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"Back in the big city, folks would probably say that Eugene and Dwayne are the products of dysfunctional families But around here we just call them bums"

Nick pushed open the door and stepped into the perpetual gloolasses and let the srease envelop hiht back a lot of uy bought his first condoil Nash, not because Grover's Pharmacy didn't stock the to buy a box from Pete Grover The pharmacist knew everyone's medical history from date of birth and did not hesitate to make his opinion of your sex life clear And he always tried to get naot up the nerve to risk his beady-eyed scrutiny, you faced the very real threat that he would notify your folks or, worse yet, the girl's folks that the purchase had beenup here at the Total Eclipse on the day you were finally old enough to buy a legal beer was another rite of passage for young males in Eclipse Bay By the sa a lot of your beers here at age twenty-five or beyond, it was understood that you were never going to amount to much and that you were probably doomed to live out your life at the bottoene and Dickhead Dwayne were shining examples of the accuracy of that hypothesis They were in their ave his eyes a few seconds to adjust to the shadows The only lights in the Total Eclipse were the narrow spots over the pool tables in the rooister at the bar, and the weak candles in the little red glass holders on the tables The candles were Fred's notion of ambience

The place was nearly e seen at the Total Eclipse at any tih-minded members of the co if you hung out here when there was daylight outside

But the prospect of societal disapproval did not worry guys like Eugene and his buddy, Dwayne

Eugene Woods had been born to bully In high school his size and weight issues had ensured that he went on to becoh Eugene's post-football years had not gone well, however The layer of padding that had stood hiood stead on the field had increased in volume, and his brutish ways had earned him an extremely limited circle of friends Sooner or later his poor work ethic screwed up any job he ed to land

Dwayne was his constant companion Dickhead was not really an accurate descriptor, at least not when applied to Dwayne's features He reminded Nick more of an oversized insect

Dwayne was thin and brittle with spidery legs and arms He looked as if he'd crunch if you stepped on hi that had been hit with a dose of pesticide

Bar stools were uncoene's proportions Nick looked for his quarry in one of the booths

Eugene was there, sitting at a gri er style There was just enough light colass holder to reveal the riene was not going to be easy

Nick went toward the booth He nodded once at Fred when he went past the bar

"Fred"

"How you doin', Nick?" Fred did not look up from the little television set he had positioned behind the bar He atching a long-running soap opera Fred was addicted to the soaps

"Doin' okay, thanks," Nick said

Civilities completed, he ene and Dwayne

"Can I buy you gentle on a dripping cheeseburger, started and looked up with a startled expression Clearly the word gentleht