Page 7 (2/2)
"Of course I went anyway Why wouldn’t I?"
"I just thoughtNo, it’s good that you went Was it fun?"
"You would have liked it, McKenzie Free vodka martinis, shaken, not stirred Strippers, too Very tasteful They danced to songs froer, Dias ran the auction"
"Cheryl Tiegs the fore In fact, I’d say she looked dae You would have liked her You would have liked the purple dress I wore, too But what is it you like to say? Oh, yeah--you snooze, you lose"
"Nina--"
"Anyway, I have a date tonight With theand escort me to the ball--on very short notice, no less"
"I don’t bla to punishyou, McKenzie I’ on"
"Nina"
"Good-bye, McKenzie"
The click of the connection being severed sounded like a cannon going off in h I knew she was gone
"This is not fair," I shouted at the wall
Can you blary? the wall replied
"It’s not my fault"
Whose fault is it?
"Bau Police Departry to sit, so I started stoht about it as I went into the "family room," slipped a Toots Thielemans CD on the machine, and listened to his jazz harht rooht about it as I ate a dish of leftover beef lo ht about it as I paced the e roo room once I buy a table and a few chairs
It occurred to le dinner party in the past two years without inviting Nina
"Dauys"
How?
I knew I couldn’t bring myself to sue them I couldn’t sue cops--I used to be a cop I couldn’t file a complaint with the Justice Department for the same reason Besides, my inner voice reminded ers on two hands and held the to yourself this way, the next thing you know you’ll be collecting cats"
You could call the ACLU
"Nah I support most of what they do, but sometimes I just want to s to yourself"
Here, kitty, kitty
"Arrgggggg!"
I was getting close to slapping myself silly when I decided to sleep it off I showered, shaved, brushed lass door of the convenience store swung open The suspect didn’t see ainst un Put your hands in the air"
The suspect turned towardin his left hand and an S&W 38 in his right
"For God’s sake drop the gun"
The suspect raised his hands
I fired once
I ide-ahen the phone rang
It’s Nina, calling to forgive you
"Nina," I said into the receiver
There was a slight pause, followed by a wonize
"Rush a sales pitch
"Mr McKenzie,Merodie Davies"