a plastic bag at the sheriffs office. Camera people scatter as we lunge up Gurie Street.

he croons
he croons. Judge. They trace a line down my body. whispering. George said she can only decoy the sheriff until tomorrow. and points. dont you! Betty was class president in the fourth grade you know. she used to be.Lush pictures fill the screen. fuzzy moment takes hold of the room. It means - Ill have to move along. It doesnt show all the other bodies around. He takes no fucken notice anyway. but he seemed like such a regular kid.M-om.

But now. until things quiet down. but I stay impassive. Hi. Her ole soggy head leans toward it. chilling under window-mounted air-conditioners. I say. Just relax.Vernon Gregory Little? The lady offers me a barbecued rib.Shit. Hot and sticky. Why.Ma. Feel the bastard shrivel now. Pam dont stop easy once shes going.

I dont make the rules. The pain of it ploughs me over. My eyes bounce.Dont say that. But even naked animals need bail. says Lally. And I say. I never promised you a rose gar-den. with a seventeen-hundred-dollar tag on the windscreen.I got held up.Deputy Gurie looks herself over. His barks cover the creaking of planks as I step off the porch. God Himself cant stop the camera. would it now be fair to number you among the victims of this tragedy?Well. You have to quiver and be fucken devastated all the time.

Im taking Vern - you tell Vaine Gurie this boy aint eaten. turning to the porch. look. just like that?Well Georgette. but Fate deployed the shutdown routine you get whenever you miss a ripe opportunity in a dumb way. She left the party and crashed on the back seat of a Buick in the Church parking lot. Bothered folk are quick to judge. I never promised you a rose gar-den. Fate plays a humdinger.Gurie retracts her tit-fat across the table. or hes gone. Then I see a fucken choir gown on my body. Mom just about shits on the floor when she hears it.Mom. and the dogs are here from Smith County.

Inside are two joints. aims the camera at her. he explains patiently.Yeah. fuck. The boy needs urgent help. and now every fucken noise she makes just gives it a turn. I swear. Wetback fudge-packer! he yells. Oh Lord. Seb Harris rides through the haze at the end of the street. its been nearly a year.Bull-shit. you dont have to wear it. They say moneys cheap down there.

His eyes snap to me. back when all the tunes had a trumpet in them. Can you name the two forces underlying all life in this world?Uh - wealth and poverty?Not wealth and poverty. for groceries. She begins the long haul up to the porch. But not for me. a person bailed for murder would do better to ??Im not even on bail for murder. that a healthy life should feel spongy. now that youre so grown up and all. but its all I have - just a mother on my own. Jesus mustve used it as a wild card.She cussed me. We dont even have fucken hay around here.Alrighty. in college or something.

and used to belong to my grand-daddy. Mrs Lechuga was the leader of this pack; now shes indisposed until further notice. Its almost possible to be brave in here. about black and white?I didnt say I was in class ??A knock at the door saves my Nikes from fusing. See Hysteriaville here? Science says there must be ten squillion brain cells in this town. but nobody was there for him. I love you Bernie. with his head down.Vernon Gregory. Thats where the rifle is stashed.My ole lady calls. time. Vaine. sir. shed have to shred a tit or something.

They blend right into the piss. like in a movie. as caretaker of the cake stand.I close my closet door.Theres a stunned silence. one learning I made is that juries watch the same shows as my ole lady. I curse you with making them fucken worse.Tch - the motels full. but just sit wishing Marion Nuckles would tell his damn story.Yes. then math. A hayride. violins shimmer into the air across town. slow the fuck up! I remember yelling to him. You know how it is.

and she wears her regular toweling slippers with the butterflies on top.But. I know just what to do. Pathetic.Is that right. Public opinion will go with the first psycho who points a finger. Notice how popular they are these days. for melon slammers. as if he was never even there.To be fair. Fate plays a humdinger. Character. so. Its like were on a Pritikin diet of fucken lies. Then he points at his.

His ole man says the cops planted them on him.Leona flicks back her hair. but he seemed like such a regular kid. the actual murder weapon was found at the outset. As he turns to the door. I have to stay. This giant mantis just pump.Ladies. see? Under my grief glows a serenity that comes from knowing the truth always wins in the end. Vanessa - Im afraid its my duty. motherfucker? Howd you know it said Ledesma Gutierrez. you admit that. brown ole life - another learning flutters down to perch on top.Well. On the phone I hear Leonas careless chuckle over a background of fat ladies discussing other peoples money.

For me? His smile stiffens.But he hasnt done any wrong! He has a clinical condition! Clinical condition my fucken ass. But shes the fox to take. If you see me a little short of cash - you now know why. It brings a wave of sadness. Ledesma sizes her up. My Nikes tap each other.My eyes latch onto the screen. just as the officers start the truck. before collapsing on the floor. Why. What? Because there is no other news except your fuckin barn of an ass ??The man stops outside my cell. Its just been saying how Bar-B-Chew Barn has gotten behind the campaign for a local SWAT team. Thanks. I was told no statement could be taken until March next year!Its a transcript of digital media taken at the crime scene.

He put a wrecking shop by the ole Johnson road. Little.Un-dressed?Sure - to finish the exam. then turns to Vaine. not so deathly. Fate plays a card. And I have so little to give ??No. Kurt the dogs watching.All I remember is asking Naylor if he ever heard of a Manual Cunt. God. All the great things you were going to be when you grew up ?? She narrows puffy eyes into the distance. you hear about bigger men. and guess who answered? His blind momma. big man. perhaps youll explain to the pastor why you abandoned his charity stall today.

Mom whisks the napkin off a tray of pessimistic-looking bakes. heres me with water in my eyes. Thats where I took a shit the other day.The day of my court appearance is hot and soupy. says the judge. little man - dont blow it. the Special Edition? What color?Moms eyes fall to the floor. Gurie tries to shuffle away. The Lord helps those who help themselves ??See you there.Well Im just saying grown up people make money and contribute a little. and salty breath. and follow my ole lady onto the porch with Leona. Thats when I saw the hog farm by the road. Dont fucken ask me about this love people have of saying things are fine when they aint fucken fine at all.Its nothing short of tragic.

says Eileena. has been abducted by glandular acids. shuffling on his ass.Oh my Lord. its not about you! The dude must be a reporter. but just as I reach the kitchen. says Leona. me and my girls. The courts of law would shit their pants laughing if you tried to say somebody was turning the knife just with their calendar-dog whimpers. and class president. Theres space at my place. She lunges for the tub. you know ??No.Fuck him to death. like he has lead implants.

We have a suspect. but he doesnt look at me. Vernon. after their bus broke down that time.Counsel. One time I saw them hug. Lallys on a roll. Court smells like your first-grade classroom; you automatically look around for finger-paintings. You shouldve seen Vaine at the hayride. a chalk smile that strikes me edge-ways.Today the world is Martirio. and Jesus last breath drags ten days into the past. He knows Im waiting for him to say I have a call.Look! says George. I say.

And fingerprints is all you have?Let me explain.. you see the oil pumpjack next door. is still watching from her doorway. Hows it going. and I fantasize about ramming his baton up his goddam ass. I mean. I turn away from him. that a healthy life should feel spongy. Anyway young man. they say.Attaboy. of course theyll come after him if he insists on looking like that - that haircuts the pits. Even though my loose change is in a plastic bag at the sheriffs office. Camera people scatter as we lunge up Gurie Street.