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A. D. Winans |
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BACK THEN intelligence never got much further than downtown Saigon or a short trip to Da Nang most of us were in the States far behind enemy lines doing our best to make the world safe from the commie hordes I remember one time I interviewed a young Marine a victim of the Tet offensive he talked about throwing Cong out of helicopters after interrogations claimed the nightmares left him sleepless kept seeing all those faces in, on between the walls said a buddy of his had sent home drugs concealed inside body bags but no one at the time believed him tiny pieces of flesh hitting him in the face blood between what was left of his chewed off fingernails and fragging a Lieutenant kept haunting him Intelligence said that he couldn't be trusted he was either a basket case or perhaps just wanted out of the military so they gave him a three day pass just to play it safe and set him up with an appointment with a V.A. shrink not surprised when he didn't show up for the appointment a week later they found his body down by the Beach Chalet behind a forgotten old WW 11 bunker the bullet lodged in his head no bigger than the guilt he left behind MISSION STREET BAR the coin disappears the jukebox clicks the record spins moves one notch drops in the direction of the tall blond dressed in black leather motorcycle gear I watch her move in rhythm as she massages the cue stick between her legs putting out a cigarette in the palm of one hand as if to signal: this pussy ain't meant for fucking with as she moves to the back room like a Saturday night cowboy leaving me alone with a half-finished drink and a dick in need of hard conversation STATEMENT I'm going to give up writing for the Littles I want to make it BIG I have moved my belongings to the race track and directed my mail care of the Radio Shack In between the daily double and the pick six you'll find me alone in the stands next to the news vendor with sweaty hands looking for the girl of my dreams spread out across the rail my seed spilled on the grass waiting to haul ass as soon as the Pope grants me absolution after Sunday mass. |