Hooligans

bag.

The 353rd day: Ever since, I been thinking a lot about Carmody and Flagler and Jesse Hatch. Doc

Ziegler. Some of the others. The lieu-tenant?s right; it is kind of a waste, spending a year on the line

and then leaving it just when you really get so you know what you?re doing. I?ve never been a pro

before at anything. But I know how to fight these motherfuckers. I feel like I?m doing something

positive, accomplishing something. You know, in my own way, doing something to turn this thing

around, getting even for Jesse and Doc and the lieutenant, all the rest of them.

And one more thing. I wouldn?t want to tell them this, or anybody else. I like it. I?m going to miss it. . .

getting a gook in my sights, squeezing off, watching the fucker go down. Shit, man, that?s a jolt. That?s

a real jolt. There?s not another jolt in the world like it.

59

PYRAMIDS

I took a couple of wrong turns before I found DeeDee?s street. A red Datsun Z sat in the driveway and

there were kids playing hide-and-seek in the yard next door. From the outside of the house,

everything appeared normal. Obviously death had not made its presence known to the neighborhood

yet.

Lark answered the door and ushered me inside. The house was dark, oppressive, silent. The rituals of

passage had not yet begun. There were no flowers, no covered food dishes from the neighbors, no

mourners sitting silently, trying not to stare at the casket.

Lark sat on one of the hard, uncomfortable antiques, her hands folded in her lap, looking at the floor,

unsure of how to act in the presence of tragedy. I could tell it was a role uncommon for her, that she

was accustomed only to the good things in life. Tragedy thus far had passed her by.

“Dee?s sleeping,” she said, after moments of strained silence. “The doctor gave her two shots before

she quieted down. I don?t know how long she?ll -be under. A couple of hours, at least.” She paused,

fiddling with the hem of her skirt. “Mr. Seaborn called. Thanks for telling him. He seemed to be

honestly concerned.”

“I?m sure he is,” I said, trying to think of something more significant to say. “I just came by to see

how she?s holding up.”

“Hard to say,” Lark said. “I don?t know what?s going to happen when she wakes up. She was in shock

when the doctor got here.” She looked up at me suddenly and asked, almost with desperation, “Was