Date: Thu, 24 Aug 1995 07:00:45 -0700
Title: Vern's smile

"Hey there, sonny boy, wanna buy a fella a beer?"  Tod asks
Joey, who is sitting alone watching Oscar work on a new tune.
"Naw, thanks anyway.  Too early for me and I don't think Jake
would sell it to me.   He thinks I'm too young to drink."
Joey smiles and shakes his head.

Tod moves down a seat closer to Joey, "So are you too young
to drink?  Ya look old enough to me."  Joey just shakes his head
and smiles again.  Tod pursues, moves next to Joey, "How
long you been around here?  Did ya just stop in or have you
been here before?  You from around here?" Tod's hand touches Joey's
knee.

"I'm sorta a regular at Bikers now.  Been workin' in the kitchen
for Jake. I'm not really sure WHERE I'm from - seems like I might
have been born here or somethin', ya know?" Joey moves his knee.

Tod says too casually,"I just got a place, a couple blocks down
from here, if ya need a place to stay, you could help with
the rent, if you can afford a few bucks a week..."

"He's got a place. Leave the kid alone, dude!" Jake tosses a bar
towel to Joey and points to the pile of metal trays at the end of the
bar. "Anyway, I've never heard of anything wanting to be nidicolous
with vermin..."
*ni.dic.o.lous adj [L nidus nest + E -colous--more at nest] (ca. 1902)
1: reared for a time in a nest 2: sharing the nest of another kind of
animal.

Tod starts to rise, hand reaching in his coat pocket, but from
across the room hears someone, clearing his throat as if seeking
attention.  It's Vern, who mussitates, "I'm smiling, see? You're safe.
It's when I *stop* smilin' that you'd better run!"


have a nice day.
later,
d.



----------------------------------************----------------------------
Dick Ellis, Librarian
San Diego Supercomputer Center
(619)534-5171 (voice)
(619)534-5117 (fax)
dellis@sdsc.edu

        "Go Moan for Mankind..."
            J. Kerouac