If you walked a mile in Hangman’s shoes you’d end up a mile back of where you started because brother Hang’s shoes never took one step forward without taking  two back. He rode a Trailways  from San Pedro via El Paso just to get to Vegas. Now here he sits, king down, nine showing and considering his options.  The sun will rise polka dotted in a checker board sky before Hangman draws a deuce. Double or nothing he knows nothing but you can’t call Hang a quitter.

“Hit me.”

I see the guitar that my cousin played in prison, is floating with the tv in the swimming pool. A topless girl is sleeping sunny side down on the picnic table, her hands tucked prayerfully under one sweaty cheek, her face innocent as a three year old sleeping off a big day at the carnival. The girl must have called it a night early because the surface of the table she does not occupy, is covered with bottles and cans. If lifted carefully away, a constellation of her would remain.

Duke…

“Okay  Bruce,  I’d like to try a little free association.”

“What’s that, Doc?”

“Well, I’ll say a word and I want you to say the first thing that comes into your mind.”

“Ok, shoot.”

“Baby.”

“This town rips the bones from your back, it’s a death trap, it’s a suicide rap, we  gotta get out while we’re young.”

If I mentioned the preacher’s wife’s cobbler you would not automatically think of shoes. This theory is untested but I have a good feeling about my hypothesis. If I meet you on an elevator and say, Hi-ya while offering a light wave of my hand you’ll say, Good morning. If I shout, Hi-YAH! with a swift thrust of the same hand, your windpipe will collapse and you’ll make…

Harry B. Sanderford

Tuesday morning Kingpin Roulade looked in his bathroom mirror and decided it was time for a new look. An impulsive man, he began by shaving off his eyebrows. The resulting change in his appearance was significant but not at all what he’d hoped for. No, he missed his eyebrows straight away and he wanted them back. He was not inexperienced in the art of do it yourself barbering, having on the spur of the…