Page 83
By Jack Joseph Smith
seemed to be running a halfway house without pay.
Only two men in the house had any sense of order.
One was Uncle Hambone the dealer; who was a friend
of Colonel's; but an absolute loner. Recently an
arguement over a bill owed the Uncle had turned
into a knife fight. The Uncle had been correct,
and the debtor with the knife had been subdued by
a visitor and the Colonel. The assailant had been
beaten down by the visitor, and talked to by the
Colonel. But still the law had come on account of
the disturbance.
The other man was Prankster; who lived below
the house in a wood framed basement. His room was
spare;
obviously a dope den, but for the amount of money
he had the enviorment had an appealing Asian qual-
ity. Colonel liked Prankster, but he was an addict
appearing at a state of mind near madness. Things
were getting tight, and Prankster was also a thief,
Colonel showered, dressed in what were simply
fresh work clothes, and went walking from the house
toward the beach. Dogs ran in small packs, children
also; and the electronic music was loud.
Animal had finished his run. He was standing at
the center of the beach looking at the gymnasts. He
agreed with their movements; and thought they should