Sonny Liston Was a Friend of Mine: Stories

By Thom Jones

Twelve tales that teeter among depraved humor and stinging pathos encompassdilapidated correct arenas, country psychological hospitals, and chaotic emergency roomswhere the population are brilliantly etched characters.

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We by no means see him, and now he is available in like this simply to blow their own horns, bossing each person round. ” “Look! men! ” Maria acknowledged. “You can see the river. you'll find the town lighting fixtures. vehicles going by means of. Cool! ” Cousin Eustace moved subsequent to Maria and took within the view. He acknowledged, “Cars cross by way of the window. ” “The night is the precise time to wash a window, any window,” Dr. Bangladesh acknowledged. “The sun’s glare will idiot you. The evening is the appropriate time! Heh-heh. ” Dr. Bangladesh polished a piece of the glass after which passed Cousin Eustace a towel. “Wipe down the mesh with this rainy one. I don’t imagine those home windows were wiped clean in fifty years. ” “I are looking to do one other one,” Maria acknowledged. “At final we will be able to see. ” Dr. Bangladesh unlocked the twine mesh guards at the subsequent set of home windows, and Maria instantly started working. a couple of sufferers acquired up from their tables and came visiting to appear out the window. “Whoa! ” chicken Pierce acknowledged. “There’s ice-cycles on them timber. Staglatites! ” “Stalactites,” Charles White acknowledged. “Those are stalactites! ” “There are such a lot of of them,” Pierce stated. At this, all people received up and went to the home windows. “Don’t simply stand there gawking, all you lazybones,” Dr. Bangladesh acknowledged. “Pick up a towel and get to paintings. I’ll open the remainder of the monitors. ” “This is great,” Maria stated. “It’s fun,” Cousin Eustace stated. “I love it. Goddammit! examine that! A capturing superstar! all through the bushes. ” “I observed it,” Maria acknowledged. “Where? ” chicken Pierce stated. “God! glance! There is going one other one! ” Maria stated. “Shit, yes,” rooster acknowledged. “It lasted too. ” Dr. Bangladesh stated, “It used to be no hallucination. ” He passed Maria one other towel. “Who did your hair, lady? You glance, like, nice. ” “She seems terrific,” Charlie stated. “I’ve been saving that each one alongside. ” Mrs. Gordon got rid of her blazer and draped it at the again of her chair. “What are you doing? ” Freddy acknowledged. “I’m going to pitch in too,” she stated. Freddy stated, “Wait until eventually the next day to come: the three-day pot hangover. ” Mrs. Gordon stated, “It’s like Tom Sawyer whitewashing a fence. That factor. It’s infectious. ” “Little Oscar isn’t doing diddle,” Charles stated. “All he’s doing is simply handing out towels. ” “Charlie! ” Stephens acknowledged. “Quit your fucking goddamn bitching for all time! ” Mrs. Gordon started to fresh the windowsills. “I want I had home windows like this,” she stated. “They need to be worthy a fortune. ” “I’d jump,” Charlie stated. “But it’s now not excessive sufficient for suicide. ” “Make a word, Stephens,” Dr. Bangladesh acknowledged. “Mr. White has been tonguing his meds. That’s why he’s so grumpy. Heh-heh. Come on, get with it, Charlie. we're all having a great time over right here. It’s extremely simple, you recognize. people must have function, we'd like that means. it usually comes right down to simply precisely that. ” Charlie laughed. “You’re the guy who acknowledged all of it involves not anything, that you simply went via hell at the present time. ” “That was once earlier than I ate. All my issues are long gone. i think nice. Ah-ho-yeah! It’s a gorgeous evening. The home windows are fresh. We’ve obtained a transparent view. The majestic oaks and maples are lined with a great quantity of real ice-crystal stalactites.

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