@@@@@ It had actually been as much the sneakers, 644
@@@@@
It had actually been as much the sneakers, but I
nodded and we laughed some more
"If we crack up when I introduce you," he said
(cracking up again, probably at the idea of
cracking up; it goes that way when the fit is on
you), "we're gonna say it's because I broke my
chair, right?"
"Right," I said"What did you mean when you said
she sort of is?"
"You really don't know?"
"No clue
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He pointed at Big Pink, which was looking very
small in the distanceLooking like a long walk
back"Who do you think owns your place, amigo? I
mean, I'm sure you pay a real estate agent, or
Vacation Homes Be Us, but where do you think the
balance of your check finally ends up?"
"I'm going to guess in Miss Eastlake's bank
accountMiss Elizabeth EastlakeGiven the
lady's age - eighty-five - I guess you could call
her Ole Miss He began laughing again, shook his
head, and said: "I have to stopBut in fairness
to myself, it's been a long time since I had
anything to belly-laugh about
He looked at me - armless, all patchy-haired on
one side - and noddedThen for a little while we
just looked out at the GulfI know that people
come to Florida when they're old and sick because
it's warm pretty much year-round, but I think the
Gulf of Mexico has something else going for it
Just looking into that mild flat sunlit calm is
healingIt's a big word, isn't it? Gulf, I mean
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Big enough to drop a lot of things into and watch
them disappear
After awhile Wireman said, "And who do you think
owns the houses between your place and this one?"
He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the white
walls and orange tile"Which, by the way, is
listed on the county plat-maps as Heron's Roost
and I call El Palacio de Asesinos
"Would that also be Miss Eastlake?"
"You're two for two," he said
"Why do you call it Palace of Assassins?"
"Well, it's 'Outlaw Hideout' when I think in
English," Wireman said with an apologetic smile
"Because it looks like the place where the head
bad guy in a Sam Peckinpah Western would hang his
hatAnyway, you've got six rather nice homes
between Heron's Roost and Salmon Point-"
"Which I call Big Pink," I said"When I think in
Englishhow long?"
"I have the place for a year, but I honestly don't
knowI'm not afraid of hot weather - I guess they
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call it the mean season - but there's hurricanes
to consi
