-
Angie was dressed in an Elizabeth Ashley pants suit that caused every businessman
traveling through Houston’s Earl Campbell airport to wish he had read the book,
‘The 50 best pick-up lines in America’, a little more carefully.
-
That night Frank followed Danny and Danny’s red headed stranger from the craps table to the street
disguised in a blonde wig and a newly grown black mustache he was beginning to fancy keeping.
When Danny and his female accomplice hooked into a very seedy bar off the main drag Frank
tried very hard to remember the prayer to St Anthony. It wouldn’t come.
“Screw it,” he said under his breath. He entered the bar.
-
Howard lit a cigar and grabbed a bar menu. “They have good bar-b-q sandwiches here.
Hey Coleman, just curious. What would you say?”
Frank signaled for the bartender.
“A gambler will tell you, if the odds look good, do it.
But a dreamer will tell you, no matter what the odds, you do it. While you see a chance, take it.”
-
“Hi, darling,” said Kanois. “We’ve been waiting for you. In that room over there, go get changed.
We’re going to take a steam and figure out your contract.”
Bailey smiled at Warren and winked.
Warren unbuttoned his shirt as he headed for the downstairs bedroom, the sound of KSPORT
following him through the house intercom system.
-
“A serious weapon, don’t you think?” asked Valerie.
Warren stood with the gun in his hand, looking
at the handle and pulling back on the trigger enough to lock it into place. He put the Python on his arm
and spun the cylinder by pushing the gun toward his shoulder. “Yes, it’s very nice, my dad had one like it,
only he kept his loaded with hollow points. I’m curious. Why do you keep it with the liquor?”
“For that
unforeseen circumstance when I can’t talk my way out of whatever I’ve gotten into.
So far, I’ve always been able to get a ‘yes’ to ‘would you mind if I made a drink first?’”
-
Warren limped to the elevator.
Kanois’s baby blue ‘69 Shelby Mustang idled outside
the front door of KSPORT. She had the top down and was wearing a leopard skin bikini
with a white shear cover up. Warren turned and asked
“So, what’s the occasion?"
Kanois gunned the
351 Cleveland motor, turned up ZZ Top’s ‘I heard it on the X’, and headed toward the streets of Houston.
-
Warren finished typing and signed off the computer.
He stood up and followed Bailey,
Bailey looked over her shoulder and said, “Your team is right over there.”
keeping a few feet between them strictly for observation purposes. As they approached a waiting area
Warren looked in the direction she pointed and walked over to meet the group effort.
-
“You’re listening to a Piece of the Afternoon on KSPORT Houston and KSPOT Phoenix. Now Lily Creamer,
KSPORT sports reporter, with her sex appeal rating for the Phoenix Stun Guns. Lily.”
“Warren, the first thing I noticed with my locker cam is the disproportionate number of outies to innies.
I checked with Hans Coller Jr. when you had him on earlier. He claims to have an outie. As you see
if you look over here, I have an innie. That means I’m compatible with 75% of the Stunguns team. Cool.
-
“You’re listening to A Piece of the Afternoon on KSPORT, Houston and KLAID, Los Angeles. OK, Wolf,
Theotis, Jamal, let’s make room for a couple of LA Clampett Cheerleaders!”
“Thank you. I’m Tammy,
and this is Evony.” Wolf reached in his back pocket, pulled out his wallet, removed something,
and handed it to Evony. She said, “How cute! A weapons merit badge from the Boy Scouts.”
Wolf said, “That is for marksmanship with a .44 Magnum, a Winchester Thirty-Thirty, and a Bowie Knife.
Our scoutmaster was a Texas Ranger. We had the coolest troop.”
Tammy eyed Wolf while she slowly
rubbed her index finger back and forth across her lips. “I’m getting hot.”
Warren said, “Albie! Fire hose!”
Albie entered the studio, walked over to Tammy, and poured a full 32 ounce bottle of Evian over her head.
Tammy said, “Now I’m hot and wet!”
Evony laughed and grabbed Tammy with one hand
and Wolf with the other. “Let’s go to a pool party!”
-
Warren smiled and said, “So, I’ll see you at the game?”
Albie shifted her weight. “Yeah. Why do you look
so incredulous?" Warren started to walk away. “You’ve got quite the reputation, my dear Albie Darling.”
Warren reached into his pocket, pulled out a ribbed Sheik condom, and handed it to Albie. He ducked
as a large pad of Post-its narrowly missed his ear and struck the wall. Warren laughed and headed
to the floor to watch Jamal run around with the ZBA Sacramento Queens.
-
Warren heard the sound of running. He dove from his chair, hit the carpet, and rolled
toward the cover of the seating area.
“Babe, nice move!” Louie shouted. Warren sat up on one elbow,
rubbed his arm where the bullet had hit him in L.A., and shouted, “Guys, on your way back bring me
a double lunar latté!”Louie didn’t speak, but threw his thumb in the air. Warren watched as Louie,
Yasmine, Theotis, Mad Wolf, Lily, and Jamal jogged away from him, led by Dave Riddler,
new personal trainer of the Piece of the Afternoon show.
-
Jamal said, “I’m full. I think I’m going to take my bike and go for a ride to Malibu, maybe watch the sun set
and check out the surfers.”
“Alone?” asked Warren.
“There’s a lot of populated real estate between here
and my bike, my brother.”
Warren, Jamal, and Mad Wolf raised their glasses in a toast. “To the kivitzing life!”
-
Albie addressed the Crew. "Lynn has requested permission to shoot video indiscriminately.
She wants everyone to sign waivers, but I told her we’re radio professionals, don’t waive rights to anything,
and she’ll be lucky if one of us doesn’t recycle her camera at some point in the near future.
Did I get the sentiment right?”
-
The phone made a thud as it hit the floor. Albie came on the line after thirty seconds. “What time is it?”
“In keeping with the spirit of brotherly love?”
“Diversity is a good thing.”
“Ok, I’m up. I’ll send Jimmy to tell everyone else.”
Warren disconnected the Nokia phone and began his walk toward the private terminal and Philadelphia.
“I might bring a friend for the trip to Philly”
“Time to get a new lease on a brand new day. Louie is giving us a lift to Philly.
Twenty minutes. The private area, concourse D.”
“He’s part Greek.”
-
The Gulfstream V-SP jetted southward. Albie played a game of Backgammon in the rear lounge with Jamal
and Theotis. Lily and Lynn were getting instructions on weapons care and maintenance from Mad Wolf.
The Riddler was chopping carrots in the galley to the sounds of Gloria Estafan’s greatest hits.
Warren opened his Powerbook.
-
Louie said, “Hi guys. Yasmine and I are doing well. I’ve got high hopes for tonight’s games.
Tell Theotis I made my bets during the times he recommended. Yasmine has a message for Mad Wolf.”
“Hi everyone, Wolf, I had a dream about you last night. Have you ever worn fishnet stockings when you
dress up like a woman and go to that special part of Houston?”
Jamal said, “Dissed!”
Mad Wolf said, “I’m not awake yet, but I think I like that girl a lot more every day.”
