her looks. It would have been ridiculous to label her a beauty and, by the same token, preposterous to consider her ugly. I had to laugh. "You look like something fell on you," I said, evading further questioning.

"It did," she said. "The sky. The whole damnit sky fell on me." The "it" was a hiccup. "Miles and miles." Her words seemed swollen in her mouth.

"Miles of what?" I said.

"Just miles. I'nt

that enough? And le 'me tell you right The se words were punctuated at close intervals by a jab with her forefinger on my collarbone.

now, she is too!"

"Who?"

"Was why she left me. And le 'me tell you right now, I won't see her again if she wants to act that way." I ducked the Jab of her jabbering finger.

"What way?" I said.

Under

She began to ory, her he ad slumped on my shoulder. head the insulated layers of drunkness I was aware of a deep sorrow. "Many's the time I..." she stopped, not heeding me. "Watch out you don't get boozled."

"No chance," I said.

"Just watch out you don't" she said, squinting an eye. And I had to duck her finger again. She'd probably noticed the movement this time because it was followed by a bewildered look which turned instantly into a deep throaty laugh; then she pulled me closer to her and swung me around, holding me very close.

"Hey, baby, com'ere!" I heard a dark, hairy voice at the rear of the bar, and felt the blonde stiffen at the command.

"That's Lou," she said, pointing in the wrong direction. "Lou for Louie, " she said. "Makes you think of Louise, don't it? or Lou Ann? I tease him sometimes and call him 'lousy Lou!!!

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