by Peter Gent
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following for permission to reprint previously published material:
ABKCO Music, Inc.: Excerpt from the lyrics to “Dead Flowers” by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Copyright © 1971 by ABKCO Music, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.
Frank Music Corp.: Excerpt from “Glad to See You’ve Got Religion.” Music and lyrics by Loudon Wainwright III. Copyright © 1970 by Frank Music Corp. International copyright secured. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Ice Nine Publishing Co., Inc.: Excerpt from the lyrics to “Truckin” by The Grateful Dead. Copyright © 1971 by Ice Nine Publishing Co. Words by Robert Hunter.
Lady Jane Music: Excerpt from “When the Morning Comes” by Hoyt Axton. Permission granted by Lady Jane Music, words and music by Hoyt Axton, copyright © 1973.
copyright © 1983 by Peter Gent
cover design by Milan Bozic
978-1-4532-2455-7
This edition published in 2011 by Open Road Integrated Media
180 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014
www.openroadmedia.com
Table of Contents
PART ONE
THE PENTHOUSE
THE HEAT
THE MAKING OF THE TEN-CENT DOLLAR
THE LEAD SINGER
THE HEISMAN
THE CORN PICKER
THE RENT
THE CARHOP
BUFFY
THE WEDDING PARTY
THE COBIANCO BROTHERS
THE TEN TOP ONIONS
THE DEAL
WATER CARNIVAL
THE ASSISTANT PR MAN
ESCAPE FROM REHEARSAL
RED KILROY
DOC WEBSTER’S RANCH
JUNIE INTERRUPTS INVENTORY
PRACTICE
SCORPIONS
SECURITY
PANTHER HOLE
THE WATER CARNIVAL BURGLAR
CYRUS MEETS THE CORN PICKER
PLAYING WITH PAIN
THE DEMOCRATIC SPIRIT
THE SIGNING
CALLING THE PLAYS
CAMP
THE OFF NIGHT
TYPICAL AMERICAN BOYS
KIMBALL ADAMS’S DRINKING PLACE
THE CRYSTAL PALACE
TRYING OUT
INVESTICO AND OTHER DIRT
THE STING
SCRIMMAGE
POST-SCRIMMAGE WITH LAMAR JEAN LUKAS
COMMIE STEROIDS
THE RIOTS
CABIN FEVER
SON OF THE SOFTWARE
THE BOTTLE-CAP WAR
PLAYING IN THE DARK
THE REGULAR SEASON
THE CUT
FREE LUNCH
THE CHARTERS
WINS AND LOSSES
PRAYERS
THE COMMUNICATION ARTS
MOUSE FOOD
THE WRONG NUMBER
THE AQUARIAN
THE MAN FROM NEW ORLEANS
DICK’S DOME: THE TEN-CENT DOLLAR REVISITED
MIND GAMES
SNAKE-TRAINING
RED’S PLAN
THE LAST OF LUTHER CONLY
HORSESHOES AND HAND GRENADES
DICK AND RED BUILD THE FRANCHISE
THE PLAYOFF BOWL
RAIN
RANDALL AT THE POOL
THE SAME OLD COCKROACH
THE FAN
THE BAD WHEEL
THE STANDARD PLAYER’S CONTRACT
A BRAND-NEW CLOWN
THE BOSS
THE REHABILITATION
THE EXXON CONNECTION
SECURITY CONSCIOUSNESS
THE MAJOR
FREE LUNCH
SIMON ON FILM
THE LOS ANGELES SPC
QUALITY TIME
VCO PULLS THE PLUG
HEADING TO QUINTANA ROO
DIXIE FRIED
LITTLE TAYLOR
THE ZEUGLODON
GINNY AND THE BOYS
TERRY AND THE NETWORK GUYS
ONE MORE OVER THE MIDDLE
A FULL FIVE HUNDRED FEET
MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH ...
THE EMPEROR OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
KIMBALL AWASH
THE MOMMA , CORPUS CHRISTI
CONVINCING LEM
DIVING FOR PESOS
PART TWO
MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY
THE TRUTH
CHOOSING UP SIDES
LOUIE THE HOOK
A MISSTEP IN DEAD MAN
MEN ON THE MOON
JUNKIES AND PREACHERS
GOOD GUYS AND BAD GUYS
THE LONG-GONE GAGGLE
KILLING SNAKES
BATTLING MONSTERS
THE ABYSS
A SMALL REVENGE
HARLAN COUNTY
THE UNION
VISITORS
THE PISTOLETTES
THE CADILLAC RANCH
PART THREE
ARRANGING THE EAGLE SHIT
BABY JESUS MEETS THE COLT COMMANDER
SIMON/BUFFY
MENTAL TOUGHNESS
THE LAST OF CYRUS/THE FIRST OF THE IRS
SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS
LAME DUCKS IN THE LINCOLN BEDROOM
LAME DUCKS INSIDE/OUTSIDE THE WHITE LINES
SIMON HITS THE WALL
SIMON’S BODY FAT GOES PUBLIC
NOTCHING EARS
TAKING SCALPS
THE LOUISVILLE SLUGGER
SKINNING LAMAR JEAN
SECRETS FROM THE HIT MAN
THE END IS NOT IN SIGHT
IMPOSTER
LAMAR’S SUPER BOWL TICKET FROM TINY
MAYBE THINGS’LL GET A LITTLE BETTER
UP IN THE OZONE
INSIDERS
THERE’S A MUDDY ROAD AHEAD
INFILTRATION
BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL
A GOOD SONG TO DANCE TO
ON THE ROAD AGAIN, SORT OF
THE HALF STEP
EVENING OUT THE ODDS
FREE MOVIES
ALMOST ABOUT THE SAME
THE TAILGATE PARTY
THE LAST ZEUGLODON
HOME TO DEADMAN
THE OUTHOUSE
SAWING WOOD
THE LOOSE END
BR’ER RABBIT HITS ONE DOLLAR A SOP
THE SHOOTERS FROM SWAMP CITY
THE FILE
BACK AT THE CROSSROADS
EPILOGUE