“I only snatched him to get your attention,” I said. “Now that I’ve got it, this is what I want.”“Damn my dame!” Al shouted, hands raised to the ceiling. “I knew it! Not another list!”

“My eyes followed my hand as Travis brought it up to his lips. “I’ve imagined what this would look like on your hand a million times. Now that it’s there….”'“What?” I smiled, watching him stare at my hand with an emotional grin.He looked up at me. “I thought I was going to have to sweat five years before I’d feel like this.”“I wanted it as much as you did. I’ve just got a hell of a poker face,” I smiled, pressing my lips against his.”

“We shook hands and I started away. Just before I reached the hedge I remembered something and turned around. ‘They’re a rotten crowd,’ I shouted across the lawn. ‘You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.’ I’ve always been glad I said that. It was the only compliment I ever gave him, because I disapproved of him from beginning to end.”

“But as I glared up at Hawkins, I realized he was only looking down at me. "You got my attention. Now what are you going to do with it?" He said into the microphone.”

“So, we’ve got a problem,” I said.“What?” Lend yelled.“We’ve got a problem!” I shouted.“No, I heard that. I mean, what’s the problem now?”

“I kicked, shouted an obscene word, got another faceful of goo for my troubles, and did the only thing left available to me. I started to laugh. This was a stupid way to die, all right. But also a god damned funny one.”