PIGGS - A Novel with Bonus Screenplay by Neal Barrett Jr Page A

he saw it.   She sat on a stool, sat with her knees real tight.   Holding the saucer on her knees, looking at him now like he'd caught her in his headlights, caught her in the road.
    "You didn't want me comin' up here, you're madder'n hell about that.   You tried being nasty, that didn't work, so you start running off at the mouth.   Now that is a normal behavior, that and pissin' in your pants.   What you're thinking, you're thinking, is he going to make me fuck him or not?   That's what I came for, you know that as well as me, that's why I got you in the car."
    "Well are you?"
    "I was.   That was my intention.   I might not do it now."
    "Why not?   I mean, I'm grateful for your hesitation, I appreciate that."
    "I used to do crazy shit, you know?   Stuff a kid'll do, like you see this mes'can walking, you know you're goin' to run the sucker down.   Haven't got any damn reason, okay?   You just flat gotta run him down.   Another thing is, take something off a fella, something you don't even need.   He's maybe got a dollar, he's got a fuckin' comb.   Burn some bozo's trailer down.   Used to do that all the time.   You don't even know the guy, you burn his trailer down.
    "See that's growing up.   You get to be a adult person, you quit doing shit like that, you start using your head.   You say, Cecil, Cecil Dupree, you got a choice.   You can do what you want, you can do anything you like, can't anyone can stop you doing that.   You can screw this very lovely person all night, you don't even gotta ask.   You get tired of that you can burn her fucking airplane down.
    "You don't want to do that, you can give her a puppy.   Give her a kitty cat.     Give her a trip to Paris, France.   You don't have to do none of the above, you don't have to do anything at all.   You see what I'm saying?   You get to be Cecil Dupree, it's just as big a kick not to do something as it is.   Hey, I never get into personal stuff, I think I'm kinda taken with you."
    "Sometimes it helps to open up and share," Gloria said.   "I can understand that..."
    "Huh-unh.   Don't.   Do not ever mess with me, Gloria.   Do not ever tell me shit you think I want to hear."
    Gloria's heart nearly stopped.   He didn't raise his voice, didn't glare, didn't stare, didn't show her anything at all.   What happened, happened in his face, the thing that was there getting dark and darker still, getting dark as liver, getting close to black.
    Cecil got up.   Put down his cup.
    "Don't tell those cunts at Piggs I was here.   Don't fuck anyone, don't go out of town.   I am declaring my affection for you, Gloria, you understand that?   This is a serious matter to me.   If you got any smarts at all, you'll respect my feelings, okay?   And get some real coffee, grind the beans yourself.   Find a place to live.   Cecil Dupree don't go with some broad, you gotta climb a fucking tree..."

Chapter Thirteen
     
    T he sun flared over the trees, howling in a nuclear rage, incandescent anger in its single flaming eye, simmering and seething, pissed at everyone.   Ate up the night, sucked the morning dry.   Chewed up a dawn in Tennessee, hawked it back up, spit it on southern Arkansas.   Loosed all its fury on Texas, determined to burn the state down this time, starting with Medicine Wells...
     
    C ecil stomped out in the sun, neck burning up, overalls sticking to his knees.   Gut still churning from climbing down the tree.   Hoppers jumped ahead.   Gnats came out and headed for his nose.     Cecil got in the car and said, "Get the hell out of here, Cat."
    "Hey, what happened," Grape said, "you get any, man?"
    "Shut the fuck up," Cecil said.
    Grape was much smarter than Cat, but Grape had been napping and didn't see Cecil stomping through the weeds, wading through the wrecks, didn't know what was going on, got a look at Cecil's face half a second late.   Sat back, shut up, didn't say a word after that.
    The ride back to Piggs was very quiet.