forest gump by winston groom

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    Forrest Gump

    Winston Groom

    Pocket Books (November 1994)Language: English

    ISBN1!: !"#1$%"!"$ISBN1&: 9#'!"#1$%"!"

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    or imbo *ea+or an+ ,eorge -a+cli../ho have al/a0s ma+e a oint o. being kin+ toorrest an+ his .rien+s2

    3here is a leasure sure in being ma+ /hich none but ma+men kno/2

    r0+en

    1

    Let me sa0 this: bein a i+iot is no bo5 o. chocolates2 Peole laugh6 lose atience6 treat0ou shabb02 No/ the0 sa0s .olks sose+ to be kin+ to the a..licte+6 but let me tell 0ouitain7t al/a0s that /a02 Even so6 I got no comlaints6 cause I reckon I +one live a rett0interestin li.e6 so to seak2

    I been a i+iot since I /as born2 *0 I8 is near #!6 /hich uali.ies me6 so the0 sa02Probl06 tho6 I7m closer to bein a imbecile or ma0be even a moron6 but ersonall06 I7+rather think o. m0se. as like a hal./it 6 or somethinan not no i+iotcause /hen eolethink o. a i+iot6 more7n likel0 the0 be thinkin o. one o. them *ongolian i+iots the ones/ith the0 e0es too close together /hat look like hinamen an +rool a lot an la0 /iththe0sel.s2

    No/ I7m slo/I7ll grant 0ou that6 but I7m robl0 a lot brighter than .olks think6 cause/hat goes on in m0 min+ is a sight +i..erent than /hat .olks see2 or instance6 I canthink things rett0 goo+6 but /hen I got to tr0 sa0in or /ritin them6 it kin+a come outlike ;ello or somethin2 I7ll sho/ 0ou /hat I mean2

    3he other +a06 I7m /alkin +o/n the street an this man /as out /orkin in his 0ar+2 = an I sa0s6 =?hhuh6= an so he sets me to movin +irt2 amn near ten or t/elve/heelbarro/s o. +irt6 in the heat o. the +a06 truckin it all over creation2 @hen I7m thru hereach in his ocket .or a +ollar2 @hat I shoul+a +one /as raise+ ain about the lo//ages6 but instea+6 I took the +amn +ollar an all I coul+ sa0 /as =thanks= or somethin+umbsoun+in like that6 an I /ent on +o/n the street6 /a++in an un/a++in that +ollar in

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    m0 han+6 .eelin like a i+iot2

    Aou see /hat I mean>

    No/ I kno/ somethin bout i+iots2 Probl0 the onl0 thing I +o kno/ bout6 but I +one rea+u on emall the /a0 .rom that o0cheeeveskie gu07s i+iot6 to ing Lear7s .ool6 anaulkner7s i+iot6 Ben;ie6 an even ole Boo -a+le0 in 3o ill a *ockingbir+ no/ he /asa serious i+iot2 3he one I like best tho is ole Lennie in C. *ice an *en 2 *os o. them/riter .ellers got it straightcause their i+iots al/a0s smarter than eole give em cre+it.or2

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    out the07s teasing me an all6 an one +a0 a bo0 hit me in the back /ith a stick /ile the0/as chasin me an it raise+ some .earsome /elt2 D.ter that6 she tole me not to la0 /iththem bo0s an0more2 I starte+ tr0in to la0 /ith the girls but that /eren7t much better6cause the0 all run a/a0 .rom me2

    *ama thought it /oul+ be goo+ .or me to go to the ublic school cause ma0be it /oul+he me to be like everbo+0 else6 but a.ter I been there a little /ile the0 come an tol+*ama I ought7n to be in there /ith everbo+0 else2 3he0 let me .inish out .irst gra+e tho2Sometimes I7+ set there /ile the teacher /as talkin an I +on7t kno/ /hat /as going on inm0 min+6 but I7+ start lookin out the /in+er at the bir+s an suirrels an things that /asclimbin an settin in a big ole oak tree outsi+e6 an then the teacher7+ come over an .uss atme2 Sometimes6 I7+ ;ust get this real strange thing come over me an start shoutin an all6an then she7+ make me go out an set on a bench in the hall2 Dn the other ki+s6 the07+

    never la0 /ith me or nothin6 cet7n to chase me or get me to start hollerin so7s the0coul+ laugh at meall cet enn0 urran6 /ho at least +i+n7t run a/a0 .rom me ansometimes she7+ let me /alk ne5 to her goin home a.ter class2

    But the ne5t 0ear6 the0 ut me in another sort o. school6 an let me tell 0ou6 it /as /ier+2It /as like the07+ gone aroun collectin all the .unn0 .ellers the0 cou+ .in+ an ut em alltogether6 rangin .rom m0 age an 0ounger to big ole bo0s bout si5teen or seventeen2 3he0/as retar+s o. all kin+s an sasmos an ki+s that coul+n7t even eat or go to the toilet b0the0sel.s2 I /as robl0 the best o. the lot2

    3he0 /as one big .at bo06 musta been .ourteen or so6 an he /as a..licte+ /ith somekin+a thing ma+e him shake like he7s in the electric chair or somethin2 *iss *argaret6our teacher6 ma+e me go in the bathroom /ith him /hen he ha+ to go6 so7s he /oul+n7t+o nothin /ier+2 Even I coul+ un+erstan+ that2

    @hen I got to be thirteen6 some rett0 unusual things begun to haen2 irst o..6 Istarte+ to gro/2 I gre/ si5 inches in si5 months6 an m0 mama /as all the time havin to

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    let out m0 ants2 Dlso6 I commence+ to gro/ out 2 B0 the time I /as si5teen I /as si5.oot si5 an /eighe+ t/o hun+rit .ort0t/o oun+s2 I kno/ that cause the0 took me in an/eighe+ me2 Sai+ the0 ;us coul+n7t believe it2

    @hat haen ne5 cause+ a real change in m0 li.e2 Cne +a0 I7m strollin +o/n the streeton the /a0 home .rom nut school6 an a car sto longsi+e o. me2 3his gu0 call me over ana5e+ m0 name2 I tole him6 an then he a5e+ /hat school I go to6 an ho/ come he ain7tseen me aroun2 @hen I tell him bout the nut school6 he a5e+ i. I7+ ever la0e+ .ootball2 Ishook m0 hea+2 I guess I mighta tole him I7+ seen ki+s la0in it6 but the07+ never let me

    la02 But like I sai+6 I ain7t too goo+ at long conversation6 an so I ;us shook m0 hea+23hat /as about t/o /eeks a.ter school begun again2

    3hree +a0s or so later6 the0 come an got me outta the nut school2 *0 mama /as there6an so /as the gu0 in the car an t/o other eole /hat look like goons/ho I guess /as

    resent in case I /as to start somethin2 3he0 took all the stu.. outta m0 +esk an ut it in

    a bro/n aer bag an tole me to sa0 goo+b0e to *iss *argaret6 an alls o. a su++en shecommence to start cr0in an give me a big ole hug2 3hen I got to sa0 goo+b0e to all theother nuts6 an the0 /as +roolin an sasmoin an beatin on the +esks /ith the0 .ists2 Dnthen I /as gone2

    *ama ro+e u in the .ront seat /ith the gu0 an I set in back in bet/een them goons6 ;uslike olice +one in them ole movies /hen the0 took 0ou =+o/nto/n2= et /e +i+n7t go+o/nto/n2 @e /ent to the ne/ highschool the0 ha+ built2 @hen /e got there the0 tookme insi+e to the rincial7s o..ice an *ama an me an the gu0 /ent in /ile the t/o goons/aite+ in the hall2 3he rincial /as an ole gra0haire+ man /ith a stain on his tie an

    bagg0 ants /ho look like he coul+a come outta the nut school hisse.2 @e all sat +o/nan he begun slainin things an a5ein me uestions6 an I ;ust no++e+ m0 hea+6 but /hatthe0 /ante+ /as .or me to la0 .ootball2 3hat much I .iggere+ out on m0 o/n2

    3urns out the gu0 in the car /as the .ootball coach6 name o. ellers2 Dn that +a0 I +i+n7tgo to no class or nothin6 but oach ellers6 he took me back to the locker room an one o.the goons roun+e+ me u a .ootball suit /ith all them a+s an stu.. an a real nice lastic

    helmet /ith a thing in .ront to kee m0 .ace .rom gettin suishe+ in2 3he onl0 thing /as6the0 coul+n7t .in+ no shoes to .it me6 so7s I ha+ to use m0 sneakers till the0 coul+ or+erthe shoes2

    oach ellers an the goons got me +resse+ u in the .ootball suit6 an then the0 ma+e meun+ress again6 an then +o it all over again6 ten or t/ent0 times6 till I coul+ +o it b0m0se.2 Cne thing I ha+ trouble /ith .or a /ile /as that ;ockstra thingcause I coul+n7tsee no real goo+ reason .or /earing it2 @ell6 the0 trie+ slainin it to me6 an then one o.

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    the goons sa0s to the other that I7m a =+umm0= or somethin like that6 an I guess hethought I /oul+n7t un+erstan+ him6 but I +i+6 on account o. I a0 secial attention to thatkin+ o. shit2 Not that it hurt m0 .eelins2

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    Dbout the onl0 class I like+ /as lunch6 but I guess 0ou coul+n7t call that a class2 Dt thenut school6 m0 mama /oul+ .i5 me a samb/ich an a cookie an a iece o. .ruitcet no

    bananasan I7+ take it to school /ith me2 But in this school the0 /as a ca.eteria /ith nineor ten +i..erent things to eat an I7+ have trouble makin u m0 min+ /hat I /ante+2 Ithink somebo+0 must o. sai+ somethin6 cause a.ter a /eek or so oach ellers come u

    to me an sa0 to ;ust go ahea+ an eat all I /ante+ cause it been =taken care o.2=

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    his .ace6 an tell me to get suite+ u right a/a02 D /ile later6 he come in the locker room/ith these la0s +ra/n on a iece o. aerthree o. theman sa0 .or me to memoriFethem best I can2

    3hat a.ternoon at the .ootball ractice6 he line everbo+0 u in t/o teams an su++enl0 theuarterback give me the ball an I7m sose+ to run outsi+e the right en+ o. the line to thegoalost2 @hen the0 all start chasin me6 I run .ast as I canit /as seven or eight o. them

    be.ore the0 coul+ +rag me +o/n2 oach ellers is might0 ha0G ;umin u an+ +o/nan 0ellin an slain everbo+0 on the back2 @e7+ run a lot o. races be.ore6 to see ho/ .ast/e coul+ run6 but I get a lot .aster /hen I7m bein chase+6 I guess2 @hat i+iot /oul+n7t>

    Dn0/a06 I become a lot more oular a.ter that6 an the other gu0s on the team starte+bein nicer to me2 @e ha+ our .irst game an I /as scare+ to +eath6 but the0 give me theball an I run over the goal line t/o or three times an eole never been kin+er to mea.ter that2 3hat highschool certainl0 begun to change things in m0 li.e2 It even got to

    /here I like+ to run /ith the .ootball6 cet it /as mostl0 that the0 ma+e me run arounthe si+es cause I still coul+n7t get to /here I like+ to ;ust run over eole like 0ou +o inthe mi++le2 Cne o. the goons comments that I am the largest highschool hal.back in theentire /orl+2 I +o not think he mean it as a comliment2

    Cther/ise6 I /as learnin to rea+ a lot better /ith *iss

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    But /hat that +i+ .or me6 knockin that bo0 usi+e the hea+6 ut a +e.inate ne/ light onm0 .ootball la0in2 Ne5t +a06 I a5e+ oach ellers to let me run the ball straight on an+he sa0 oka06 an I run over ma0be .our or .ive gu0s till I7m in the clear an the0 all ha+ tostart chasin me again2 3hat 0ear I ma+e the Dll State ootball team2 I coul+n7t har+l0

    believe it2 *0 mama give me t/o air o. socks an a ne/ shirt on m0 birth+a02 Dn she

    +one save+ u an bought me a ne/ suit that I /ore to get the Dll State ootball a/ar+2irst suit I ever ha+2 *ama tie+ m0 tie .or me an o.. I /ent2

    %

    3he Dll State ootball Banuet /as to be helt in a little to/n calle+ lomaton6 /hat

    oach ellers +escribe+ as a =s/itch u the railroa+ tracks2= @e /as ut on a busthe0/as .ive or si5 o. us .rom this area /ho /on the riFean /e /as trucke+ u there2 It/as a hour or t/o be.ore /e arrive+6 an the bus +i+n7t have no toilet6 an I ha+ +rank t/oSlurees .ore /e le.6 so /hen /e get to lomaton6 I reall0 got to go ba+2

    3he thing /as helt at the lomaton = 3hen he turn to me an sa06=orrest6 0ou ;us got to kee a li+ on it till this thing7s over6 an then /e get it oen .or0ouoka0>= Dn I no+6 cause I +on7t kno/ /hat else to +o6 but I .iggerin I be in .or a longevenin2

    @hen /e get out to the au+itorium there7s a million eole all settin there at tables6smilin an clain as /e come out2 @e is ut u at a big long table on the stage in .ront o.everbo+0 an m0 /orst .ears /as realiFe+ about the long evenin2 Seem like ever soul inthe room got u to make a seecheven the /aiters an ;anitor2 I /ishe+ m0 mama coul+a

    been there6 cause she7+ o. hee+ me6 but she back at home in be+ /ith the grie2inall0 it come time to get han+e+ our riFes6 /hich /as little gol+colore+ .ootballs6 an/hen our names /as calle+ /e /as sose+ to go u to the microhone an take the riFean sa0 =thank 0ou6= an the0 also tole us i. an0bo+0 has an0thin else he /ants to sa06 tokee it short on account o. /e /ant to be gettin out o. there be.ore the turn o. thecentur02

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    *ost everbo+0 ha+ got the0 riFe an sai+ =thank 0ou6= an then it come m0 turn2Somebo+0 on the microhone call out =orrest ,um6= /hich6 i. I ha+n7t tole 0ou

    be.ore6 is m0 last name6 an I stan+ u an go over an the0 han me the riFe2 I lean over tothe mike an sa06 =3hank 0ou6= an everbo+0 starts to cheer an cla an stan+ u in the0seats2 I sose somebo+0 tole them a.orehan I7m some kin+ o. i+iot6 an the0 makin a

    secial e..ort to be nice2 But I7m so surrise+ b0 all this6 I +on7t kno/ /hat to +o6 so I ;uske stan+in there2 3hen everbo+0 hush u6 an the man at the mike he lean over an+ a5eme i. I got an0thin else I /ant to sa02 So I sa0s6 =I got to ee2=

    Everbo+0 in the au+ience +i+n7t sa0 nothin .or a .e/ moments6 an ;us starte+ lookin.unn0 at each other6 an then the0 begun a sort o. lo/ mumblin6 an oach ellers comeu an gra me b0 the arm an+ haul me back to m0 seat2 -est o. the night he be glarin atme6 but a.ter the banuet is over6 oach an the goons +one take me back to the bathrooman ri oen m0 ants an I +one ee+ a bucket

    =,um6= oach sa0 a.ter I am .inishe+6 =0ou sure got a /a0 /ith /or+s2=

    No/ ne5 0ear /a+n7t too event.ul6 cet somebo+0 ut out the /or+ that a i+iot got hisse.on the Dll State ootball team an a bunch o. letters start comin in .rom all roun+ thecountr02 *ama collect them all an+ start keein a scrabook2 Cne +a0 a ackage come.rom Ne/ Aa/k it0 that contain a o..icial baseball signe+ b0 the entire Ne/ Aa/kAankees baseball team2 It /as the best thing ever haen to me I treasure that ball like agol+brick6 till one +a0 /hen I /as tossin it aroun in the 0ar+6 a big ole +og come u an

    gra it outta the air an che/e+ it u2 3hings like that al/a0s haenin to me2

    Cne +a0 oach ellers call me in an take me into the rincial7s o..ice2 3he0 /as a manthere .rom u to the ?niversit0 /ho shook m0 han an a5e me /hether I ever thought

    bout la0in .ootball in college2

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    +one trie+ m0 best on that test2 I no+ m0 hea+6 but the rincial be rollin his e0es6 an theBear sa06 =@ell6 this is un.ortunate then6 cause the score aears to in+icate that this bo0is a i+iot2=

    3he rincial be no++in his hea+ no/6 an oach ellers is stan+in there /ith his han+sin his ockets lookin sour2 It seem to be the en+ o. m0 college .ootball rosects2

    3he .act that I /ere too +umb to la0 college .ootball +i+ not seem to imress the ?nite+States Drm0 none2 It /ere m0 last 0ear at highschool an in the sringtime everbo+0 elsegra+uate+2 3he0 let me set u on the stage tho6 an even give me a black robe to ut on6an /hen it come time6 the rincial announce the0 /as gonna give me a =secial=+iloma2 I got u to go to the microhone an the t/o goons stan u an go /ith meIsose so7s I +on7t make no remarks like I +i+ at the Dll State ootball thing2 *0 mama is

    +o/n in the .ront ro/ cr0in an+ /ringin her hans an I reall0 .eel goo+6 like I actuall0+one accomlish somethin2

    But /hen /e git back home6 I .inall0 realiFe /h0 she ba/lin an carr0in onthe0 /as aletter come .rom the Drm0 sa0 I got to reort to the local +a.t boar+ or somesuch2 I+i+n7t kno/ /hat the +eal /as6 but m0 mama +i+it /as 19"' an the0 /as all sorts o.shit .i5in to hoen2

    *ama give me a letter .rom the school rincial to han to the +a.tboar+ eole6 butsomeho/ I lost it on the /a0 there2 It /as a loon0 scene2 3he0 /as a big colore+ gu0 in

    a Drm0 suit 0ellin at eole an +ivi+in them u into bunches2 @e /as all stan+in therean+ he come u an shout6 =Dll right6 I /ant hal. o. 0ou to go over there an hal. o. 0ou togo over here6 an the other hal. o. 0ou to sta0 ut= Everbo+0 millin aroun an lookin

    be/il+ere+ an even I coul+ .igger out this gu07s a moron2

    3he0 took me in a room an+ line us u an tell us to remove our clothes2 I ain7t much .orthat6 but everbo+0 else +one it an so I +i+ too2 3he0 lookin at us everlacee0es6 noses6mouths6 earseven our rivate arts2 Dt one oint the0 tell me6 =Ben+ over6= an /hen I+o6 somebo+0 ;am his .inger u m0 ass2

    3hat7s it

    I turn an grae+ that basti+ an knock him usi+e the hea+2 3he0 /as su++enl0 a bigcommotion an a bunch o. eole run u an ;um on to o. me2

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    shin0 black helmets come u to the +oor be a5in .or me2 I7m hi+in u in m0 room6 but*ama come u an sa0 the0 ;us /anta give me a ri+e back +o/n to the +a.t boar+2 Dll the/a0 there6 the0 be /atchin me real close6 like I7m some kin+a maniac2

    3he0 /as a +oor that lea+ to a big o..ice /here there7s a ol+er man all +resse+ u in ashin0 uni.orm an he e0ein me rett0 care.ul too2 3he0 set me +o/n an shove another testin .ront o. me6 an /ile it7s one hell o. a lot easier than the college .ootball test6 it stillain7t no iece o. cake2

    @hen I7m +one6 the0 take me to another room /here the07s .our or .ive gu0s settin at along table /hat start a5in me uestions an assin aroun+ /hat looke+ like the test I took23hen the0 all git into a hu++le an+ /hen the0 .inish one o. em sign a aer an han it tome2 @hen I take it home6 *ama rea+ it an begin ullin at her hair an /eein an raisinthe Lor+6 cause it sa0 I am =3emoraril0 e.erre+6= on account o. I am a numbnuts2

    Somethin else occurre+ +urin that /eek that /as a ma;or event in m0 li.e2 3here /as thisla+0 boar+er livin /ith us that /orke+ +o/n to the telehone coman0 as a oerator2*iss rench /as her name2 She /as a real nice la+06 /hat ke mostl0 to herse.6 but onenight /hen it /as terribil0 hot6 an the0 /as thun+erstorms6 she stuck her hea+ out the+oor to her room as I /as /alkin b0 an sa06 =orrest6 I ;ust got a bo5 o. nice +ivinit0 thisa.ternoon/oul+ 0ou like a iece>=

    Dn I sa0 =0es6= an she bring me into her room an there on the +resser is the +ivinit02 She

    give me a iece o. it6 then she a5e i. I /ant another6 an she oints .or me to set +o/n onthe be+2 I must o. ate ten or .i.teen ieces o. the +ivinit0 an lightnin /as .lashin outsi+ean thun+er an the curtains /as blo/in an *iss rench kin+a ushes me an makes me lie

    back on the be+2 She commences to start strokin me in a ersonal /a02 =us kee 0oure0es close+6= she sa06 =an everthing /ill be all right2= Ne5 thing 0ou kno/ there issomethin haenin that ha+ not haen be.ore2 I cannot sa0 /hat it /as6 because I /askeein m0 e0es close+6 an also because m0 mama /oul+a kilt me6 but let me tell 0outhisit give me an entirel0 ne/ outlook on things .or the .uture2

    3he roblem /as that /ile *iss rench /as a nice kin+ la+06 the things that she +one tome that night /as the kin+s o. things I7+ have re.erre+ to have +one to me b0 enn0urran2 Dn 0et6 there /as no /a0 I coul+ see to even begin gettin that accomlishe+cause /hat /ith the /a0 I am6 it is not so eas0 to ask an0one .or a +ate2 3hat is to ut itmil+l02

    But on account o. m0 ne/ e5erience6 I got u the courage to a5e m0 mama /hat to +oabout enn06 tho I certainl0 +i+n7t sa0 nothin bout me an *iss rench2 *ama sai+ she7ll

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    take care o. it .or me6 an she call u enn0 urran7s mama an slain the situation to her6an the ne5 evenin6 lo an behole6 /ho shoul+ aear at our +oor but enn0 urran herse.

    She is all +resse+ u in a /hite +ress an a ink .lo/er in her hair an she look like nothinI have ever +reamt o.2 She come insi+e an *ama took her to the arlor an give her a icecream .loat an call .or me to come +o/n .rom m0 room6 /here I ha+ run to as soon as Iseen enn0 urran comin u the /alk2 I7+ o. rather ha+ .ive thousan+ eole chasin methan to come out o. m0 room ;us then6 but *ama come u an take me b0 the han an lea+me +o/n an give me a icecream .loat too2 3hat ma+e it better2

    *ama sai+ /e can go to the movies an she give enn0 three +ollars as /e /alk out o.the house2 enn0 ain7t never been nicer6 talkin an laughin an I am no++in an grinnin likea i+iot2 3he movie /as ;us .our or .ive blocks .rom our house6 an enn0 /ent u an gotsome tickets an /e /ent in an set +o/n2 She a5e+ me i. I /ant some ocorn an /henshe come back .rom gettin it6 the icture +one starte+2

    It is a movie about t/o eole6 a man an a la+0 calle+ Bonnie an l0+e that robbe+banks an the0 /as some interestin other eole in it also2 But it /as a lot o. killin anshootin an shit like that6 too2 It seeme+ to me .unn0 that .olks /oul+ be shootin an killinone another that /a06 so7s I laughe+ a lot /hen that /ent on6 an /henever I +i+6 enn0urran seeme+ to sunch +o/n in her seat a lot2

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    +resse+ me in m0 suit an took me there6 an /e met a nice man /ith a moustachecarr0ing a big urse /ho tole the ;u+ge a bunch o. things an then some other eole6inclu+in m0 mama6 sa0 some other shit an .inall0 it /as m0 turn2

    3he man /ith the moustache took me b0 the arm so7s I7+ stan+ u6 an the ;u+ge a5e+ meho/ all this +one haen> I coul+n7t .igger out /hat to sa06 so I ;us shrugge+ m0shoul+ers an then he a5es i. there7s an0thing else I /ant to a++6 an so I sa0s6 =I got to

    ee6= cause /e7+ been settin there almost ha. a +a0 an I7m about to bust 3he ;u+ge6 helean .or/ar+ .rom behin+ his big ole +esk an eer at me like I am a *arsman orsomethin2 3hen the .eller /ith the moustache seaks u an+ .ollo/in this the ;u+ge tellshim to take me to the toilet6 /hich he +oes2 I look back as /e leavin the room an see oole *ama hol+in her hea+ an +aubin at her e0es /ith the han+kerchie.2

    Dn0ho/6 /hen I get back6 the ;u+ge be scratchin his chin an he sa0 the /hole +eal is=ver0 eculiar6= but that he think I ought to go in the Drm0 or somethin /hich might he

    straighten me out2 *0 mama in.orm him that the ?nite+ States Drm0 /on7t have me6account o. I am a i+iot6 but that this ver0 mornin a letter +one come .rom u to the?niversit0 sa0in that i. I /ill la0 .ootball .or them6 I can go to school there scot .ree2

    3he ;u+ge sa0 that soun+s kin+a eculiar too6 but it7s oka0 /ith him so long as I get m0big ass out o. to/n2

    3he ne5 mornin I am all acke+ u an *ama6 she take me to the bus station an ut meon the bus2 I is lookin out the /in+er an there is *ama6 cr0in an /iin her e0es /ith herhan+kerchie.2 3hat is gettin to be a scene I kno/ too /ell2 It is stame+ ermanant into

    m0 memor02 Dn0ho/6 the0 starte+ u the bus6 an a/a0 I /ent2

    &

    @hen /e git u to the universit06 coach Br0ant he come out to the g0m /here /e allsettin in our shorts an+ s/eatshirts an begin makin a seech2 It bout the same kin+ o.

    seech oach ellers /oul+ make6 cet even a simleton like m0se. coul+ tell this manmean bi+ness

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    helmet it /oul+ be .rie+ sunn0si+e u in about ten secon+s2 C. course nobo+0 ever tr0that on account o. it might get oach Br0ant angr02 3hat /as the one thing nobo+0 /ishto +o6 because li.e /as almost intolerable as it /as2

    oach Br0ant have his o/n goons to sho/ me aroun+2 3he0 take me to /here I is gonnasta06 /hich is a nice brick buil+ing on the camus that somebo+0 sa0s is calle+ the =Deorm2= 3hem goons escort me over there in a car an lea+ me ustairs to m0 room2?n.ortunatel06 /hat might o. looke+ nice .rom the outsi+e /as not true .or the insi+e2 Dt.irst6 it aear that nobo+0 ha+ live+ in this buil+ing .or a long time6 the0 /as so much+irt an shit aroun6 an most o. the +oors ha+ been torn o.. the0 hinges an bashe+ in6 anmost o. the /in+ers are buste+ out too2

    D .e/ o. the .ellers is l0in on the0 cots insi+e6 /earin ver0 little cause it about 11!+egrees hot in there6 an .lies an things be hummin an buFFin2 In the hall the0 is a bigstack o. ne/saers6 /hich at .irst I a.rai+ the0 gonna make us rea+6 it being college an

    all6 but soon I learn the0 are .or uttin +o/n on the .loor so7s 0ou +on7t have to ste onall the +irt an shit /hen 0ou /alk aroun2

    3he goons take me to m0 room an sa0 the0 be hoin to .in+ m0 roomate there6 /hosename is urtis somebo+06 but he no/here to be .oun2 So the0 get m0 stu.. unacke+ ansho/ me /here the bathroom is6 /hich look /orse than /hat 0ou might e5ect to .in+ ata oneum gasoline station6 an the0 be on the0 /a02 But be.ore the0 go6 one o. thegoons sa0 urtis an me shoul+ get on .ine cause both o. us have about as much brains asa egglant2 I look real har+ at the goon /hat sai+ that6 cause I be tire+ o. hearin all thatshit6 but he tell me to +ro +o/n an+ give him .i.t0 ushus2 D.ter that6 I ;ust be +oin

    /hat I7m tole2

    I /ent to slee on m0 cot a.ter srea+in a sheet over it to cover u the +irt6 an /as havina +ream bout settin +o/n in the arlor /ith m0 mama like /e use to +o /hen it /as hot6an she7+ .i5 me a limea+e an talk to me hour a.ter houran then su++enl0 the +oor o. theroom +one crashe+ in .lat an scare me ha. to +eath D .eller be stan+in there in the+oor/a0 /ith a /il+ look on his .ace6 e0es all bugge+ out6 no teeth in .ront6 nose look

    like a 0eller suash an his hair stan+in straight u like he +one stuck his thing in a lightsocket2 I .igger this be urtis2

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    /ith it 3hat /ere the e5tent o. our conversation .or a +a0 or so2

    3hat a.ternoon at .ootball ractice it be about ten thousan +egrees hot on the .iel+6 an alloach Br0ant7s goons runnin roun sco/lin an 0ellin at us an makin us e5ercise2 *0tongue hangin +o/n like it /as a necktie or somethin6 but I tr0in to +o the right thing2inall0 the0 +ivi+es u everbo+0 an uts me /ith backs an /e start to run ass atterns2

    No/ be.ore I come u to the ?niversit06 the0 +one sent me a ackage /hich containabout a million +i..erent .ootball la0s6 an I +one a5e+ oach ellers /hat I7m sose to+o /ith it an he ;us shake his hea+ sa+l0 an sa0 not to tr0 to +o nothin;us to /ait till Iget to the ?niversit0 an let them .igger somethin out2

    I /ish I ha+ not taken oach ellers7 a+vice no/6 cause /hen I run out .or m0 .irst ass I+one turne+ the /rong /a0 an the hea+ goon come rushin u hollerin an shoutin at mean /hen he sto shoutin he a5e+ me +on7t I stu+0 the la0s the0 sen+ me> @hen I sa0s6

    =?h6 uh6= he commence to ;um u an +o/n an .lail his arms like hornets is uon him6an /hen he calm +o/n he tell me to go run .ive las aroun the .iel+ /ile he consult /ithoach Br0ant bout me2

    oach Br0ant be settin u in a great big to/er lookin +o/n on us like the ,reat ,a/+Bu+6 I7m runnin the las an+ /atchin the goon clime u there6 an /hen he get to the toan sa0 his iece6 oach Br0ant crane his neck .or/ar+ an I .eel his e0es burnin hot onm0 big stui+ ass2 Su++enl0 a voice come over a megahone .or everbo+0 to hear6 sa06=orrest ,um6 reort to the coachin to/er6= an I seen oach Br0ant an the goon climin+o/n2 Dll the time I be runnin over there I am /ishin I /ere runnin back/ar+s instea+2

    But imagine m0 surrise /hen I see oach Br0ant smilin2

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    rom the time I7m little6 ever time I +o somethin /rong6 m0 mama6 she7+ sa06 =orrest60ou got to be care.ul6 cause the0 gonna ut 0ou a/a02= I /as so scairt o. bein ut in this=a/a0= lace I7+ al/a0s tr0 to be better6 but I7m +amne+ i. there7s a /orst lace the0coul+ o. sent me than this De orm thing I7m livin in2

    Peole be +oin shit the0 /oul+n7t o. tolerate+ even in the nut schoolriin out thetoilets6 .or instance6 so7s 0ou7+ go to the bathroom an /oul+n7t .ine nothin but a hole inthe .loor to shit in6 an the07+ have heave+ the toilet out the /in+er onto the to o.somebo+07s car +rivin ast2 Cne night some big ole goo.ball /hat la0e+ in the line gotout a ri.le an commence to shoot out all the /in+ers in somebo+07s .raternit0 houseacross the street2 3he camus cos come rushin over6 but the .eller +ro a big outboar+motor he .oun+ somelace out the /in+er onto the to o. the co car2 oach Br0antmake him run a bunch o. e5tra las .or +oing that2

    urtis an me ain7t gettin along so hot6 an I never been so lonel02 I miss m0 mama6 an/anta go back home2 3rouble /ith urtis is6 I +on7t un+erstan+ him2 Everthing he sa0got so man0 cuss/or+s in it6 time I get to .iggerin out /hat the0 are6 I miss his oint2*ost o. the time6 I gather his oint is that he ain7t ha0 bout somethin2

    urtis ha+ a car an he use+ to give me a ri+e to ractice6 but one +a0 I go to meet him anhe cussin an gro/lin an bent over a big +rain grate in the street2 Seems he7s got a .lat tirean /hen he go to change it he ut the lug nuts in his hubca an+ acci+entall0 knock em+o/n into the +rain2 @e .i5in to be late to ractice /hich /as not real goo+ to +o6 so7s I

    sa0 to urtis6 =@h0 +on7t 0ou take one lug nut o.. each o. them three other tires an that/a0 0ou /ill have three nuts on each tire6 /hich ought to be enough to get us to

    ractice>=

    urtis sto cussin .or a moment an look u at me an sa06 =Aou suose+ to be a i+iot 6ho/ 0ou .igure that out>= Dn I sa06 =*a0be I am a i+iot6 but at least I ain7t stui+ 6= an atthis6 urtis ;um u an commence chasin me /ith the tire tool6 callin me ever terriblething he can think u6 an that rett0 much ruin our relationshi2

    D.ter that6 I +eci+e I got to .in+ another lace to sta06 so /hen /e git o.. .rom ractice Igone +o/n into the basement o. the De orm an sen the rest o. the night there2 It/a+n7t no +irtier than the ustairs rooms an there /as an electric lightbulb2 Ne5 +a0 Imove+ m0 cot +o/n there an .rom then on6 it /as /here I live+2

    *eantime6 school is +one starte+ an the0 got to .igger out /hat to +o /ith me2 3he0 /asa gu0 /ith the atheletic +eartment that seeme+ to +o nothin but .igger out ho/ to get+ummos to /here the0 coul+ ass a class2 Some o. the classes /as sose+ to be eas06

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    such as Ph0sical E+ucation6 an the0 enroll me in that2 But also I have got to take oneEnglish course an one science or math6 an there is no gettin aroun that2 @hat I learntlater /as that there /as certain teachers that /oul+ give a .ootball la0er a sort o. break6meanin that the07+ areciate he is consume+ /ith la0in .ootball an cannot sen+ mucho. his time on school2 3he0 /as one o. these teachers in the science +eartment6 but

    un.ortunatel06 the onl0 class he taught /as somethin calle+ =Interme+iate Light6= /hich/as aarentl0 .or gra+uate h0sics ma;ors or something2 But the0 ut me in therean0ho/6 even though I +i+n7t kno/ h0sics .rom h0se+2

    I /as not so luck0 in English2 3he0 aarentl0 +i+ not have no s0mathetic eole overin that +eartment6 so7s the0 tole me ;ust to go ahea+ an take the class an .ail it6 an the07+.igger out somethin else later2

    In Interme+iate Light6 the0 rovi+e me /ith a te5tbook that /eigh .ive oun+s an looklike a hinaman /rote it2 But ever night I take it +o/n to the basement an set on m0 cot

    un+er the lightbulb6 an a.ter a /ile6 .or some eculiar reason6 it begun to make sense2@hat +i+ not make sense /as /h0 /e /as sose+ to be +oin it in the .irst lace6 but.iggerin out them euations /as eas0 as ie2 Pro.essor

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    Dn so I am surrise+ again2

    3he .irst .ootball game /as on a Satur+a0 a .e/ /eeks later2 *ost o. the time racticeha+ been rett0 ba+6 till oach Br0ant .iggere+ out /hat to +o /ith me6 /hich /as bout/hat oach ellers ha+ +one at highschool2 3he0 ;us give me the ball an let me run2 Irun goo+ that +a06 an score .our touch+o/ns6 an /e /hi the ?niversit0 o. ,eorgia &$to & an everbo+0 slain me on the back till it hurt2 D.ter I get cleane+ u I hone+ m0mama an she +one listene+ to the game over the ra+io an is so ha0 she can bust 3hatnight6 everbo+0 goin to arties an shit6 but nobo+0 a5e+ me to an06 so I go on +o/n tothe basement2 I7m there a /ile /hen I hear this kin+ o. music comin .rom somelaceustairs an+ it7s real rett0like6 an6 I +on7t kno/ /h06 but I /ent on u there to .in+ out/hat it /as2

    3here /as this gu06 Bubba6 settin in his room la0in a mouth organ2

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    little ban+ that +o .olk music stu..6 an tells me the0 gonna be at the Stu+ent ?nionbuil+in tomorro/ night an .or me to come b02 Let me tell 0ou6 I can har+l0 /ait2

    4

    No/ there is a secret thing that coach Br0ant an them +one .iggere+ out6 an nobo+0sose+ to mention it6 even to oursel.s2 3he0 been teachin me ho/ to catch a .ootball

    ass2 Ever +a0 a.ter ractice I been /orkin /ith t/o goons an a uarterback6 runnin outan catchin asses6 runnin out an catchin asses6 till I7m so e5hauste+ m0 tongue hangin+o/n to m0 navel2 But I gettin to /here I can catch em6 an oach Br0ant6 he sa0 thisgonna be our =secret /eaon=like a =D+am Bomb6= or somethin6 cause a.ter a /ile

    them other teams gonna .igger out the0 ain7t tho/in me the ball an /ill not be /atchin.or it2

    =3hen6= oach Br0ant sa06 =/e is gonna turn 0our big ass loosesi5 .oot si56 t/o hun+rit.ort0 oun+san run the hun+rit 0ar+s in 92$ secon+s .lat2 It is gonna be a sight=

    Bubba an me is real goo+ .rien+s b0 no/6 an he hee+ me learn some ne/ songs on theharmonica2 Sometimes he come +o/n to the basement an+ /e set aroun an la0 alongtogether6 but Bubba sa0 I am .ar better than he ever /ill be2 I got to tell 0ou6 that i. it/eren7t .or that harmonica music6 I might o. ;us acke+ u an gone home6 but it ma+e

    me .eel so goo+6 I can har+l0 +escribe it2 Sort o. like m0 /hole bo+0 is the harmonica anthe music give me goosebums /hen I la0 it2 *ostl0 the trick is in the tongue6 lis6.ingers an+ ho/ 0ou move 0our neck2 I think erhas runnin a.ter all them asses hascause+ m0 tongue to hang out longer6 /hich is a hell o. a note6 so to seak2

    Ne5 ri+a06 I git all slicke+ u an Bubba len+ me some hair tonic an shavin lotion an Igo on over to the Stu+ent ?nion buil+ing2 3he0 is a big cro/+ there an sure enough6enn0 urran an three or .our other eole is u on stage2 enn0 is /earin a long +ressan la0in the guitar6 an somebo+0 else has a ban;o an there is a gu0 /ith a bull .i++le6

    luckin it /ith his .ingers2

    3he0 soun+ real goo+6 an enn0 seen me back in the cro/+6 an smiles an oints /ith here0es .or me to come u an set in the .ront2 It is ;ust beauti.ul6 settin there on the .loorlistenin an /atchin enn0 urran2 I /as kin+a thinkin that later6 I /oul+ bu0 some+ivinit0 an see i. she /ante+ some too2

    3he0 ha+ la0e+ .or an hour or so6 an everbo+0 seeme+ ha0 an .eelin goo+2 3he0 /asla0in oan BaeF music6 an Bob 0lan an Peter6 Paul an *ar02 I /as l0ing back /ith m0

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    e0es close+6 listenin6 an all o. a su++en6 I ain7t sure /hat haen6 but I ha+ ulle+ out m0harmonica an /as ;us la0in along /ith them2

    It /as the strangest thing2 enn0 /as singin =Blo/in in the @in+= an /hen I begun tola06 she stoe+ .or a secont6 an the ban;o la0er6 he stoe+ too6 an the0 get this ver0surise+ looks on the0 .aces6 an then enn0 give a big grin an she commence to ick uthe song again6 an the ban;o la0er6 he sto an give me a chance to ri+e m0 harmonica.or a /ile6 an everbo+0 in the cro/+ begun to cla an cheer /hen I /as +one2 enn0come +o/n .rom the stage a.ter that an the ban+ take a break an she sa06 =orrest6 /hatin the /orl+> @here 0ou learn to la0 that thing>= Dn0ho/6 a.ter that6 enn0 got me to

    la0 /ith their ban+2 It /as ever ri+a06 an /hen there /asn7t an out o. to/n game6 Ima+e t/ent0.ive bucks a night2 It /ere ;us like heaven till I .oun out enn0 urran beenscre/in the ban;o la0er2

    ?n.ortunatel06 it /as not goin so goo+ in English class2 *ister Boone ha+ calle+ me inbout a /eek or so a.ter he rea+ m0 autobiograh0 to the class an+ he sa06 =*ister ,um6I believe it is time .or 0ou to sto tr0in to be amusin an+ start gettin serious2=

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    3he0 /as about a hun+rit eole in the me+ical class all /earin green arons an takinnotes2 octor *ills ut me u on the stage in a chair /ith a itcher an a glass o. /ater in.ront o. me2

    = an I sa0s6 =I /ant some limes6= an she tells methe0 ain7t got no limes2 So I a5e+ her i. the0 got an0 lemons6 cause I7s thinkin alemona+e /oul+ +o6 but the0 ain7t got none o. them either6 or oranges or nothin2 It ain7tthat kin+ o. sto/2 I musta look aroun ma0be an hour or mo6 an the /oman be gettinnervous6 an .inall0 she sa06 =Din7t 0ou gonna bu0 nothin>= so I get a can o. eaches o..

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    the she.6 an some sugar6 thinkin i. I can7t have an0thin else I can ma0be make me aeacha+e or somethin6 I bout +0in o. thirst2 @hen I git back to m0 basement I oen thecan /ith a kni.e an suash the eaches u insi+e one o. m0 socks an strain it into a ;ar23hen I ut in some /ater an sugar an get it stirre+ u6 but I7ll tell 0ou /hatit +on7t tastenothin like a limea+ematter o. .act6 it taste more than an0thin else like hot socks2

    Dn0ho/6 I sose+ to be at the .raternit0 house at seven o7clock an /hen I get there someo. the .ellers is settin u the stu.. an all6 but enn0 an+ the ban;o gu0 are no/here to be.oun+2 I asse+ aroun .or a /ile6 an then I /ent out to get m0se. some .resh air in the

    arkin lot2 I sa/ enn07s car6 an thought ma0be she ;ust get here2

    Dll the /in+ers in the car is steame+ u6 so7s 0ou can7t see insi+e2 @ell6 all o. a su++en Ithink ma0be she7s in there an can7t git out6 an ma0be gettin that e5haust oison orsomethin6 so I oen the +oor an look in2 @hen I +o6 the light come on2

    3here she is6 l0ing on the back seat6 the to o. her +ress ulle+ +o/n an the bottomulle+ u2 Ban;o la0er there too6 on to o. her2 enn0 seen me an start screamin an.lailin ;us like she +one in the itcher sho/6 an it su++enl0 occur to me that ma0be she

    bein moleste+ 6 so7s I grae+ the ban;o la0er b0 his shirt6 /hich /as all he7s got onan0ho/6 an snatche+ his ass o.. her2

    @ell6 it +i+ not take no i+iot to .igger out that I gone an +one the /rong thing again2esus hrist6 0ou can7t imagine such carr0in on2

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    Dn0ho/6 /e gone on +o/n to the Crange Bo/l in *iami6 an come game time6 /e issome kin+ o. stirre+ u2 oach Br0ant come in the locker room an +on7t sa0 much6 cetthat i. /e /ant to /in6 /e got to la0 har+6 or somesuch6 an then /e be out on the .iel+an the0 kicke+ o.. to us2 3he ball come +irectl0 to me an I gra it outta the air an runstraight into a ile o. Nebraska corn shucker niggers an big ole /hite bo0s that /eigh

    about $!! oun+s aiece2

    It /ere that /a0 the /hole a.ternoon2 Dt hal.time6 the0 /as ahea+ %' to # an /e /as a.orelorn an sorr0 lot o. gu0s2 oach Br0ant come into the +ressing room an he be shakinhis hea+ like he e5ecte+ all along that /e /as goin to let him +o/n2 3hen he start+ra/in on the chalk boar+ an+ talkin to Snake6 the uarterback6 an some o. the others6 anthen he call out m0 name an a5e me to come /ith him into the hall/a02

    =orrest6= he sa0s6 =this shit has got to sto2=

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    =orrest6= he sa06 =I can un+erstan ho/ 0ou .lunke+ reme+ial English6 but it /ill m0sti.0me to the en+ o. m0 +a0s ho/ 0ou manage+ to get an D in something calle+Interme+iate Light6 an then an in h0se+ class/hen 0ou is ;us been name+ the *ostHaluable ollege Back in the Southeastern on.erence=

    It /as a long stor0 that I +i+ not /ant to bore oach Br0ant /ith6 but /h0 in hell +o Inee+ to kno/ the +istance bet/een goalosts on a soccer .iel+ an0/a0> @ell6 oachBr0ant lookin at me /ith a terrible sa+ e5ression on his .ace2 =orrest6= he sa06 =I regreta/.ull0 havin to tell 0ou this6 but 0ou is +one .lunke+ out o. school6 an there is nothin Ican +o2=

    I ;us stoo+ there6 t/istin m0 han+s6 till it su++enl0 come to me /hat he is sa0inI ain7tgonna get to la0 no more .ootball2 I got to leave the ?niversit02 *a0be I never see an0o. the other gu0s no more2 *a0be I never see enn0 urran no more either2 I got tomove outta m0 basement6 an I /on7t get to take D+vance+ Light ne5 term6 like Pro.essor

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    sorr0 about that ass6 oka0>= Dn I sa0s6 =Sure Snake6 oka02= Dn then the0 all come u6one b0 one6 an shake m0 han6 even ole urtis6 /ho is /earin a bo+0 brace .rom his neck+o/n on accounta bashin +o/n one +oor too man0 in the De orm2

    Bubba sa0 he7+ he me carr0 m0 shit +o/n to the bus +eot6 but I sa0 I7+ rather go alone2=ee in touch6= he sa02 Dn0ho/6 on the /a0 to the bus station6 I ass b0 the Stu+ent?nion store6 but it ain7t ri+a0 night6 an enn0 urran7s ban+ is not la0in6 so I sa06 thehell /ith it6 an catch the bus on home2

    It /as late at night /hen the bus got to *obile2 I ha+ not tole m0 mama /hat ha+haene+6 cause I kne/ she7+ be uset6 so I /alk on home6 but the0 is a light on u inher room an /hen I get insi+e6 the0 she is6 cr0ing an+ ba/ling ;us like I remember2 @hatha+ haen6 she tell me6 is that the ?nite+ States Drm0 has alrea+0 hear+ bout me not

    makin m0 gra+es6 an that ver0 +a0 a notice +one come .or me to reort to the ?2S2 Drm0In+uction enter2 I. I ha+ kno/n then /hat I kno/ no/6 I /oul+ never ha+ +one it2

    *0 mama take me +o/n there a .e/ +a0s later2 She has acke+ me a bo5 lunch in case Iget hungr0 on the /a0 to /herever /e is going2 3he0 is about a hun+rit gu0s stan+inaroun an .our or .ive busses /aiting2 D big ole sergeant be hollerin an 0ellin at everbo+06an *ama goes u to him an sa0s6 =I +on7t see ho/ 0ou can take m0 bo0cause he7s ai+iot 6= but the sergeant ;us look back at her an sa06 =@ell6 la+06 /hat +o 0ou think allthese other eole is> Einsteins>= an he gone on back to hollerin an 0ellin2 Prett0 soonhe 0ell at me6 too6 an I git on the bus an a/a0 /e /ent2

    Ever since I le. the nut school eole been shoutin at meoach ellers6 oach Br0antan the goons6 an no/ the eole in the Drm02 But let me sa0 this: them eole in theDrm0 0ell longer an lou+er an nastier than an0bo+0 else2 3he0 is never ha02 Dn.urthermore6 the0 +o not comlain that 0ou is +umb or stui+ like coaches +othe0 ismore intereste+ in 0our rivate arts or bo/el movements6 an so al/a0s rece+e the00ellin /ith somethin like =+ickhea+= or =asshole2= Sometimes I /on+er i. urtis ha+

    been in the Drm0 be.ore he /ent to la0 .ootball2

    Dn0ho/6 a.ter about a hun+rit hours on the bus /e get to ort Benning6 ,eorgia6 an allI7m thinkin is &$ to &6 the score /hen /e /hue+ them ,eorgia ogs2 3he con+itionsin the barracks is actuall0 a little better than the0 /as in the De orm6 but the .oo+ isnotit is terrible6 altho there is a lot o. it2

    Cther than that6 it /as ;ust +oin /hat the0 tole us an gettin 0elle+ at in the months to

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    come2 3he0 taught us to shoot guns6 tho/ han+ grena+es an cra/l aroun on our bellies2@hen /e /a+n7t +oin that /e /as either runnin somelace or cleanin toilets an things23he one thing I remember .rom ort Benning is that the0 +i+n7t seem to be nobo+0 muchsmarter than I /as6 /hich /as certainl0 a relie.2

    Not too long a.ter I arrive6 I get ut on P6 on account o. I have acci+entall0 shot a holein the /ater to/er /hen /e /as +o/n at the ri.le range2 @hen I get to the kitchen6 itseems the cook is took sick or somethin6 an somebo+0 oint to me an sa06 =,um6 0ou isgonna be the cook to+a02=

    =@hat I7m gonna cook>= I a5e+2 =I ain7t never cooke+ be.ore2=

    =@ho cares6= somebo+0 sa02 =3his ain7t the Sans Souci6 07kno/2=

    =@h0 +on7t 0ou make a ste/>= somebo+0 else sa02 =It7s easier2=

    =@hat o.>= I a5e+2

    =Look in the icebo5 an the antr06= the .eller sa02 =ust tho/ in everthin 0ou see an boilit u2=

    =@hat i. it +on7t taste goo+>= I a5e+2

    =@ho gives a shit2 Aou ever eat an0thin aroun+ here that +i+>=

    In this6 he is correct2

    @ell6 I commence+ to get everthin I coul+ .rom the icebo5es an the antr02 3he0 /ascans o. tomatos an beans an eaches an bacon an rice an bags o. .lour an sacks o.

    otatoes an I +on7t kno/ /hat all else2 I gathere+ it all together an sa0 to one o. the gu0s6=@hat I7m gonna cook it in>=

    =3he0 is some ots in the closet6= he sa06 but /hen I looke+ in the closet6 the0 is ;ussmall ots6 an certainl0 not large enough to cook a ste/ .or t/o hun+rit men in thecoman02

    =@h0 +on7t 0ou a5e the lieutenant>= somebo+0 sa02

    =

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    =@hat about this>= I a5e+2 3he0 /as an enormous iron thing bout si5 .eet high an .ive.eet aroun settin in the corner2

    =3hat> 3hat7s the go++amn steam boiler2 Aou can7t cook nothin in there2=

    =

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    =@hat in hell is goin on here>= he a5e+2 =@here is these men7s .oo+>=

    =It is almost rea+06 Sergeant6= I sa06 an ;us about then6 the boiler commence+ to rumblean shake2 Steam begun to come out o. the si+es an one o. the legs on the boiler toreloose .rom the .loor2

    =@hat is that>= the sergeant a5e+2 =Is 0ou cookin somethin in that boiler =

    =3hat is the suer6= I sa0s6 an the sergeant got this real amaFe+ look on his .ace6 an asecont later6 he got a real .rightene+ look6 like 0ou might get ;us be.ore an automobile/reck6 an then the boiler ble/ u2

    I am not e5actl0 sure /hat haene+ ne52 I +o remember that it blo/e+ the roo. o.. themess hall an blo/e+ all the /in+ers out an the +oors too2

    It blo/e+ the +ish/asher gu0 right thru a /all6 an the gu0 /hat /as stackin lates ;ustook o.. u in the air6 sort o. like -ocket *an2

    Sergeant an me6 /e is miraculousl0 sare+ someho/6 like the0 sa0 /ill haen /hen0ou are so close to a han grena+e that 0ou aren7t hurt b0 it2 But someho/ it blo/e+ bothour clothes o..6 cet .or the big che.7s hat I /as /earin at the time2 Dn it blo/e+ ste/ allover us6 so7s /e looke+ like/ell6 I +on7t kno/ /hat /e looke+ likebut man6 it /asstrange2

    Incre+ibl06 it +i+n7t +o nothin to all them gu0s settin out there in the mess hall neither2

    us le. em settin at the0 tables6 covere+ /ith ste/6 actin kin+a shellshocke+ orsomethinbut it sure +i+ shut their asses u about /hen the0 .oo+ is gonna be rea+02

    Su++enl0 the coman0 comman+er come runnin into the buil+in2

    =@hat /as that= he shoute+2 =@hat haen>= =

    =,umBoilerSte/= the sergeant sa06 an then he kin+ o. git holt o. hisse. an grae+ ameat cleaver o.. the /all2

    =,umBoilerSte/= he scream6 an come a.ter me /ith the cleaver2 I +one run out the+oor6 an he be chasin me all over the ara+e groun+s6 an even thru the C..icer7s lub anthe *otorool2 I outrunne+ him tho6 cause that is m0 secialt06 but let me sa0 this: the0ain7t no uestion in m0 min+ that I am u the creek .or sure2

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    stretche+ .ar as 0ou can see in ro/s an the +irt an san+ aroun them rake+ u nice an ti+02on7t har+l0 look like a /ar going on at all2 @e might as /ell o. been back at ortBenning2

    Dn0ho/6 the0 sa0s it is real uiet cause it is the beginning o. the gook ne/ 0ears3et6 orsomesuchan the0 is a truce goin on2 Dll o. us is tremen+ousl0 relieve+6 because /e is.rightene+ enough as it is2 3he eace an+ uiet6 ho/ever6 +i+ not last ver0 long2

    D.ter /e get suare+ a/a0 in our area6 the0 tell us to go +o/n to Briga+e Sho/ers anclean oursel.s2 Briga+e Sho/ers is ;ust a shallo/ it in the groun /here the0 has utthree or .our big /ater tank trucks an /e tole to .ol+ our uni.orms u on the e+ge o. the

    it an then get +o/n in there an the0 /ill suirt us /ith /ater2

    Even so6 it ain7t ha. ba+6 account o. /e been .or nearl0 a /eek /ithout a bath6 an /asbeginnin to smell rett0 rie2 @e is assin aroun in the it6 gettin hose+ +o/n an all6 an it

    is ;us bout gettin +ark6 an all o. a su++en there is this .unn0 soun in the air an some;acko.. /ho is suirting us /ith the hose holler6 =Incomin 6= an+ everbo+0 on the e+ge o.the it vanish into thin air2 @e stan+in there butt necki+6 lookin at each other6 an thenthe0 is a big e5losion close b0 an then another one6 an everbo+0 start shoutin an+cussin an tr0in to get to the0 clothes2 3hem incomin e5losions .allin all aroun us6 ansomebo+0 shoutin6 =

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    It /ent on the entire night6 an /e ha+ to sta0 in them .o5holes an +i+n7t get no suer2us a.ore +a/n6 the shellin ease+ u6 an /e /as tole to haul our asses outta the .o5holesan get our clothes an /eaons an reare .or the attack2

    Since /e /as relativel0 ne/6 the0 /as reall0 not much /e coul+ +othe0 +i+n7t evenkno/ /here to ut us6 so the0 tole us to go guar+ the south erimeter6 /hich is /herethe o..icers7 latrine /as locate+2 But it /ere nearl0 /orse than the .o5holes6 account o.one o. the bombs has hit the latrine an blo/e+ u about .ive hun+rit oun+s o. o..icershit all over the area2

    @e ha+ to sta0 there all that +a06 no break.ast6 no lunchG an then at sun+o/n the0commence+ shellin us again so /e ha+ to lie there in all that shit2 *06 m06 it /erereulsive2

    inall0 somebo+0 remember /e might be gettin hungr06 an ha+ a bunch o. cration cases

    brought over2 I got the col+ ham an eggs that /as +ate+ 19$1 on the can2 3he0 /as allkin+s o. rumors goin on2 Somebo+0 sai+ the gooks /as runnin over the to/n o. Pleiku2Somebo+0 else sa0s the gooks got a atomic bomb an is ;ust shellin us /ith mortars toso.ten us u2 Somebo+0 else sa0s it ain7t the gooks shellin us at all6 but Dustrailians6 orma0be the utch or the Nor/egians2 I .igger it +on7t matter /ho it is2 Shit on rumors2

    Dn0ho/6 a.ter the .irst +a06 /e begun tr0in to make oursel.s a livable lace on the southerimeter2 @e +ug us .o5holes an use+ the boar+s an tin .rom the o..icers7 latrine tomake us little hooches2 3he attack never come tho6 an /e never sa/ no gooks to shootat2 I .igger ma0be the0 smart enough not to attack a shithouse an0/a02 Ever night .or

    about three or .our +a0s the0 shellin us tho6 an .inall0 one mornin /hen the shellin stos6*a;or Balls6 the battalion e5ecutive o..icer6 come cra/lin u to our coman0comman+er an sa0 /e has got to go u north to hel out another briga+e that is catchinhell in the ;ungle2

    D.ter a /ile6 Lieutenant

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    I am the machine gun ammo bearer6 cause the0 .igger I can carr0 a lot o. shit on accounto. m0 siFe2 Be.ore /e le.6 a coule o. other .ellers a5e+ i. I /oul+ min+ carr0in some o.their han grena+es so7s the0 coul+ carr0 more orations6 an I agree+2 It +i+n7t hurt menone2 Dlso6 Sergeant ranF ma+e me carr0 a tengallon /ater can that /eighe+ about.i.t0 oun+s2 3hen ;us .ore /e le.6 aniels6 /ho carries the trio+ .or the machine gun6

    he gets the runs an he can7t go6 so7s I got to tote the trio+ too2 @hen it all a++e+ u6 Imight as /ell o. been toting aroun one a them Nebraska corn shucker ;acko..s as /ell2But this ain7t no .ootball game2

    It is gettin to be +usk an /e is tole to go u to a ri+ge an relieve harlie oman0 /hichis either inne+ +o/n b0 the gooks or has got the gooks inne+ +o/n6 +een+in on/hether 0ou get 0our ne/s .rom the Stars an Stries or b0 ;ust lookin aroun at /hat thehell is goin on2

    In an0 event6 /hen /e get u there6 all sorts o. cra is .l0in aroun an the0 is about a

    +oFen .ellers ba+l0 hurt an moanin an+ cr0in an the0 is so much noise .rom all uartersthat nobo+0 can har+l0 hear nothin2 I be crouchin +o/n real lo/ an tr0in to get all thatammo an the /ater can an the trio+ lus all m0 o/n shit u to /here harlie oman0is6 an I7m strugglin ast a slit trench /hen this gu0 +o/n in it ie u an sa0 to the other6=Lookit that big BoFohe look like the rankenstein *onster or somethin6= an+ I7m boutto sa0 somethin back6 cause things seem ba+ enough alrea+0 /ithout nobo+0 okin .unat 0oubut then6 I7ll be +amne+ 3he other gu0 in the slit trench su++enl0 ;um u an cr0out6 =orrestorrest ,um=

    Lo an behole6 it /ere Bubba2

    Brie.l06 /hat ha+ haen /as that even i. Bubba7s .oot /as hurt too ba+ to la0 .ootball6it /ere not ba+ enough to kee .rom gettin him sent hal./a0 roun the earth on behal. o.the ?nite+ States Drm02 Dn0ho/6 I +rag m0 sorr0 butt an everthin else u to /here Isose+ to be6 an a.ter a /ile Bubba come u there an in bet/een the shellin (/hich stoever time our airlanes aear) Bubba an me caught u /ith each other2

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    "

    3hat night /as long an uncom.ortable2 @e coul+n7t .l0 our airlanes6 so7s the0 got toshell us most o. the evenin .or .ree2 3he0 /as a little sa++le bet/een t/o ri+ges6 an the0/as on one ri+ge an /e on the other6 an +o/n in the sa++le /as /here the +isute /eretakin lacetho /hat an0bo+0 /oul+ /ant /ith that iece o. mu+ an +irt6 I +o not kno/2

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    mortars an all6 an it is terrible con.usion2 rom /here /e is6 /e cannot see an0 gooks6on account o. the ;ungle is thick as bon.ire brush6 but somebo+0 sure be in there shootinat harlie oman02 *a0be it the utchor even the Nor/egians/ho kno/s>

    Bones6 the machine gunner6 lookin e5tremel0 nervous +urin all this6 on accounta he7salrea+0 .iggere+ out that the shootin is comin .rom in .ront o. us6 meanin that the gooksis in bet/een us an our o/n osition2 In other /or+s6 /e is out here alone2 Sooner orlater6 he sa0s6 i. the gooks +o not overrun harlie oman06 the0 /ill come back this/a06 an i. the0 .in+ us here6 the0 /ill not like it one bit2 Point is6 /e got to move ourasses2

    @e get our shit together an begin to /ork back to/ar+s the ri+ge6 but as /e +o6 o0lesu++enl0 look +o/n o.. our right to the bottom o. the sa++le an he see an entire busloa+

    o. ne/ gooks6 arme+ to the teeth6 movin u the hill to/ar+s harlie oman02 Bestthing /e coul+a +one then /as to tr0 an make .rien+s /ith em an .orget all this othershit6 but that /ere not in the car+s2 So /e ;us hunkere+ +o/n in some big ole shrubs an/aite+ till the0 got to the to o. the hill2 3hen Bones let loose /ith the machine gun an+he must o. kilt ten or .i.teen o. them gooks right o..2 o0le an me an the other t/o gu0sis tho/in grena+es6 an things is goin our /a0 until Bones runs out o. ammo an nee+ a.resh belt2 I .ee+ one in .or him6 but ;ust as he bout to seeFe the trigger6 a gook bullet hithim suare in the hea+ an blo/e+ it insi+e out2 I got gooks behin me6 gooks in .ront o. me an gooks right un+er m0.eet2 I +on7t kno/ /hat else to +o6 so I charge u .ull see+ an start to bello/in anho/lin an all2 I sort o. lose m0 hea+6 I guess6 cause I +on7t remember /hat haen ne5cet I still be bello/in an hollerin lou+ as I can an runnin .or +ear li.e2 Everthin /erecomletel0 con.use+6 an then all o. a su++en I am in the mi++le o. harlie oman0 aneverbo+0 be slain me on the back ;us like I ma+e a touch+o/n2

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    *eantime6 Bubba an me6 /e has got us a lan .or /hen /e get outta the Drm02 @egonna go back home an get us a srim boat an get in the srimin bi+ness2 Bubba come.rom Ba0ou La Batre6 an /ork on srim boats all his li.e2 soI gra him u an run back /ith him .ast as I can2 Bullets an stu.. be .l0in all over2 It issomethin I siml0 cannot un+erstan+/h0 in hell is /e +oin all this6 an0/a0> Pla0in.ootball is one thing2 But this6 I +o not kno/ /h02 ,o++amn2

    I brung that bo0 back an run out again an +amn i. I +on7t come across somebo+0 else2 SoI reach +o/n to ick him u an bring him back6 too6 but /hen I +o6 his brains .all out onthe a++0 groun6 cause the back o. his hea+ blo/e+ o..2 Shit2

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    So I +ro his ass an ke on goin an sure enough6 there is Bubba6 /ho is been hit t/ice inthe chest6 an I sa06 =Bubba6 it gonna be oka06 0ou hear6 cause /e gotta get that srim

    boat an all6= an I carr0 him back to /here /e is set u an la0e+ him on the groun2 @henI catch m0 breath6 I look +o/n an m0 shirt all covere+ /ith bloo+ an bluish 0eller goo.rom /here Bubba is hurt6 an Bubba is lookin u at me6 an he sa06 =uck it6 orrest6 /h0

    this haen>= @ell6 /hat in hell am I gonna sa0>

    3hen Bubba a5e me6 =orrest6 0ou la0 me a song on the harmonica>= So I get it out6 anstart la0in somethinI +on7t even kno/ /hat6 an then Bubba sa06 =orrest6 /oul+ 0ou

    lease la0 7@a0 o/n ?on the S/anee -iver7>= an I sa06 =Sure6 Bubba2= I have to/ie o.. the mouthiece6 an then I start to la0 an there is still a terrible lot o. shootingoin on6 an I kno/ I ought to be /ith m0 machine gun6 but /hat the hell6 I la0e+ thatsong2

    I ha+n7t notice+ it6 but it ha+ uit rainin an the sk0 +one turne+ a a/.ul inkish color2 It

    ma+e everbo+07s .ace look like +eath itse.6 an .or some reason6 the gooks +one uitshootin .or a /ile6 an so ha+ /e2 I la0e+ =@a0 o/n ?on the S/anee -iver= over anover again6 kneelin ne5 to Bubba /ile the me+ic give him a shot an ten+ to him best hecoul+2 Bubba +one grae+ a holt to m0 leg an his e0es got all clou+0 an that terrible

    ink sk0 seem to +rain all the color in his .ace2

    = Dn the me+ic sa06=

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    have .rightene+ a/a0 the gooks2 3he0 must o. .iggere+ that i. /e /as /illing to +o thatto oursel.s6 then /hat the hell /oul+ /e o. +one to them>

    3he0 takin the /oun+e+ outta there6 /hen along come Sergeant ranF6 hair all singe+o..6 clothes burnt u6 looking like he ;us got shot out o. a cannon2

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    /e coul+ /alk aroun an bu0 some o. the shit the0 sol+ in the gook shos in anang2 ButI +on7t nee+ an0 o. that6 so I ;us /alk aroun6 taking in the sights2

    3he0 is a little market +o/n b0 the /ater.ront /here .olks sells .ish an srim an stu..6 anone +a0 I /ent +o/n there an bought me some srim an one o. the cooks at the hosital

    boil em .or me an the0 sure /as goo+2 I /ishe+ ole an coul+ o. ate some2

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    marshes in a little han net6 an +um them in his on+2 3hen /hen the ti+e come in hetho/e+ all sorts o. shit in therescras an+ stu..6 /hich cause little teense0 slim0 thingsto gro/ an the srims eat them an get big an .at2 It /as so simle even a imbecile coul++o it2

    D .e/ +a0s later some muckit0mucks .rom iel+ orce But I am +o/n in the +ums6 an go/an+erin aroun b0 m0se.6 kickin rocks an tin cans an shit2

    @hen I .inall0 get back to m0 /ar+6 there is some mail le. on m0 be+ .or me that .inall0catch u /ith me here2 *0 mama have sent a letter sa0in that our house +one caught on

    .ire6 an is totall0 burnt u6 an there is no insurance or nothin an she is gonna have to goto the o house2 She sa0 the .ire begun /hen *iss rench ha+ /ashe+ her cat an /as+r0in it /ith a hair +r0er6 an either the cat or the hair +r0er caught a.ire6 an that /as that2rom no/ on6 she sa06 I am to sen+ m0 letters to her in care o. the =Little Sisters o. thePo2= I .igger there /ill be man0 tears in the 0ears to come2

    3he0 is another letter a++resse+ to me /hich sa06 =ear *ister ,um: Aou has beenchosen to /in a bran ne/ Pontiac ,3C6 i. onl0 0ou /ill sen+ back the enclose+ car+

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    romising to bu0 a set o. these /on+er.ul enc0cloe+ias an a u+ate+ 0earbook ever00ear .or the rest o. 0our li.e at a #$ er 0ear2= I tho/e+ that letter in the trash2 @hat thehell /oul+ a i+iot like me /ant /ith enc0cloe+ias an0/a06 an besi+es6 I can7t +rive2

    But the thir+ letter is ersonall0 /rit to me an on the back o. the enveloe it sa06 =2urran6 ,eneral eliver06 ambri+ge6 *ass2= *0 hans is shakin so ba+6 I can har+l0oen it2

    =ear orrest6= it sa06 =*0 mama has .or/ar+e+ 0our letter to me that 0our mama gaveto her6 an+ I am so sorr0 to hear that 0ou have to .ight in that terrible immoral /ar2= Shesa0 she kno/ ho/ horrible it must be6 /ith all the killin an maimin goin on an all2 =Itmust ta5 0our conscience to be involve+6 although I kno/ 0ou are being ma+e to +o itagainst 0our /ill2= She /rite that it must o. been a/.ul not to have no clean clothes anno .resh .oo+6 an all6 but that she +o not un+erstan+ /hat I mean /hen I /rote about=havin to lie .ace+o/n in o..icer shit .or t/o +a0s2=

    =It is har+ to believe6= she sa06 =that even the0 /oul+ make 0ou +o such a vulgar thingas that2= I think I coul+ o. e5laine+ that art a little better2

    Dn0ho/6 enn0 sa0 that =@e are organiFing large +emonstrations against the .ascist igsin or+er to sto the terrible immoral /ar an+ let the eole be hear+2= She go on boutthat .or a age or so6 an it all soun+in sort o. the same2 But I rea+ it ver0 care.ull0an0/a06 .or ;us to see her han/ritin is enough to make m0 stomach turn .li.los2

    =Dt least6= she sa0 at the en+6 =0ou have met u /ith Bubba6 an+ I kno/ 0ou are gla+ to

    have a .rien+ in 0our miser02= She sa0 to give Bubba her best6 an a++ in a 2s2 that she isearnin a little mone0 b0 la0in in a little musical ban+ a coule o. nights a /eek at aco..eehouse near the

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    I rea+ over an7s letter ten or t/ent0 times6 an there is things in it I +o not un+erstan+2 Imean6 I think I see /hat he is gettin at6 but there is sentences an /or+s that I cannot.igger out2 Ne5t morning olonel ,ooch come in an sa0 /e got to go no/6 .irst toSaigon to get me the ne/ uni.orm that +one been se/n u b0 the t/ent0 gooks lastnight6 then right o.. to the ?nite+ States an all that2 I sho/n him an7s letter an a5e+ him

    to tell me /hat e5actl0 it means6 an olonel ,ooch look it over an han it back an sa06=@ell6 ,um6 it is rett0 lain to me he means that 0ou ha+ better the hell not .uck u/hen the Presi+ent ins the me+al on 0ou2=

    '

    @e be .l0in high over the aci.ic ocean6 an colonel ,ooch is tellin me /hat a great heroI am going to be /hen /e get back to the ?nite+ States2

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    chasin me aroun the Crange Bo/l2 inall06 I +one run into the toilet an hi+ u on the seat/ith the +oor shut until I .igger the0 have give u an gone on home2 I must o. been therean hour or so2

    @hen I come out I /alke+ +o/n to the lobb0 an there is olonel ,ooch surroun+e+ b0 alatoon o. *2P27s an cos6 an he is lookin ver0 +istresse+ till he seen me2 =7mon6,um= he sa02 =3he0 is hol+in a lane .or us to get to @ashington2=

    @hen /e get on the lane to @ashington the0 is a bunch o. civilians on it too6 anolonel ,ooch an me set in a seat u .ront2 @e has not even took o.. 0et6 be.ore all the

    eole aroun us get u an go set some/here else in the back o. the lane2 I a5e+ olonel,ooch /h0 that /as6 an he sa0 it robl0 cause /e smell .unn0 or somethin2

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    /hat a .ine .eller I am6 an then it is time to get the me+al2

    3he Presi+ent is a great big ole gu0 /ho talk like he is .rom 3e5as or somethin an the0has assemble+ a /hole bunch o. eole some o. /hich look like mai+s an cleanin menan such6 but the0 is all out in this nice rose gar+en in the bright sunshine2

    Dn Drm0 gu0 commence to rea+in some kin+ o. bullshit an everbo+0 be listenin ukeen6 cet .or me6 on account o. I is starvin since /e has not ha+ our break.ast 0et2inall0 the Drm0 gu0 is thru an then the Presi+ent come u to me an take the me+al outo. a bo5 an in it on m0 chest2 3hen he shake m0 han an all these eole start takin

    ichers an clain an such as that2

    I .igger it is over then6 an /e can get the hell out o. there6 but the Presi+ent6 he stillstan+in there6 lookin at me kin+ o. .unn02 inall0 he sa06 =Bo06 is that 0our stomach thatis gro/lin like that>=

    I glance over at olonel ,ooch but he ;us roll his e0es u6 an so I no+6 an sa06 =?h6huh6= an the Presi+ent sa06 =@ell6 c7mon bo06 lets go an git us somethin to eat=

    I .oller him insi+e an /e go into a little roun room an the Presi+ent tell a gu0 /ho is+resse+ u like a /aiter to bring me some break.ast2 It ;us the t/o o. us in there6 an /ile/e is /aitin .or the break.ast he start a5in me uestions6 such as +o I kno/ /h0 /e is.ightin the gooks an all6 an is the0 treatin us right in the Drm02 I ;us no+ m0 hea+ an a.tera /ile he sto a5in me uestions an the0 is this kin+ o. silence an then he sa06 =o 0ou/ant to /atch some television /ile /e is /aitin .or 0our .oo+>=

    I no+ m0 hea+ again6 an the Presi+ent turn on a tv set behin his +esk an /e /atch =3heBeverl0 = an I no+6 an then hesa06 =@ell6 look at this6= an he ull u his shirt an sho/ me a big ole scar on his stomach/here he has ha+ an oeration o. some kin+6 an he a5e6 =@here /as 0ou /oun+e+>= anso I ull +o/n m0 ants an sho/ him2 @ell6 all them hotograher .ellers rush u anstart to take ichers6 an several .olks come runnin over an I am hustle+ a/a0 to /hereolonel ,ooch is /aitin2

    3hat a.ternoon back at our hotel6 olonel ,ooch su++enl0 come bustin into m0 room/ith a han.ul o. ne/saers an bo0 is he ma+2

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    e0es so the0 can7t recogniFe me6 like the0 +o /ith +irt0 itchers2

    3he cation sa06 =Presi+ent ohnson an+ @ar

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    but all the reorters be scribblin in the0 notebooks an the hotograhers be takin ichers6an everbo+0 in the au+ience goin /il+6 ;umin u an +o/n an cheerin2 olonel ,oochget me out o. there ronto6 an /e be in the car +rivin .ast out o. to/n6 an the colonelain7t sa0in nothin to me6 but he is talkin to hisse. an laughin this /eir+6 nutt0 little laugh2

    Ne5t mornin /e is in a hotel rea+0 to give our secon+ seech on the tour /hen the honering2 It is .or olonel ,ooch2 @hoever on the other en+ o. the line seem to be +oin allthe talkin6 an the colonel is +oin the listenin an sa0in =Aessir= a /hole lot6 an ever soo.ten he is glarin over at me2 @hen he .inall0 ut the hone +o/n6 he be starin at hisshoes an he sa06 =@ell6 ,um6 no/ 0ou has +one it2 3he tour is cancele+6 I have beenreassigne+ to a /eather station in Icelan+6 an I +o not kno/ or care /hat is to become o.0our sorr0 ass2= I a5e+ olonel ,ooch i. /e coul+ get oursel.s a o7ola no/6 an he ;uslook at me .or a minute6 then start that talkin to hisse. again an laughin that /eir+6 nutt0laugh2

    3he0 sent me to ort i5 a.ter that6 an assign me to the Steam

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    =3he0 ha+ to take them o..6 orrest6= he sa06 =but other than that6 I am ;us .ine2=

    3he0 have also taken o.. the ban+ages .rom his .ace6 an he is terrible scarre+ an burnt.rom /here his tank caught .ire2 Dlso6 he still have a tube runnin into him .rom a bottlehooke+ onto a ole on his /heelchair2

    =3he0 sa0 the0 gonna leave that like it is6= an sa02 =3he0 think it looks goo+ on me2=

    Dn0ho/6 he lean .or/ar+ an look me in the e0e6 an sa06 =orrest6 I believe that 0ou can+o an0 +amn thing 0ou /ant to2 I have been /atchin 0ou la06 an 0ou can beat this littlegu0 because 0ou la0 a hell o. a game o. ingong an it is 0our +estin0 to be the best2=

    I no+ an it is time to go on back out there6 an a.ter that6 I +i+ not lose a single oint6 an Igo on to the .inals an /in the /hole tournament2

    I /as there .or about three +a0s6 an an an me got to sen+ some time together2 I /oul+roll him aroun in his /heelchair6 sometimes out in the gar+en /here he coul+ get somesun6 an at night I /oul+ la0 m0 harmonica .or him like I +i+ .or Bubba2 *ostl06 helike+ to talk bout thingsall sorts o. thingssuch as histor0 an+ hilosoh06 an one +a0 heis talkin bout Einstein7s theor0 o. relativit06 an /hat it mean in terms o. the universe2@ell6 I got me a iece o. aer an I +ra/e+ it out .or him6 the /hole .ormula6 cause it/as somethin /e ha+ to +o in the Interme+iate Light class back at the ?niversit02

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    ,um6 0ou have got the table manners o. a hog2=

    In that last6 ma0be he is right2 3hem hinamen eat /ith t/o little sticks an it is almostimossible to shovel an0 .oo+ in 0our mouth /ith em6 an so a lot o. it /in+ u on m0clothes2 No /on+er 0ou +o not see a lot o. .at hinamen aroun2 Aou /oul+ think the0/oul+ o. learnt to use a .ork b0 no/2

    Dn0/a06 /e is la0in a /hole lot o. matches against the hinamen an the0 has got somever0 goo+ la0ers2 But /e is hol+in our o/n2 Dt night the0 has almost al/a0s gotsomethin .or us to +o6 such as go out .or suer somelace6 or listen to a concert2 Cne

    night6 /e is all sose+ to go out to a restaurant calle+ the Peking uck6 an /hen I get+o/n to the lobb0 o. the hotel6 *ister @ilkins sa06 =,um6 0ou has got to go back to0our room an change that shirt2 It look like 0ou has been in a .oo+ .ight or somethin2=

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    him on the shoul+er an /hen he turn aroun6 I sa06 =Peking uck6= an start to .la m0arms like the0 is +ucks7 /ings2 Dll o. a su++en6 the +river get a big ole smile6 an he startno++in an +rive o..2 Ever once in a /ile he look back at me6 an I start .lain m0 /ingsagain2 Bout a hour later6 he sto an I look out the /in+er an +amn i. he ain7t took me tothe airort

    @ell6 b0 this time6 it is gettin late6 an I ain7t ha+ no +inner or nothin6 an I7m gettin boutstarve+6 so /e ass this restaurant an I tole the +river to let me out2 I han him a /a+ o.this gook mone0 the0 give us6 an he han me some back an a/a0 he go2

    I /ent in the restaurant an set +o/n an I might as /ell o. been on the moon2 3his la+0come over an look at me real .unn06 an han me a menu6 but it is in hinese6 so a.ter a/ile6 I ;us oint to .our or .ive +i..erent things an .igger one o. them has to be eatable2Dctuall06 the0 /as all rett0 goo+2 @hen I am thru6 I ai+ u an /ent on out on thestreet an tr0 to .ine m0 /a0 back to the hotel6 but I be /alkin .or hours I guess6 /hen

    the0 ick me u2

    Ne5t thing I kno/e+6 I has been tho/n in ;ail2 3he0 is a big ole hinaman /hat seakEnglish6 an he is a5in me all sorts o. uestions an o..erin me cigarettes6 ;us like the0 +i+in them ol+ movies2 It /ere the ne5 a.ternoon be.ore the0 .inall0 got me outG *ister@ilkins come +o/n to the ;ail an he is talkin .or bout a hour6 an the0 let me go2

    *ister @ilkins is hoin ma+2 =o 0ou realiFe6 ,um6 that the0 think 0ou are a s0>= hesa02 =o 0ou kno/ /hat this can +o to this /hole e..ort> Dre 0ou craF0>=

    I starte+ to tell him6 =No6 I is ;us a i+iot6= but I let it go2 Dn0ho/6 a.ter that6 *ister@ilkins bu0 a big balloon .rom a street ven+er an tie+ it on m0 shirt button6 so he cantell /here I is =at all times2= Dlso6 .rom then on6 he inne+ a note on m0 lael6 sa0in /hoI /as an /here I am sta0in2 It ma+e me .eel like a .ool2

    Cne +a0 the0 loa+ us u in a bus an take us /a0 out o. to/n to a big river an the0 is a loto. hinamen stan+in aroun lookin o..icial an all6 an the reason6 /e .in+ out soonenough6 is that the hea+ hinaman o. them all6 hairman *ao6 is there2

    hairman *ao is a big ole .at Bu++alookin gu06 an he has taken o.. his a;a0mas an isin his s/imming trunks an the0 sa0s hairman *ao at the age o. eight0 is gonna s/imthis river b0 hisse. an the0 /ant us to /atch him +o it2

    @ell6 the hairman6 he /a+e on in an start s/imming an .olks is takin ichers an allthem other hinamen be chatterin a/a0 an lookin lease+2

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    Bout a minute later6 he /ave again6 an everbo+0 /ave back2

    Not too long a.ter that6 hairman *ao /ave .or a thir+ time6 an su++enl0 it begun to+a/n on everbo+0 that he is not /aving6 he is +ro/nin

    @ell6 the shit +one hit the .an6 an I .inall0 un+erstan /hat a =hinese ire rill= is2Peole is ;umin in the /ater an boats is racin out .rom the other si+e o. the river aneverbo+0 on shore is cr0in an leain u an +o/n an smackin the0 alms against the si+eo. the0 hea+s2 I sa06 the hell /ith this6 cause I sa/ /here he /ent un+er6 an I tho/e+ o..m0 shoes an into the river I /ent2 I ast all the hinamen /ho /as s/imming out therean got to the lace /here hairman *ao ha+ gone un+er2 3he boat be circlin6 an eolelookin over the si+es like the0 is gonna see somethin6 /hich /as kin+ o. sill0 since theriver is bout the same color as se/er /ater back home2

    Dn0ho/6 I +ive+ +o/n three or .our times an sure enough6 I bume+ into the ole basti+

    .loatin aroun un+er/ater2 I haul him u an some hinamen grae+ him an tho/e+ himin the boat an took o..2 i+n7t even bother to take me along6 an so7s I have got to s/imall the /a0 back b0 m0se.2

    @hen I get to the bank6 all the eole there be ;umin u an +o/n an cr0in an slainme on the back6 an the0 ick me u an carr0 me on the0 shoul+ers to the bus2 But /hen/e is on the roa+ again6 *ister @ilkins come u to me an be shakin his hea+2 =Aou big+umb goo.6= he sa06 =+o 0ou not realiFe that the best thing that coul+ o. haene+ .or the?nite+ States /as to let that sumbitch +ro/n Aou6 ,um6 is lost us the oortunit0 o. ali.etime2=

    So I guess I +one scre/e+ u again2 I +unno2 I am still ;us tr0 in to +o the right thing2

    @e is about thru /ith the ingong games6 an I have lost count o. /ho is /innin orlosin2 But /hat has haen in the mean/hile is that on account o. m0 ullin olehairman *ao out o. the river6 I has become sort o. a national hero to the hinamen2

    =,um6= *ister @ilkins sa06 =0our stui+it0 seems to have turne+ into an a+vantage2 I

    have receive+ a reort that the hinese envo0 /oul+ like to start +iscussions bout theossibilit0 o. reoening .oreign relations /ith us2 urthermore6 the hinese /ish to tho/0ou a big ara+e thru +o/nto/n Peking6 an so I e5ect 0ou to be on 0our goo+

    behavior2=

    3he0 helt the ara+e t/o +a0s later6 an it /ere a sight to see2 3he0 /as bout a billionhinamen along the streets6 an the0 /as /avin an bo/in an all /hen I /ent b02 3hething /as sose+ to /in+ u at the umingtang6 /hich is like the caitol o. hina6 an I

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    am sose+ to get thanke+ b0 hairman *ao ersonall02

    @hen /e get there6 the hairman is all +rie+ out an gla+ to see me2 3he0 has ut on abig srea+ .or lunch an I get to sit ne5 to the hairman hisse.2 In the mi++le o. the lunch6he lean over to me an sa06 =I have hear+ 0ou /as in Hietnam2 *a0 I ask /hat 0ou thinko. the /ar>= Dn interreter translate that .or me6 an I think about it .or a moment or t/o6

    but then I .igger6 /hat the hell6 i. he +i+n7t /ant to kno/6 he /oul+n7t o. a5e+6 an so Isa06 =I think it7s a bunch o. shit2=

    3he interreter translate that back to him6 an hairman *ao get a o++ e5ression on his.ace6 an look at me .unn06 but then his e0es light u an he break out /ith a big smile6 anstart shakin m0 han an no++in his hea+ like one o. them little +olls /ith a sring .or aneck2 Peole took itchers o. that6 an a.ter/ar+ the0 /as in the Dmerican ne/saers2But I ain7t never tole nobo+0 till no/ /hat I sai+ to make him smile that /a02

    3he +a0 /e le.6 /e is goin out o. the hotel an the0 is a big cro/+ /atchin us leave ancheerin an clain2 I look over an the0 is this hinese mama /ith a little bo0 on hershoul+ers6 an I can see he is a real *ongolian i+iote0es all crosse+6 tongue hangin out6+roolin an babbling like them kin+s o. i+iots +o2 @ell6 I can7t he m0se.2 *ister @ilkinshave or+ere+ us not to never go u to an0 hinamen /ithout .irst gettin his ermission6

    but I /ent on over there an I got me a coule o. ingong balls in m0 ocket an I takeone o. em out an get a en an ut m0 J on it an give it to the little bo02 irs thing he+oes is ut it in his mouth6 but then6 /hen that all straightene+ out6 he reach out an gra

    m0 .ingers /ith his han2 Dn then he start to smilegreat big ole grinan all o. a su++en Iseen tears in his mama7s e0es6 an she start chatterin6 an our interreter sa0 to me that isthe .irst time the little .eller have ever smile+2 3he0 is things I coul+ tell her6 I guess6 but/e ain7t got time2

    Dn0/a06 I start to /alk a/a0 an the little bo0 +one tho/e+ the ing ong ball an bounceit o.. the back o. m0 hea+2 It /ere ;us m0 luck that somebo+0 got a hotograh right atthat moment6 an6 o. course6 it /oun+ u in the ne/saers2 =Aoung hinese isla0s

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    tr0in to unloosen his seatbelt2

    D rett0 ste/ar+ess come runnin u to see /hat all the commotion is about an *ister@ilkins is coughin an choakin an all o. a su++en I +one starte+ .annin the air m0se. anhol+in m0 nose an ointin at *ister @ilkins6 an shoutin6 =Somebo+0 oen a /in+er6= anshit like that2 *ister @ilkins6 he get all re+ in the .ace an begin rotestin an ointin backat me6 but the ste/ar+ess6 she ;us smile+ an gone on back to her seat2 D.ter he uitsutterin an all6 *ister @ilkins start a+;ustin his collar an sa0 to me un+er his breath6=,um6 that /as a e5tremel0 cru+e thing to +o2= But I ;us grinne+ an looke+ straightahea+2

    3he0 sent me back to ort i5 a.ter that6 but instea+ o. uttin me in the Steam

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    like a bir+ gonna .l0 out o. it an0 secont2 Presentl0 the ban+ come out on stage an startsettin u2 3he0 is three or .our .ellers an the0 has got all this huge electric stu..6 lugginit in ever/here2 It certainl0 is a .ar cr0 .rom /hat /e +one in the Stu+ent ?nion buil+ing

    back at the ?niversit02 Dlso6 I +o not see enn0 urran nolace2

    D.ter the0 get the electric stu.. set u6 the0 start to la06 an let me sa0 this: them eole/as lou+ Dll sorts o. colore+ lights begin to .lash an the music the0 is makin soun+ sorto. like a ;et airlane /hen it takin o..2 But the cro/+ lovin it an /hen the0 is +one6everbo+0 begin to cheer an 0ell2 3hen a light .all on a si+e o. the stage an there she isenn0 herse.

    She is change+ .rom the /a0 I kno/n her2 irst6 she is got hair +o/n to her ass6 an is/earin sunglasses insi+e6 at night She is +resse+ in blue ;eans an a shirt /ith so man0sangles on it she look like a telehone s/itchboar+2 3he ban+ start u again an enn0

    begun to sing2 She has grae+ hole o. the microhone an is +ancin all aroun the stage6

    ;umin u an +o/n an /avin her arms an tossin her hair aroun2 I am tr0in to un+erstanthe /or+s to the song6 but the ban+ is la0in too lou+ .or that6 beatin on the +rums6

    bangin on the iano6 s/attin them electric guitars till it seem like the roo. gonna cave in2I am thinkin6 /hat the hell is this>

    D.ter a /ile the0 take a break an so I got u an trie+ to get through a +oor that gobackstage2 But the0 is a .eller stan+ing there /ho sa0 I cannot come in2 @hen I go/alkin back to m0 seat6 I notice everbo+0 is starin at m0 Drm0 uni.orm2 =3hat is somecostume 0ou has got on there6= somebo+0 sa0s6 an somebo+0 else sa06 =ar out= ananother one sa06 =Is he .or real>=

    I am beginnin to .eel like a i+iot again6 an so I gone on outsi+e6 thinkin ma0be I can/alk aroun an .igger things out2 I guess I must o. /alke+ .or ha. an hour or so6 an /henI get back to the lace the0 is a long line o. eole /aitin to get in2 I go u to the .rontan tr0 to slain to the gu0 that all m0 stu.. is in there6 but he sa0 to go /ait at the en+ o.the line2 I guess I stoo+ there a hour or so6 an listene+ to the music comin .rom insi+e6 anI have to tell 0ou6 it soun+e+ a little better /hen 0ou got a/a0 .rom it like that2

    Dn0/a06 a.ter a /ile6 I got bore+ an /ent +o/n a alle0 an roun to the back o. the club2

    3he0 /as some little stes an I sat +o/n there an /atche+ the rats chasin each other inthe garbage2 I ha+ m0 harmonica in m0 ocket6 so7s to ass the time6 I got it out anstarte+ to la0 a little2 I coul+ still hear the music .rom enn07s ban+6 an a.ter a /ile I.oun m0se. bein able to la0 along /ith them6 sort o. usin the chromatic sto to get hal.out o. ke0 so it /oul+ .it in /ith /hat the0 /as la0in2 I +on7t kno/ ho/ long it /as6 butit +i+n7t take much a.ore I /as able to make runs o. m0 o/n6 /a0 u in ma;or6 an tom0 surise6 it +i+n7t soun hal. ba+ /hen 0ou /as la0in itso long as 0ou +i+n7t have tolisten to it too2

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    Dll o. a su++en the +oor behin me bust oen an there is enn0 stan+in there2 I guess the0ha+ taken their break again6 but I /a+n7t a0in no attention an ha+ ke on la0in2

    =@ho is that out there>= she sa02

    =It7s me6= I sa06 but it is +ark in the alle0 an she stick her hea+ out the +oor an sa06 =@hois la0in that harmonica>=

    I stan+ u an I am kin+ o. embarrasse+ on account o. m0 clothes6 but I sa06 =It7s me2orrest2=

    =It is /ho> = she sa02

    =orrest2=

    =orrest> orrest ,um = an su++enl0 she rush out the +oor an tho/e+ herse. into m0arms2

    enn0 an me6 /e set aroun backstage an caught u on things till she ha+ to la0 her ne5set2 She ha+ not e5actl0 uit school6 she ha+ got tho/e+ out /hen the0 .oun her in a.eller7s room one night2 3hat /as a tho/inout o..ense in them +a0s2 3he ban;o la0erha+ run o.. to ana+a rather than go in the Drm06 an the little ban+ ha+ broke u2 enn0ha+ gone out to ali.ornia .or a /ile6 an /eare+ .lo/ers in her hair6 but she sa0 them

    eole is a bunch o. .reaks /ho is stone+ all the time6 an so she met this gu0 an come/ith him to Boston6 an the0 ha+ +one some eace marches an all6 but he turne+ out to bea .air06 so she slit u /ith him6 an took u /ith a real serious eace marcher /ho /asin to makin bombs an stu..6 an blo/in u buil+ins2 3hat +i+n7t /ork out neither6 so shemet u /ith this gu0 /hat teache+ at

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    =-u+olh6= enn0 sa06 =this is orrest2

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    3hat ne5 *on+a0 I have +eci+e+ to go ahea+ an set in on octor 8uackenbush7s class6=-ole o. the I+iot in @orl+ Literature2= 3he title alone is enough to make me .eel sort o.imortant2

    =3o+a06= octor 8uackenbush sa0s to the class6 =/e has a visitor /ho is gonna beau+iting this course .rom time to time2 Please /elcome *ister orrest ,um2= Everbo+0turn an look at me an I give a little /ave6 an then the class begin2

    =3he i+iot6= octor 8uackenbush sa06 =has la0e+ an imortant role in histor0 anliterature .or man0 0ears2 I suose 0ou has all hear+ o. the village i+iot6 /ho /asusuall0 some retar+e+ in+ivi+ual livin in a village somelace2

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    make a tae o. our music2 Dll the .ellers is e5cite+6 inclu+in enn0 urran6 an me6 o.course2 3he .eller .rom Ne/ Aa/k6 *ister eeblestein is his name2

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    @oun+ u +oin it in the sink6 but +on7t a5e me ho/2 @hen /e is .inall0 .inishe+6 enn0;us lie there a /ile6 an then she look at me an sa06 =,o++amn6 orrest6 /here is 0ou beenall m0 li.e>=

    =I been aroun6= I sa0s2

    Naturall06 things are a bit +i..erent bet/een enn0 an me a.ter that2 @e commence+ toslee in the same be+ together6 /hich /as also kin+ o. strange .or me at .irst6 but I suregot use+ to it2 @hen /e /as +oin our act at the

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    also ma+e me a cae out o. a tablecloth6 ;ust like Suerman /ears2

    Dn0/a06 Pro.essor 8uackenbush start u his /in+ machine an sa0 .or us to begin atage t/elve6 /here *a+ 3om is tellin us his sa+ stor02

    =o oor 3om some charit06 /hom the .oul .ien+ ve5es6= 3om sa02

    Dn ing Lear sa06 =@hat> oul+st thousave nothing> i+st thou give them all>=

    Dn the .ool sa06 =Na06 he reserve+ a blanket6 else /e ha+ all been shame+2=

    3his shit go on .or a /ile6 then the .ool sa06 =3his col+ night /ill turn us all to .ools an+ma+men2=

    In this6 the .ool is correct2

    ust bout this time6 I am sose+ to enter into the hovel carr0ing a torch6 /hich Pro.essor8uackenbush have borro/e+ .rom the +rama +eartment2 3he .ool call out6 =Look = the king a5es2

    Dn I sa06 =@hat are 0ou there> Aour names>=

    *a+ 3om sa0 he is ;us =Po 3om6 that eats the s/immin .ra/g6 the toa+6 the ta+ole an+the ne/t222= an a bunch o. other shit6 an then I sose+ to su++enl0 recogniFe the king6 ansa0:

    =@hat =

    Dn *a+ 3om6 he ans/er6 =3he rince o. +arkness is a gentleman*o+o he7s call7+6 an+

    *ahu2=

    3he /in+ machine be blo/in har+ no/6 an I reckon Pro.essor 8uackenbush have notconsi+ere+ that I am si5 .eet si5 inches tall /hen he built the hovel6 cause the to o. m0torch is bumin against the ceiling2

    *a+ 3om6 he is no/ sose+ to sa06 =Poor 3om7s acol+6= but instea+6 he sa06 =@atch thattorch=

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    I look +o/n at m0 book to see /here that line come .rom6 an Elmer I bet 0ou /as /on+er.ul= 3hen she geta eculiar look on her .ace2 =Sa06 +o 0ou smell somethin burnin>= she a5es2

    =It is a long stor06= I sa02

    Dn0ho/6 a.ter that I +i+ not atten+ the =-ole o. the I+iot in @orl+ Literature= no more6as I have seen uite enough2 But ever night I an enn0 are la0in /ith 3he racke+ Eggsan all +a0 long /e is makin love an takin /alks an havin icnics on the banks o. theharles -iver an it is heaven2 enn0 has /ritten a nice ten+er song calle+ =o It to *e

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    the mone0 /e got .rom *ister eeblestein an bought us a big bus /ith be+s an shit in itan go on the roa+2

    No/ there is somethin else +urin that erio+ that la0e+ a great role in m0 li.e2 Cnenight a.ter /e is .inishe+ the .irst set at the =

    Dn enn0 sa06 =Ds much as 0ou are +oin is too much2=

    But I +i+n7t /ant to sto2 Someho/6 it got ri+ o. everthing I might be /orrie+ bout6 thothere /a+n7t too much o. that at that time an0/a02 Dt night I7+ go out bet/een sets at the

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    ma0be /e ought to go somelace an take a vacation2 ,o u to the mountains ma0be2=

    I ;us no+ m0 hea+2 I ain7t even sure I hear+ all she sai+2

    @ell6 the ne5 night in Provinceto/n6 I .in+ the backstage e5it an go on outsi+e to lite ua ;oint2 I am settin there b0 m0se.6 min+in m0 business6 /hen these t/o girls come u2Cne o. them sa06 ==

    I no+ 0es6 an she ;us lo herse. +o/n in m0 la2 3he other girl is grinnin an suealin ansu++enl0 she take o.. her blouse2 Dn the other girl is tr0in to unFi m0 ants an have herskirt ulle+ u an I am ;us settin there blo/e+ a/a02 Su++enl0 the stage +oor oen anenn0 call out6 =orrest6 it is time to222= an she sto .or a secont an then she sa06 =D/eshit6= an slam the +oor2

    I ;ume+ u then6 an the girl in m0 la .elle+ on the groun an the other one is cussin an

    all6 but I /ent insi+e an there is enn0 leane+ u against the /all cr0in2 I /ent u to herbut she sa06 =ee a/a0 .rom me6 0ou shithea+ Aou men is all alike6 ;us like +ogs orsomethin0ou got no resect .or an0bo+0=

    I ain7t never .elt so ba+2 I +on7t remember much bout that last set /e la0e+2 enn0 /entu to the .ront o. the bus on the tri back an /oul+n7t seak to me none at all2 3hat nightshe sle on the so.a an the ne5 mornin she sa0 ma0be it is time .or me to .in+ m0 o/n

    lace2 Dn so I acke+ u m0 shit an le.t2 *0 hea+ hangin ver0 lo/2 oul+n7t e5lain it toher or nothin2 3ho/e+ out again2

    enn06 she took o.. somelace a.ter that2 I a5e+ aroun6 but nobo+0 kno/e+ /here she/as2 *ose sa0 I can bunk /ith him till I .in+ a lace6 but it is a terrible lonel0 time2Since /e ain7t la0in none .or the moment6 there ain7t nothin much to +o6 an I be thinkinma0be it7s time I go on back home an see m0 mama an ma0be start u that little srim

    bi+ness +o/n /here o ole Bubba use+ to live2 Perhas I is not cut out to be a rock anroll star2 Perhas6 I think6 I ain7t nothin but a bumblin i+iot an0ho/2

    But then one +a0 *ose come back an he sa0 he /as over to a saloon on the corner

    /atchin the tv ne/s6 an /ho shoul+ he see but enn0 urran2

    She is +o/n in @ashington6 he sa06 marchin in a big +emonstration against the Hietnam@ar6 an *ose sa0 he /on+erin /h0 she botherin /ith that shit /hen she ought to be uhere makin us mone02

    I sa0 I has got to go see her6 an *ose sa06 =@ell6 see i. 0ou can bring her back2=

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    has taken an aartment in @ashington to +emonstrate against the /ar2

    I acke+ u all m0 shiteverthin I o/nan thanke+ *ose an then I am on m0 /a02@hether I come back or not6 I +o not kno/2

    @hen I get +o/n to @ashington6 everthin is a mess2 3he0 is olice ever/here an eolebe shoutin in the streets an tho/in things like in a riot2 Police be bongin .olks on thehea+ /hat tho/ things6 an the situation look like it be gettin out o. han2

    I .in+ the a++ress o. the lace enn0 might be at6 an go over there6 but ain7t nobo+0home2 I /aite+ on the stes .or most o. the +a06 then6 bo