My thanks to Bad News Billy, who purchased Ed McMahon's favorite dictionary -- Funk and Wagnalls, to author Bill Brown, who bought Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie; and to the security guard of Chase bank, who bought Pecking Order, a novel by Omar Tyree, an Afro-American. And special thanks to whomever purchased the Kindle version of Killing this past week. 17 Kindle copies of Brown's book on Lou Reed have sold. I am green with envy.
Here's an excerpt from Home, a short story from the A Hitch in Twilight collection. It shouldn't take more than few minutes to read. I had some help with the Spanish from Ben & Janet:
Joey Gonzalez was nodding off, dreaming of being minded as a toddler by his great grandfather, Jose, now deceased. He dreamed of how that gentle soul fed him slices of apple carved with a pocket knife.
Someone kicked at his boot.
"Hey, Gonzo -- wake up you silly Mexican."
His brown eyes opened and found Murphy, seated across from him in the transport vehicle, smiling.
“How the hell can you sleep in this bumpy-ass noise box?”
Gonzo smirked. "It's so hot."
"Hot? You wouldn't last two days in Texas."
"You wouldn't last two minutes in the Heights, blanquito."
"I do believe he'd sleep through a roadside bomb," said Johnson, who was to Murphy's right.
"Only if your sister was next to me."
There were howls and the kicking of feet from all the others, unshaven young men whose faces were stained with dirt and dust.
"He talks big for a wetback squirt."
"Out here size don't matter, as I prove to you sorry-ass jokers every day. None of you can hang with me.”
“All that runnin’ from the border patrol paid off,” said Johnson.
Gonzo broke into mock laughter, to the delight of the others. “Not even a negrito like you or a football star like Murphy can keep up with me – fuhgeddabout the rest of you gringos.”
"I wasn't a star," said Murphy, embarrassed.
"No surprise to me."
"Every outfit needs a mascot," said Johnson. "You’re ours, Gonzo. I'll have my mama send us a leash."
"I got your leash right here, moreno."
Again laughter filled the vehicle. Gonzo kicked at Murphy.
"How many times I tell you -- I'm Dominican, not Mexican."
"You're right -- I give you too much credit."
"Woh!" came the collective, joyous cry.
"Is that 'Dumb-inican'?" said Johnson.
"Go fry some watermelon."
Back and forth it went until the vehicle came to a halt and the young men snapped alert.
"Let's kick some Qaeda ass," said Johnson.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
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