bench on Lower Sproul Plaza and he felt a momentary thrill at being hailed by an unknown female. With the cropped hair, she looked tomboyish, which he liked. In profile tonight, with her dreadlocks pulled back, he saw that again, the slight nose, theprominent forehead, and the smile, always a smile like she knew you. Over the sound of the breakers at César Chávez Park, sheâd once admitted that her family wasnât close; that her father expressed a greater affinity for moths and fruit liqueurs and her mother a keen interest in civil rights. She dubbed them emotionally abusive. Taking it to mean that she wasnât as spoiled as she would have preferred, Daron had laughed so hard he hadnât even seen her walk off, vanish into the grassy hill, footsteps light as a squirrel. But as she shared more about her parents, he wasnât so sure, and now prided himself on the fact that in his family, no one had ever been interested in anything other than someone elseâs business. Candice remained between Roy and Chester for several minutes, showing them photos, or who knew what else, on her phone. With Aunt Chester gasping in amazement and Uncle Roy squinting with disbelief and Candice grinning proudly, they looked like a family. Daron took a picture. He had anticipated protecting his friends, running interference, but everything was going smoothly. Even Quint and Louis were still getting along. They stood at the table, deep in conversation, eating directly off the serving dishes, Louis gnawing a rib and Quint a piece of chicken, both ignoring Daron when he walked up.
Louisâs fingers and face oozed, gooey as those of a zombie at a fresh coffin trough. He sucked the knuckle of one hand so hard it looked like he might take the skin off. This is the shit! Someone put their foot in the sauce.
Oh. Is that aâChineseâsaying, too? asked Quint.
Simple math. Everything Chinese saying, if you add accent and subtract words. You put foot in sauce!
Quint guffawed, spraying flecks of chicken across the table. Daron made a mental note of the dishes seasoned thusly.
You oughta be a comedian. Chinese people are funny and all, but you got some jokes.
Louis beamed like heâd found a buttered Olsen twin in his bed.Quint kept talking, all the while pouring a shot from a bottle of Jack, which he handed to Louis while taking an impressive draw himself, enough to bob his apple a few times. Louis continued bobbleheading. About ten minutes later Quint called for everyoneâs attention.
Hey, hey! he yelled, tapping a fork against a beer bottle. Before they all could hush up, Quint escalated to bottle-on-bottle action, head-butting two fallen soldiers, which he did until one broke, at which point everyone fell silent and looked at Janice, who stood in the kitchen doorway, one hand holding open the screen door, the red spatula at her side.
What the heck are you doing, Quintillion Lee Jackson?
Iâm gettinâ yâallses attention. The stony grit in his voice ground down a measure, he continued, I see youâre armed, so I sure ainât aiming to get on your short side, Aunty J. They all laughed. No, maâam, not when you standing there looking knotted like Sheriff when he come âround to see me the odd Friday. Used to be he came only after something went wrong. Now he rolls by every couple weeks, asks me if I got anything to confess. I always say, No. Quint winked. But yâall knows I always do. More laughter. Iâm just the opener. Just the opener, not the beer, so sit back. Weâre fixing to have a show. Itâs the first performance in the South of the famous California comic Lenny Bruce Lee! Clap, yâall! Letâs hear it. Make him welcome, dammit.
Quint set a white plastic chair in front of the food table. Louis sat down and Quint grabbed his arm. After a moment of drunken pantomime, Louis understood and stood on the chair, at which point Daronâs family applauded as
Louisâs fingers and face oozed, gooey as those of a zombie at a fresh coffin trough. He sucked the knuckle of one hand so hard it looked like he might take the skin off. This is the shit! Someone put their foot in the sauce.
Oh. Is that aâChineseâsaying, too? asked Quint.
Simple math. Everything Chinese saying, if you add accent and subtract words. You put foot in sauce!
Quint guffawed, spraying flecks of chicken across the table. Daron made a mental note of the dishes seasoned thusly.
You oughta be a comedian. Chinese people are funny and all, but you got some jokes.
Louis beamed like heâd found a buttered Olsen twin in his bed.Quint kept talking, all the while pouring a shot from a bottle of Jack, which he handed to Louis while taking an impressive draw himself, enough to bob his apple a few times. Louis continued bobbleheading. About ten minutes later Quint called for everyoneâs attention.
Hey, hey! he yelled, tapping a fork against a beer bottle. Before they all could hush up, Quint escalated to bottle-on-bottle action, head-butting two fallen soldiers, which he did until one broke, at which point everyone fell silent and looked at Janice, who stood in the kitchen doorway, one hand holding open the screen door, the red spatula at her side.
What the heck are you doing, Quintillion Lee Jackson?
Iâm gettinâ yâallses attention. The stony grit in his voice ground down a measure, he continued, I see youâre armed, so I sure ainât aiming to get on your short side, Aunty J. They all laughed. No, maâam, not when you standing there looking knotted like Sheriff when he come âround to see me the odd Friday. Used to be he came only after something went wrong. Now he rolls by every couple weeks, asks me if I got anything to confess. I always say, No. Quint winked. But yâall knows I always do. More laughter. Iâm just the opener. Just the opener, not the beer, so sit back. Weâre fixing to have a show. Itâs the first performance in the South of the famous California comic Lenny Bruce Lee! Clap, yâall! Letâs hear it. Make him welcome, dammit.
Quint set a white plastic chair in front of the food table. Louis sat down and Quint grabbed his arm. After a moment of drunken pantomime, Louis understood and stood on the chair, at which point Daronâs family applauded as
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