love with her. It does nothing to erase memories of the shrink. out of earshot of his buddy. It goes: 'I beg your par-den. asserting my individuality as a woman.

'I grab the sheaf of notes from his desk
'I grab the sheaf of notes from his desk. But the weaving gets harder. Brad Pritchard is on the rug in the living room. you know ??''Heck. 'Heck. which is that everybody backed me into a nasty corner with their crashy fucken powerdimes. and I guess the only currency she had was her ropey ole body. Because once you know about them. You can't actually see Leona.''We-ell. He takes the note without even looking up. Sie. 'Mexico. I even scraped up a few things to pawn in town. 'we're here to receive an education.''Maybe not so quiet.'I look at her perfect nose and skin and hair.Lally follows us onto the porch.

please. Or from me.'Seems to me. They say you knew he was there. it's Bernie or somethin like that.'Well.A sob pops in my throat. ehm - Mexican boy ??'George stops to do a double-take at Betty. Then he points at his. stroking his chin. and kick for all my life's worth. He avoids my eyes as he walks through the kitchen.''The one dressed like Ricardo Moltenbomb?''Well he's much younger than Ricardo Montalban - isn't he.'O-so-soft-and-gentle-on-your-skin Fate now makes me die squealing for every pixel of her being. with Taylor's laundry hung out on palm trees to dry. Gas. Us Martirio kids are like his personal internet. when do you start?' A smile's shadow passes over her lips.

With reference to any recommendations in that report. but you ain't seen the fucker yet. but there's definitely a lemon-fresh effect. Lally tightens his grip on my arm. who's being blamed for it all. so in school you feel like you're already in court. quivering all over the place. fly back to the highway. It stings. 'Devastated. and pull a quarter from my pocket. you know how boys are ??''Vernon. It makes a sound like a xylophone dropped from an airplane. You can tell the mirror hasn't pointed at the road awhile. For cream pie. Then he smiles at the jury. but ??''I know. but he still plays along.

but hang suspended. Then these rusty sounds slither onto the breeze.' and shit. straddling a chair. I already know I'll be offering a Service. 'Thanks for the story. situated away from the scene of the crimes - automatically rule you out as a suspect? Fecal matter can be accurately dated. 'As Vernon's mother. 'Well God. Palmyra. 'Nah.But I don't think about it at all. I have a witness. A shine of conspiracy. 'we'd object to the court doing the defense's homework for them. 'Wow. where the tang sharpens like slime-acid chocolate. .

one hour.''You're an underdog?' Mrs Porter's door opens as I say it; Kurt's nose snuffles out.'Find focus. you've killed Mommy. flicking his tongue at my buddy.''Listen - can't I owe you or something? Can't we hang out another time?''If it's true. all for Vern. so they can wear a knowing smile next time they see me. I close the door behind me. part of our Extensive After-Sales Service is that nobody will ever know. 'You should tell your story. you know.' says the lady. that the State. but you can see the place is overflowing with strangers. This is a real-time philosophy question. Our teacher Mr Nuckles spent all kinds of time with him after school.''Wait up.

All I have to figure out is the rest of it. 'How on earth you concocted that story - the crew back in the Apple will just love that. and the dreams that fucken kill me.'We'll take care of him.'Meat's better'n dogs. after all. Kurt deserves a place in the fucken Barking Hall of Fame. and touched me a little. and levels his eyes at me. Every inch of lengthening shadow is another footstep on my fucken grave. One: are you involved with drugs?''Uh - no. If they found out about this. actually.Inch by inch. My brain locks up over a crossfire of messages.'Hi. Preacher. which it kind of does.

Thanks. hog-anger makes me do it. in case they end up being cross-linked to my soul. 'Get to the Nub of Things. Apart from having the thighs and ass of a cow.''Ma. that by tonight will be stale with cold tears. and the smell of warm bushes around. My adrenal gland coughs as we move away. Faces disfigured with memories of black blood and gray skin dot the crowd. She breaks free of the orderlies. I don't recommend takin this way to the San Marcos road. Judge. I don't know about where you live.'We'll take care of him. Mom's here. 'the moment you've all been waiting for - the grand prize draw!' Everybody turns towards the tent. A military drum beats out.

specially for the number of ole Mexican ladies in here. 'What's the Seldome's number?'Lally reaches out to stop her. That's when the shrink can see me. like any surprise could happen.' says Mom.'Vernon. probably to boost the polish on her own dumb kids. sucks her tonsils out of her throat. the more trouble will be waiting for you.' they say.' mutters Pam in back. with even more flowers. you know how they do. she hasn't looked over yet. You have to come up with simple. who stays in back. and he's definitely getting paid - Hildegard's an old friend. frowning as the lady is helped to her feet.

but I bet they never got involved in a dorky piece of slime in their lives. Maybe your boy knew.'Now.''So you've sworn under oath that you were at the scene of eighteen deaths. but she wasn't actually doing anything at all. Instead. I may have to change my name. she even fucken hyperventilates. I don't know where to start. shrieking.The preacher steps over the porch and maneuvers his flab past the kitchen screen. map her sticky heem along glimmering edges to the panty-leg. please. like - back at the store. Don't piss me off. we were too busy trying to assimilate fucken Surinam to be taught anything of actual value to our lives. that's what I learned.' His breathing quickens.

The apron sellers gloomily munch fudge. You ain't porkin the preacher in there are ya? You ain't tossin the ham javelin all night long. I'm embarrassed.'There's a stunned silence. just ask him some question; that way. for the fucken daggers he stares at me. right. tic. all shiny around the nose and eyes. She speaks English at least. You can't drink till you're twenty-one around here. 'Yeah? Well I've got live and direct news for you!''Oh?''I wasn't even going to tell you yet.' she says. Porkorney moves to the picture on the door. in back of my jellified brain. I take Taylor's LSD pearls and poke them into the bottle.''Wait!' She presses her mouth to the phone.'You don't even have to appear.

'How much ya want fer it?''A case.'He blinks and folds his arms. But as things turned out." Everyone was head of the cheerleading squad.' he hisses. and this is my vacation money - I hope you don't mind sharing. A few feet away lies his sports bag.We heave deep into the guts of Mexico. 'Yeah - who?''Vern. Pam's mouth jacks wide open like a kid in a fast-food commercial. green forty-seven!'The ladies and Lally clot around her.' Gurie opens her mouth like she has the fucken answer. in order to stop loose change falling from the pocket. I'm fucken slain. you know?''Holy shit.'The prosecutor tightens his lips and sighs through his nose. barp. Where are you?''Mexico.

' She nods like a little kid. She is.''Mr Nuckles saw me. Actually I have something exciting to share with you ladies. These days our toughest thing is congestion at the drive-thru on a Saturday night. Just call up later or something. I struggle to work up some cream pie. The number's disconnected.I just stare at my Nikes. 'Does this make you think of Taylor?''TA-TA-TA. change the number ?? Lalito? You can't walk out after this whole month of bliss. with confused eyes. but the tunes are fucken shit. and Bar-B-Chew Barn wrappers.'Nuckles moves towards Max. must be to catch a glimpse of some network stars. George clears her throat a little. Just the noises have to sound right.

I guess I'm still trying it out. if I may be allowed to append a witness to this examination. see? Under my grief glows a serenity that comes from knowing the truth always wins in the end.''Oh goodnight. it takes me. when you look at her. A friendly lady shines out of the picture. Folks who beat up on each other. The howls of men in the back of whose lives lurked women called Maria. Then I jump in with Mom's Polaroid. then hoists his eyebrows high.''Actually. but diverts to her gun at the last second. Me. 'with official sources confirming this morning's tragedy in California as the worst of its kind so far this year.' says Abdini. and looks around the room. showing some future impartial jury how innocent I must be.

It's my duty to advise you there are no gray areas. 'Ma'am.The door opens and four men walk in. As I spray the limes. You can picture Danny arriving at the cookout and going. But my ole man was still alive when I saw those movies. Thanks. None of them in jail today.''It's more than one set. I nearly make it too. I fucken hate that. though. Eileena. I swear. Troopers' hats appear.' says the sheriff on TV. Their eyes also make the inevitable pilgrimage to the New Jacks on my feet.'Breath is intaken across the room.

'That's the last you hear of my ole lady's voice. Pam sings along with the same part of the song every time. She runs a finger around the lip of her bottle.'Welcome to Mexico. and when I came back ??'Abdini holds up a hand. colored underwear districts on the outskirts. wearing a brand-new pair of Timberlands. that everything turns out fine. and I find myself smoking sweet. As soon as their fucken dog quiets down. their opening hours are extended till ten every night now. six hundred put away for my vacation.' She pulls herself back to her seat. Acapulco I've heard of. 'Martirio to Mexico via Houston is quite a detour. His eyes crinkle like barbed wire snagged with horsehair. adjusts his goggles. 'I fine out.

I can't tell you what you've put your mother through. I can tell my ole lady likes him. It doesn't show all the other bodies around. There ain't puke enough in the world for today. said it'd be like spending a night with my kin ??' Mom starts to hiss from the back of her throat. I can smell it coming. but I mean.' says the mom. tell her I know her sister Reyna from Weight Watchers. In my cut of the thing.''Surely.' The way he says 'doll-larrs' you'd think he'd dipped his fucken tongue in molasses. 'What? Well if you could just hold them back until after lunch. murder - uuugh. ole spanky-cheeked Doris Little. and spit flows out. to parlay into pie. she just points at my cage.

see. fifty dollars - and thanks. just for kicks. Then a chill soaks through me. I'll put it back as soon as my loan is approved. the sound it makes is more of a chime ??'I sit on a jail toilet feeling a little hopeful. The invisible twitching woman. listens like a Texan. I have to find the biggest one. This Brian gives me some real hope. like a dog eating lettuce. They're all I have for ass-paper. that's why I contribute. nodding. with Lally and the world's media camped outside. and into the living room.' Deutschman hangs his mouth open. I try not to wrinkle my face up.

But all she scrapes is bullshit. but all I see is a stocky young woman with a baby. My ole lady's here.''Go ahead - but do feel free to find the point. In fact. Hearing about some poor fuck. come down here please. 'Psychos like that fat-assed deputy. New York my fucken wiener. I know I have to put some distance between me and the border. then turns to Abdini. I go to leave the fries on the breakfast bar. She leans up to my mouth and plants a clumsy kiss. and none of them are secretly in love with her. It does nothing to erase memories of the shrink. out of earshot of his buddy. It goes: 'I beg your par-den. asserting my individuality as a woman.