THE CEDARVILLE REVIEW 45 “I’m gonna bust his stupid nose till it just falls off! Just you wait—” That got the bartender’s attention and I guess he didn’t want any trouble cause he started telling the guy to shove off but that just made him madder. You should’ve seen it, Jeffey. I decided to hightail it outta there. It was pretty easy to slip out cause they were so busy yelling and other people started leaving too. I guess they didn’t like the noise any better than me. As I squeezed on outta there, I just glimpsed the bartender jumping over the counter, waving a glass around. I was pretty happy I left right then. It was real cold like metal milk pails, and so dark the passing car headlights just about blinded me. I shoulda been able to see those stars like the ones back home, but all these lights were still on and the streetlamps every which way. The sky was clouded over, with big, dark masses of clouds all pillowed up. I started getting kinda lonely and home was sounding pretty nice. But I wasn’t ready to go back quite yet. I fi gured there was still something out there for me, just waiting round the block. Just had to fi nd it, you know? But there wasn’t anything but a scared little kid wearing a busted up Yankees cap, hiding in this dark alley with lonely doorways. I reckon he looked a bit like I used to after Dad had a bad day at work. He had that same look in his eye, like he just wanted to run away so far no one would ever catch him again. He was sniffl ing so much it was kinda pitiful. I guess he just wasn’t used to it yet. He couldn’t have been more than six or seven. Boy, he was tiny. I crouched down next to him. His big eyes stared at me all scared like he thought it wasn’t over yet.
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