P Y L

“‘let me tell you something,’ says Freddie. ‘something about this country.  anybody can do anything.  but first they gotta try.  and you guys aint. two dont work and one strips naked? i dont consider that trying. you kids make squat. and therefore you live in a dangerous craphole. and what happens in a dangerous craphole? bad tragic shit. its the freaking american way—you start out in a dangerous craphole and work hard so you can someday move up to a somewhat less dangerous craphole.  and finally maybe you get a mansion. but at this rate you aint even gonna make it to the somewhat less dangerous craphole.’

“‘like you live in a mansion,’ says jade.

“‘i do not claim to live in no mansion,’ says freddie. ‘but then again i do not live in no slum. the other thing i also do not do is strip naked.’

“‘thank god for small favors,’ says min.

“‘anyways he’s never actually naked,’ says jade.

“which is true. i always have on at least a t-back.

“‘no wonder we never take these kids out to a nice lunch,’ says freddie.

“‘i do not even consider this a nice lunch,’ says min.”

- g. saunders, ‘sea oak’

life is elsewhere