Vagabonds: Anthology of the Mad Ones Vagabonds Vol. 3 | Page 45

course he’s referring to the bleach stained jeans. I’m not saying anything,
either.
We pull up to the harshly lit beacon. The 7-11 is like a shining
oasis at this time of night and all sorts of people are hanging out in front.
Coffee Man, the homeless guy that walks the avenue, is trying to chat up
Stanley Alcazar, who at the moment is holding court with the other kids
from the high school. I heard last week Stanley beat some kid half-to-
death with a chain. Probably not true, but if it is, then maybe Coffee Man
should leave him alone. Fink hops out and bangs on the side of the truck. I
can’t see into the flat bed but a Fred Perry jacket flops onto the pavement
next to me. I toss the jacket over the truck to Fink and he catches it and
clutches it as though it were a football. “Get out, kiddies, rides over,” he
hollers and bangs the truck again. Sean finally pops his head up and grins
at me. Suzie is struggling to yank on her ugly leopard leggings, one of her
booted feet props up near the back window. It’s cold and I suddenly wis h I
was still holding the jacket.
Fink goes inside and I stand there like an asshole for a few
minutes, waiting for Sean and Suzie to get out of the truck. They’re
whispering to each other and I can’t make out what they’re saying. I
probably shouldn’t be trying to listen, but I don’t care. I nod over to
Stanley; I toss a cold quarter at Coffee Man, and I lean against the truck
for a few more minutes, waiting there like an asshole. Finally Suzie comes
and stands next to me. Her skirt is short and suddenly the ugly leopard
leggings aren’t so ugly anymore.
“Are you going to the show on Thursday?”
“Maybe,” I say, and I can’t tell if she’s coming on to me. She
smiles, the light from the 7-11 is glinting off her lip ring.
Just then Fink pushes open the door and comes out into the parking
lot. He tosses me the pack of cigarettes. My middle finger extends itself
before I can even think. Sean is somewhere behind the truck laughing at
nothing.
“Don’t get all pissy just because secratine isn’t a word. It ain’t my
fault you guys don’t have a dictionary.”
43