Date: Fri, 6 Oct 1995 06:08:36 -0700
Title: Tod makes his MOVE

"So, you trying to sell that bike out there or just showing off to the young
boys?" Sis says to Tod who's sitting across the table from her.  As soon as
they saw Tod come through the door, Jane and Shane excused themselves and
disappeared into the "back room" where eight-ball and a hardassed poker game
are played. La Punta has staged some BIG poker games.
It's common for a pot to have a couple 'pinks' for bikes.

"Young boys? Naw, babe, not when yer aroun'. I set up that storm for yer
purrty eyes to watch, baby."  Tod sits back, takes a draw off his beer, and
continues, "I can outride, outrace and out-fight anyone aroun' here. I'm the
man an -- yer the woman, so less go!"
He reaches across the table to touch Sis' arm but stops, as if suddenly
confronted by a physical barrier and pulls back as if barely stung.

"Mentally, you belong INSIDE a lazaretto, d'ya know that Tod?"
*laz.a.ret.to or laz.a.ret also laz.a.rette n, pl -rettos or -rets also
-rettes [It lazzaretto, alter. of Nazaretto, quarantine station in
Venice, fr. Santa Maria di Nazareth, church on the island where it
was located] (1549) 1. usu lazaretto: an institution (as a hospital) for
those with contagious diseases.
 2: a building or a ship used for detention in quarantine.

Sis lowers her head and looks into Todd's eyes, "Keep your hands off me.
You want to touch someone, go somewhere else. In fact, DO that, go somewhere
else!"

"I've been tol' that you're pretty tough, for a babe. I hear tell you took out
three or four guys out one time... that true?  You tough, tough enough ta take
ME out?"  Tod smiles showing broken, stained teeth through stringy face hair.

"Tough enough? Nope, not me. Whatever you've heard's probably wrong."
Sis' voice ranges from audible to mussitation.
*mussitation n.: murmuring, grumbling.

Tod quickly, violently reaches across the table to grab Sis' left wrist.
Tod stands straight up, in amazement, to see her sitting ... at the bar,
two tables away. His hand had very quickly grabbed air-- nothing there but
a
slight ringing in his ears and nausea, like sea-sickness.

"Buy you a drink?" Sis asks the bartender.


'Fried-A' has a nice sound to it.
It's nice that it keeps coming back to us.
Over and over and over and over again.
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