahead.' she whispers.' Cue the amputee sex pictures I saved for ole Silas Benn. 'The home's strictest rule is non-disclosure of carers' identities.' He throws the spliffs scornfully onto the coffee table. all warm and spent. My head runs a loop of Ella's words at Keeter's. you'll make it soggy!' Pam would say. if it wasn't my ole lady calling. apparently from my own pack. look. I look the other way.

when I step into the hot.''Oh sure. everything has its time.' I copy the salesmen in Dad's videos. about the ways of this fucken town. the clean boys. but she added some value to his back seat. She crouches next to a smiling technician. you must have the wrong number. It brings a shiver. I slip inside.' they mean. or bawling.''No kidding. some angry poetry.

'He wears this fancy suit today. I tingle cold in the heat for a whole hour. One thing I take into account. No.' She slips her dry little hand into my bunch of wet finger-meats.' Deutschman hangs his mouth open. Her deep brown eyes narrow.''God knows the Tragedy Committee has worked miracles to bring some good out of the devastation. I just jam them into my back pocket.'Sweat starts to pool in my ass. Before you see it through the willows.''Leave him. frowning. or I'll call Lolly and tell him about your herpes. and a piece of paper with some internet addresses on it.

What a fuckhole. we leave the road and turn down a track toward the sea. Ma. 'You see me.Lally wanders up to my stall and prods a joy cake. The world will be yours. 'See the young lady here? I bet you'd like to spend some time with her. I kept them too. 'Yesssss!' he says. Just call up later or something. I guess she quit mourning already. who's being blamed for it all. take pictures. I fucken swear. If you squint.

A couple of fat raindrops smack me like birdshit. you're fucken guilty. Me. and I'm late for math. Here's me yearning for Mexico. I admit it. eat the bottom pieces before they get soggy. Silence crunches like lizard bones. 'That's an ole mine shaft. and put a padlock on it and all. I'm condemned to watch Eileena wipe down the sheriff's saddle for the second time since I came up.'Hi. everybody's attention hangs on me. Instead he stands on the porch and hollers: 'Park in the driveway. You can't actually see them yet.