47 6 3
|
Jump seems weightless, defying gravity like Peter Pan, one knee raised slightly, the toes of his crimson Nikes pointed straight down like a ballet dancer's a yard or better above the floor.
|
39 6 4
|
Blow nodded, murmured “Bummer”. The three shifted to other topics, but nothing they came up with, no matter how cheery, managed to dispel the elephant that had lumbered into their presence.
|
46 7 4
|
Oh, shit, Blow thought, here it comes. Dammit.
|
32 3 2
|
“Joey, what the fuck? What's going on down there? You been smoking something?”
|
55 9 5
|
Blow heard a few more snatches of the pugnacious voice. “Not on yer life, sistah” flew over the pews like a cackling crow.
|
42 4 2
|
“You ever heard of stigmata, Joe?” They were in one of the two Starbucks in Leicester. Yolanda was on Easter break. She'd called Blow, upset with something she said Rev. Warfield told her while they planned Jump's memorial service.
|
41 4 2
|
Old Testament versus New...despite carrying the unconsciously delivered indelible marks of the Prince of Peace on his body, instead of choosing martyrdom in the name of his Savior, Jump Jackson opted for Jericho.
|
36 2 1
|
“You think they'll sic their dogs on us now?”
“Why not? If they think we're in the way.”
“You have a gun, Joey?”
|
42 7 4
|
They rolled off the highway to the rear of the field and parked, disembarked, painted the cross with tar, and planted their paradoxical symbol of Christian redemption about 50 yards back from the road.
|
42 4 3
|
“Forthwith, huh? How long is that?”
|
35 4 2
|
“What I'm having trouble understanding...is why the people who wanted this bracelet thing so bad didn't just buy it from Jump. Wouldn't everybody be happy then? Except the guy from Richmond?”
|
44 2 1
|
“Are you ready to have the Devil scared right out of you, Mr...Joe?“
|
44 17 4
|
...he take hol' o' dis niggah's neck wit' one hand, an' den took his head wit' da ot'er han' an' he twist an' twist 'til da niggah's head come off, clean off, wit' a pop.
|
42 5 2
|
“Anyone following you?”
Blow, laughing, glanced in his rearview mirror.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, there is.”
“Oh, shit, Blow.”
|
56 12 6
|
“Awright, gimme my surprise.”
|