I was tired and wet and hungover, but I was usually that way and I waded through the weariness like I did the water.

I walked down to the liquor store and bought a half a pint of Grandad for my breakfast.

The streets were full of insane & dull people. Most of them lived in nice houses and didn't seem to work, and you wondered how they did it.

I looked at her breasts and the rest of her and I thought, what a shame she's crazy, what a shame, what a shame.

He was neither liked nor disliked. He was just there.

And so there it was. I drove home to Betty and we uncapped the bottle.

OH: "I know what's going on with little butterball in back, walking around in front of you with her tits hanging out..."

I got up, walked to the car and I rented the first place I saw with a sign. I moved in that night. I had just lost 3 women and a dog.

The next thing I knew, I had a young girl from Texas on my lap.

The town had been picked by experts, in a national article, as the last town in the USA any enemy would attack with an atomic bomb.

I could see why.

I called him "Wally." Old whiskey buddies. Like hell.

"I've seen the buffalo," I said. "now let's go catch a drink."

Food is good for the nerves and the spirit. Courage comes from the belly - all else is desperation.

Any damn fool can beg up some kind of job; it takes a wise man to make it without working. Out here we call it 'hustling'.

I checked two ads, went to two places and both of the places hired me. The first place smelled like work, so I took the second.

I wasn't much of a petty thief. I wanted the whole world for nothing.

Meanwhile, there was still Joyce, and her geraniums, and a couple of million if I could hang on.

I put on whatever she laid out for me. Just like mama used to do. I haven't come very far, I thought, and then I'd put the stuff on.