“icanhearyou,allrigh,”alsaidfromhekichenhehadproppedopenheslihadishespassedhroughinohekichenwihacasupbole“lisen,brighboy,”hesaidfromhekichenogeorge“sandalilefurheralonghebaryoumovealileohelef,max”hewaslikeaphoographerarrangingforagrouppicure

“alkome,brighboy,”maxsaid“whadoyouhink’sgoingohappen？”

georgedidnosayanyhing

“i’llellyou,”maxsaid“we’regoingokillaswededoyouknowabigswedenamedoleandreson？”

“yes”

“hecomeshereoeaeverynigh,don’he？”

“someimeshecomeshere”

“hecomeshereasixo’clock,don’he？”

“ifhecomes”

“weknowallha,brighboy,”maxsaid“alkabousomehingelseevergoohemovies？”

“onceinawhile”

“yououghogoohemoviesmorehemoviesarefineforabrighboylikeyou”

“whaareyougoingokilloleandresonfor？whadidheeverdooyou？”

“heneverhadachanceodoanyhingousheneverevenseenus”

“andhe’sonlygoingoseeusonce,”alsaidfromhekichen

“whaareyougoingokillhimfor,hen？”georgeasked

“we’rekillinghimforafriendjusoobligeafriend,brighboy”

“shuup,”saidalfromhekichen“youalkoogoddamnmuch”

“well,igookeepbrighboyamuseddon’i,brighboy？”

“youalkoodamnmuch,”alsaid“heniggerandmybrighboyareamusedbyhemselvesigohemieduplikeacoupleofgirlfriendsinaconven”

“isupposeyouwereinaconven”

“youneverknow”

“youwereinakosherconvenha’swhereyouwere”

georgelookedupaheclock

“ifanyonecomesinyouellhemhecookisoff,andifheykeepaferi,youellhemyou’llgobackandcookyourselfdoyougeha,brighboy？”

“allrigh,”georgesaid“whayougoingodowihusaferward？”

“ha’lldepend,”maxsaid“ha’soneofhosehingsyouneverknowaheime”

georgelookedupaheclockiwasaquarerpassixhedoorfromhesreeopenedasreecarmoormancamein

“hello,george,”hesaid“canigesupper？”

“sam’sgoneou,”georgesaid“he’llbebackinabouhalfanhour”

“i’dbeergouphesree,”hemoormansaidgeorgelookedaheclockiwaswenyminuespassix

“hawasnice,brighboy,”maxsaid“you’rearegurlilegenleman”

“heknewi’dblowhisheadoff,”alsaidfromhekichen

“no,”saidmax“iain’habrighboyisnicehe’saniceboyilikehim”

asixfifyfivegeorgesaid,“he’snocoming”

wooherpeoplehadbeeninhelunchroomoncegeorgehadgoneouohekichenandmadeahamandeggsandwich“ogo”haamanwanedoakewihhiminsidehekichenhesawal,hisderbyhaippedback,siingonasoolbesidehewickewihhemuzzleofasawedoffshogunresingonheledgenickandhecookwerebackobackinhecorner,aoweliedineachofheirmouhsgeorgehadcookedhesandwich,wrappediupinoiledpaper,puiinabag,broughiin,andhemanhadpaidforiandgoneou

“brighboycandoeveryhing,”maxsaid“hecancookandeveryhingyou’dmakesomegirlanicewife,brighboy”

“yes？”georgesaid“yourfriend,oleandreson,isn’goingocome”

“we’llgivehimenminues,”maxsaid

maxwachedhemirrorandheclockhehandsofheclockmarkedseveno’clock,andhenfiveminuespasseven

“comeon,al,”saidmax“webeergohe’snocoming”

“beergivehimfiveminues,”alsaidfromhekichen

inhefiveminuesamancamein,andgeorgeexpinedhahecookwassick

“whyhehelldon’yougeanohercook？”hemanasked“aren’youru

ingalunchcouner？”hewenou

“comeon,al,”maxsaid

“whaabouhewobrighboysandhenigger？”

“hey’reallrigh”

“youhinkso？”

“surewe’rehroughwihi”

“idon’likei,”saidal“i’ssloppyyoualkoomuch,”

“oh,whahehell,”saidmax“wegookeepamused,haven’we？”

“youalkoomuch,allhesame,”alsaidhecameoufromhekichenhecuoffbarrelsofheshogunmadeaslighbulgeunderhewaisofhisooighfiingovercoahesraighenedhiscoawihhisglovedhands

“solong,brighboy,”hesaidogeorge“yougoaloofluck”

“ha’sheruh,”maxsaid“yououghopyheraces,brighboy”

hewoofhemwenouhedoorgeorgewachedhem,hroughhewindow,passunderhearclighandcrosshesreeinheirighovercoasandderbyhasheylookedlikeavaudevilleeamgeorgewenbackhroughheswingingdoorinohekichenanduniednickandhecook

“idon’wananymoreofha,”saidsam,hecook“idon’wananymoreofha”

nicksooduphehadneverhadaowelinhismouhbefore

“say,”hesaid“whahehell？”hewasryingoswaggerioff

“heyweregoingokilloleandreson,”georgesaid“heyweregoingoshoohimwhenhecameinoea”

“oleandreson？”

“sure”

hecookfelhecornersofhismouhwihhishumbs

“heyallgone？”heasked

“yeah,”saidgeorge“hey’regonenow”

“idon’likei,”saidhecook“idon’likeanyofiaall”

“lisen,”georgesaidonick“youbeergoseeoleandreson”

“allrigh”

“youbeernohaveanyhingodowihiaall,”sam,hecook,said“youbeersaywayouofi”

“don’goifyoudon’wano,”georgesaid

“mixingupinhisain’goingogeyouanywhere,”hecooksaid“yousayouofi”

“i’llgoseehim,”nicksaidogeorge“wheredoeshelive？”

hecookurnedaway

“lileboysalwaysknowwhaheywanodo,”hesaid