Page 12 - Contrast1977Mayv20n3

get a nutrional~y balanced breakfast~ and when I told

him i missedmi:r;e t1lls morning he said :for me to be sure

to stop home and not:eat any greasy trash food," Willie
spoke for the most part with his mouth full.

"He is a good man, isn't he Willie?" Mrs, Thomas
said. Willie didn't answer. He put the last bite of his
sandwich in his mouth, then got up to leave.

"Have a good day, Wil1ie •.•••I'll see you at dinner,."
called his mother es he walked to the door. Willie didn't
answer either remark and closed the front door on her J.ast
words •

.The sun had risen while Willie was inside end with
it a strong wind had blown up. It was colder than when he
had first gone to work. all. the short walk to his truck
Willie was chilled to the bonesi the wind cut right:
through his clothes. He cLimbed into the truck and took
a shot of Vodka, putting the open bottle between his legs,
While waiting for the Vodka a~d the truck's heater to
warm him, Willie reached under his seat and brought up his
most prized possession. A Ruger, .22 caliber, automatic,
target pistol wrapped in an oil rag. He unwrapped it and
routinely checked to see that it was loaded. He knew it
was and with high velocity, boLow point bullets. "Deadly,"
he liked to tell his friends, "after all what's the uSe
in carrying a pist:ol that can't kill?"

Willie rewrapped the pistol and placed it on the seat
beside him. He pushed the cigar lighter in, took another
pull on the Vodka, capped it and put the bottle back in
his pocket. When the lighter popped out:he lit a joint and
inhaled deeply, holding the smoke in his lungs until he
backed out of the driveway and onto the main road. .'lillie
expelled the smoke noisily, then smoking the joint like a
cigarette, drove to his first pick-up, a. dumpster behind
the Supersavings Supermarket. The trip waS12,t Lorur->« he
was just finiShing the joint as he pu.lled in behind the
row of stores in the shopping center. Stopping about one
hundred feet away from the dumpster, Willie put the truck
in neutral, and prepared to fire and snort the roach. He
was getting a good buzz from the grass and felt a mellow-
ness creeping up from the Vodka.