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Days which Bear and I had a funeral were blessed; the work required enough concentration to be distracting The as a good reason to crawl out of bed Other days when nothing was on tap, I beganafter sundown Those glooht ht in its boso me fro, Fernwood faded in dying gray Welco the darkness, I shuffled past the ashen to under the trees between the cemetery and ton"

Shannie was nowhere to be found I closed e to sprint for the safety of my bedroom With Shannie-like determination, I kept a normal stride

"Up here," Shannie's voice called after lanced up Shannie sat in a tree "Coton," Shannie repeated from the branches where I used to spy funerals

"You scared the shit out of noring ain!"

"Yes this again There's going to be a parade in DC Count's unit is ood chance to talk to some people, find out what happened"

"I told you I don't care"

"I think your full of shit," Shannie's eyes glowed like eht "You walk around like a zo to find out and won't adoing to ask you once ton with aze I kicked at the ground

"You co or not?" she implored

"Why should I?" I o or not?"

"NO!" I answered

"Suite yourself," Shannie swung off the tree "I'll ask Beetle She'll go"

"Fuck her!" I protested "I'll go!"

The sun reflected off the Poto the Arlington Me for the distant Fourteenth Street Bridge Overhead, the chopping sound of a helicopter washed down upon the crowd Around us, people looked skyward Taking advantage of the crowd's preoccupation, Shannie led us to the parade's disassembly area It was here that Shannie choose to lie in aht ade, 101st airborne