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           "Notevenontelevision?"

           "Wedon’thaveone,yet.Didtheygetmuch?"

           "Thirteenthousand,theysay.Yesterdayjustbeforeclosing.Threefellas.Four-statealarm.Willie’soutonthehighwaynow,bitchinghisheadoff."

           "Hegetsplentyofsleep."

           "Iknow,butIdon’t.Iwasoutallnight."

           "Thinkthey’llcatchthem?"

           "Oh!Iguessso.Ifit’smoneytheyusuallydo.Insurancecompanieskeepnagging.Neverletup."

           "Itwouldbeniceworkiftheydidn’tcatchyou."

           "Surewould,"hesaid.

           "Stoney,Iwishyou’dlookinonDannyTaylor.Helooksawfulsick."

           "Justaquestionoftime,"Stoneysaid."ButI’llgoby.It’sashame.Nicefella.Nicefamily."

           "Itkillsme.Ilikehim."

           "Wellyoucan’tdonothingwithhim.It’sgoingtorain,Eth.Williehatestogetwet."

           Forthefirsttimeinmymemory,Iwentintothealleywithpleasureandopenedthebackdoorwithexcitement.Thecatwasbythedoor,waiting.Ican’trememberamorningwhenthatleanandefficientcathasn’tbeenwaitingtotrytogetinthebackdoorandIhaveneverfailedtothrowastickathimorrunhimoff.Tothebestofmyknowledge,hehasnevergotin.Icallthecat"he"becausehisearsaretornupfromfighting.Arecatsstrangeanimalsordotheysoresembleusthatwefindthemcuriousaswedomonkeys?Perhapssixoreighthundredtimesthatcathastriedtogetinandhehasnevermadeit.

           "You’redueforacruelsurprise,"Itoldthecat.