Bears Discover Fire

when he dropped me off, but I shook my head and wouldn’t take it. The thing is, when he looked under his car seat later on, his pearl-handled revolver was gone. I sold it in Fort Worth for twenty dollars. I have always felt ashamed of that ever since.

The kid had two black eyes from the decompression but his throat was better, good enough for him to eat. He didn’t complain when I paid for his supper. Then I stopped at High Top Meat. I told the kid to wait in the truck. The night broker shook his head when I unwrapped the claw and he saw the tire marks. “Too bad, CD,” he said. “I can’t buy road kill unless it don’t look like road kill.”

“How about for dog food?” I said, and he gave me a five.

The kid looked nervous and asked how I’d done, and I lied. “Good,” I said. I gave him a twenty and told him it was half the money. He folded it and put it in his watch pocket with the ten.

Magnolia was one of those dirt streets with no sidewalks and little modular houses, all alike. Any one of them could have been his grandma’s house, or any one not. “Don’t turn in, I’ll get out here,” he said at the end of the street, gathering up his stuff in a hurry.

“Vaya con Dios,” I said.

“What’s that mean?”

“Means good luck finding your pa.” I never did find mine.

I slept eleven hours while my rig was serviced and loaded.

I was halfway up Flat Mountain the next day before it occurred to me to look in the glove compartment for my 9mm. Of course it was gone. I popped in Crystal Gayle and had to laugh.

PRESS ANN

WELCOME TO CASH-IN-A-FLASH
1324 LOCATIONS
TO SERVE YOU CITYWIDE
PLEASE INSERT YOUR CASH-IN-A-FLASH CARD
THANK YOU
NOW ENTER YOUR CASH-IN-A-FLASH NUMBER
THANK YOU
PLEASE SELECT DESIRED SERVICE—
• DEPOSIT
• WITHDRAWAL
• BALANCE
• WEATHER

“Weather?”

“What’s the problem, Em?”

“Since when do these things give the weather?”

“Maybe it’s some new thing. Just get the cash, it’s 6:22 and we’re going to be late.”

>WITHDRAWAL
THANK YOU
WITHDRAWAL FROM—
• SAVINGS
• CHECKING
• CREDIT LINE
• OTHER
>CHECKING
THANK YOU
PLEASE ENTER DESIRED AMOUNT—
• $20
• $60
• $100
• $200
>$60
FOR A MOVIE?

“Bruce, come over here and look at this.”

“Emily, it’s 6:26. The movie starts at 6:41.”

“How does the cash machine know we’re going to the movie?’

“What are you talking about? Are you mad because you have to get the money, Em? Can I help it if a machine ate my card?”

“Never mind. I’ll try it again.”

>60
$60 FOR A MOVIE?

“It just did it again.”

“Did what?”

“Bruce, come over here and look at this.”

“Sixty dollars for a movie?”

“I’m getting money for dinner, too. It is my birthday after all, even if I have to plan the entire party. Not to mention get the money to pay for it.”

“I can’t believe this. You’re mad at me because a machine ate my card.”

“Forget it. The point is, how does the cash machine know we’re going to a movie?”

“Emily, it’s 6:29. Just press Enter and let’s go.”

“Okay, okay.”

WHO IS THE GUY WITH THE WATCH?
• BOYFRIEND
• HUSBAND
• RELATIVE
• OTHER

“Bruce!”

“Emily, it’s 6:30. Just get the money and let’s go.”

“Now it’s asking me about you.”

“It’s 6:31!”

“Okay!”

>OTHER

“Excuse me, do you two mind if I—”

“Look, pal, there’s a problem with this machine. There’s another cash machine right down the street if you’re in such a goddamn hurry.”

“Bruce! Why be rude?”

“Forget it, he’s gone.”