false 3 0 false false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Aug 13 04:48:37 -0700 2007 Wed Sep 05 10:41:29 -0700 2007
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"We had at best an hour of daylight. We left town and after a few miles pulled off at some sort of forest preserve. We drove down a winding road, then over a set of train tracks, and immediately hit a three-pronged fork in the road. Hand stopped the car.

'This is as good as anyplace.'

I agreed.

We got out and surveyed. I found a crooked tree about fifty feet from the base of the fork. Behind it there was already a kind of hole-home for chipmunks or snakes. It would do. I took a roll of bills from my left sock. With his feet Hand started guaging the distance from the fork to the tree, heel to toe, slowly, as if measuring a room. He was counting, concentrating, so I got a funny idea. Something funny I would say.

'Four six twelve ten one two six-'

That was good.

'Stop it, fucker.'

'Nine eighty twelve four.'

So good.

'Did that work?'

'Yeah, stupid.'

'Whoa.'

'What?'

'Whoa did I just pull some psy ops on you!'" (284/285)
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