@@@@@ Wireman waved his arm to
indicate the
@@@@@ Wireman waved his arm to
indicate the northern tip of the island, the part
he would later characterize as being as bald as a
stripper's pussy"The land and the houses on it,
from Heron's Roost - the most luxurious - to your
Big Pink, the most adventurousThey bring her an
income she hardly needs, because her father also
left her and her siblings mucho dinero
"How many of her brothers and sisters are still-"
225
"None," Wireman said"The Daughter of the
Godfather is the last He snorted and shook his
head"I have to quit calling her that," he said,
more to himself than to meWhat I really wonder about is why
the rest of the island isn't developedGiven the
never-ending housing and building boom in Florida,
that's seemed insane to me from the first day I
crossed the bridge
"You speak like a man with specialized knowledgeWhat are you in your other life, Edgar?"
"A building contractor
"And those days are behind you now?"
I could have hedged - I didn't know him well
enough to put myself on the line - but I didn'tI'm sure our mutual fit of hysterics had a lot to
do with that"And what are you in this life?"
I sighed and looked away from himOut at the Gulf,
where you could put all your old miseries and
watch them disappear without a trace"Can't tell
yet for sureI've been doing some painting And
waited for him to laugh"You wouldn't be the first painter to
stay at SalmIt has quite an artistic
history There was nothing in the house
to suggest such a thing"Alexander Calder stayed thereAll back before
beach erosion put the place in danger of falling
into the water
"No shucking way!" I cried, then flushed when he
cocked his headFor a moment I felt all the old
frustrated rage rush in, seeming to clog my head
and thro
