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"High-Low Jack," I said

"Right Mood swing Up one minute, down the next"

Well, that was at least slightly interesting Maybe it even ht on the question of who killed him, or why

"He like that as a little kid?"

"How’s that?"

"You knew hiht? Was he like that then, up one minute and down the next?"

"Not that I remember"

"Maybe he was ot good days and bad days, don’t they? Shrinks want to hang a label on everybody"

I was beginning to tire of the conversation The bottouy, and I didn’t see that leading me anywhere Whatever moods the rave

"The world’s a heartless place," I said, and Scooter said he couldn’t agree with h-Low Jack," he said "I don’t knohy I didn’t think of it the first time you asked Seems so obvious now"

"Now that you think what a moody felloas"

"Yeah, that’s a fact One minute he’s cool as a cucumber, next minute he’s hot as a pistol Wow!"

"Wow?"

"Just thinking, man It came to me just like that"

"What did?"

"Expressions, man How you can turn ’em around and have fun with ’em Like you could say cool as a pistol, you know?"

"I guess you could"

"Or hot as a cucu it? ‘That chick is hot as a cucumber’ Ithings around, you know? Or think how everybody always says they searched every little nook and cranny Turn it around--every little cranny and nook Makes just as much sense that way, and yet you never hear it"

"Remarkable"

"You said it, man Why does it always have to be lo and behold? Fro behold and lo! instead Can you dig it?"

"Right," I said

"Right as a whip Smart as rain"

"Uh--"

"Even Jack High-Low Steven"

I was hanging up when the last phrase caht the receiver back to ain," I said

"What?"

"What you just said About Jack"

"Oh, just h-Low Jack and Even Steven, and I switched ’em around"

"Oh, just expressions"

"Right, having to do with Jack and his buddy"

"His buddy"

"Yeah, Steve"

"Steve"

"You’re like an echo, ht there"

"Tell me about Steve," I said