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e first thing that greets you in the morning。 He'd known hardship and hopelessness and despair； and by his own bootstraps he'd hauled himself out of all of it。
The experience had； if nothing else； given him a useful perspective。 When life deals you shit； make fertilizer。 If the nukes hit tomorrow； and they survived； he'd raise mutant cows with Gwen and be just as happy。
Gary reached under the block and freed the crankcase bolt； nudging the catch pan under the engine block with his knee。 On the outside the softtail looked bone…stock； but he'd tweaked and cranked it until it was two…hundred and forty horses of flat…out drag bike； street legal but just barely。 It could do a buck and a half without even breaking a sweat； though Gary'd never really cranked it past one…twenty； and not much over ninety since Gwen put the bun in the oven。
Oh well 。。。 ； he thought。 Must be gettin' conservative in my old age。
Little Feat was on the radio。 Let It Roll。 The garage door was open； and bright streamers of light filtered in。 The day had turned Indian summer…warm； and Gary was looking forward to one last ride before the cold： burning down some back roads； heading nowhere and loving every minute of it。
〃Hey； Dad；〃 Gwen said； appearing behind him； a steaming mug already in her hands。 〃Want some coffee？〃
〃Thanks； Mom。〃 Gary stood and turned toward her； accepting the Java and a kiss。
〃Ick； you're all slimy；〃 she said； pulling away。
〃Thought you liked slimy；〃 he said； nuzzling her。
〃Not like that；〃 she said； pushing away and moseying over to the door。 〃Better get cleaned up； babe。 We gotta be at the airport by eleven 。。。 〃
〃Blech！〃 Gary cut in。 He made a sour face and stared at his cup。 〃What's with this coffee？〃
〃I just made it；〃 Gwen said； perplexed。 〃What's wrong？〃
〃It tastes like shit。 That's all。〃 He held out the cup to Gwen； she sniffed it。 There was an ugly； bitter taint。
Gwen shrugged； hurt。 〃I don't know； I got it at a little shop at the Galleria。 It's expensive enough。〃
〃Yeah； well；〃 Gary said。 〃It tastes like they got it from the wrong Valdez。〃 He hoisted the steaming mug sarcastically。 〃Coffee by Exxon； the richest kind of coffee。〃
She didn't laugh。 He sniffed the coffee again。 〃Yech；〃 he said； recoiling。 The milk had curdled into a mottled curlicue shape like a question mark； spinning slowly in the center of the cup。 〃Fuck it；〃 he muttered； pouring the remainder into the waste…oil pan。 Then he held the empty cup up to Gwen。 〃Thanks anyway； babe。〃
She took it and shrugged。 〃Make it yourself next time。〃
〃Shit； babe； I didn't mean nothing by it；〃 he said； but she had already turned away。
〃Better get ready；〃 she called over her shoulder； and shut the door just a little too hard。
Gary winced。 〃I'M SOR…REEE 。。。 ！〃 he wailed。
The thud of cupboard doors slammed in response。 〃Shit；〃 Gary sighed； scooping up a glob of GoJo from the can at the utility sink to wash up。 〃You can't win。〃
Pregnant women go of on the weirdest things； he thought miserably。 Fucking hormones； it seemed like every time he turned around he was stepping on another emotional punji stick。 In the shithouse for insulting her stupid special…occasion fifteen…dollar…a…pound yuppie coffee； for christ sakes。 God I'll be glad when this is over。
In the meantime； there was not much to do but practice his eggshell softshoe and hope nothing else went wrong。
The phone rang。
〃Oh； no；〃 he gasped； eyeing the Cobra cordless on the workbench。 There was only one reason why the phone would ring this early on a Sunday； and it wasn't to wish him a nice day off。 He rinsed his hands； wiped them off on his pants； and finger…bed his hair； giving the caller time to give up。
It was no use。 He picked up on the fourth ring。
〃What is it； Bob 。。。〃 he sighed。
〃How'd you know it was me？〃 Bob Dobberman asked； genuinely incredulous。
〃Experience；〃 Gary said。 〃Cut to the chase； Bob。〃
Bob 〃The Knob〃 Dobberman was Gary's boss； a rotund and genial technogeek； right down to his pocket protector and basementful of ham radios。 He was 'PAL's head engineer； and he did live for his job： Sigma Delta Theta； Society of Broadcast Engineers； the works。 〃We got a little emergency down at the station；〃 he said。 〃Something screwy with the news department's edit deck。 Can you do it？〃
〃Bob；〃 Gary groaned； drawing his name out into two exasperated syllables： Bah…ahb。 〃Jeezus。 I just worked two shifts； back to back； and I've got to pick up Gwen's friend at the airport in less than an hour。
〃What about Brian？〃 Gary offered。 〃He ought to be able to fix a fucking jammed deck。〃
〃Yeah； sure；〃 Bob scoffed。 〃Brian couldn't find his own ass with both hands and a map。〃
〃How 'bout you？〃
〃I would if I could；〃 Bob said。 〃But Penny's sick； and who's gonna take care of the kids？ They can't finish editing without it。 They won't be able to do the news 。。。 〃 He laid it on with a trowel； delivering the last bit with an air of genuine dread。
Gary smiled despite himself； God knows； where would we be without the eleven o'clock news。
〃Alright；〃 he conceded。 〃But that's it！ Fix the deck and I'm gone。 No bullshit。〃
〃You got it！〃 Bob said； relieved。 〃Thanks； Gar； you're a pal。〃
〃Yeah； yeah；〃 Gary groused。 〃You owe me； motherfucker。〃
He clicked off and walked into the kitchen to break the news。 Gwen was quietly banging things around； taking the dishes out of the drying rack； clicking cups and plates with a deliberate intensity。
〃Uh； babe 。。。 〃
〃I heard；〃 she said。 〃Mr。 Dedicated。〃 She swished soapy water in the now…emptied coffee carafe； rinsed and racked it。 She said everything in those two words that he needed to know。 Eggshell City。
〃It's just a jammed deck；〃 he offered apologetically。 〃I'll be back in plenty of time to make it to the airport。〃
〃It's okay；〃 she said； meaning it isn't。 〃I'll get her myself。〃
〃I don't want you driving；〃 he blurted； instantly regretting it。
She grabbed a glass； went swish swish swish。 Meaning I don't care what you want。
Gary took a step toward her； Gwen racked the glass almost hard enough to chip it。 The translation was the aloha of unspoken marriage…speak； and its meaning was crystal…clear。
Touch me； you die。
Gary backed off。 There was nothing else for him to do； or say。 This was one storm front that had to blow off of its own hormonal accord。
〃I'll be back in a flash； darlin'；〃 he said。 〃Promise。〃
Gary grabbed his leather jacket off the peg by the garage door entrance and closed the door quietly behind him。 Gwen was still washing and rinsing； but her shoulders were shaking ever so slightly。 She cried silently； covered it with dishwashing clatter。
Gary refilled the oil and readied the bike； heart aching。 Poor baby； he thought。 Sure gonna be a better world when Spike finally pops。 The homestretch was the hardest； for both of them。
He donned his leather and riding gloves。 His helmet sat on the passenger hump of the seat。 It was a ninja…black road…warrior style fiberglass monstrosity； a precautionary pie…Father's Day gift from Gwen。 It encased his whole head and face； with jus