An A-bomb test was scheduled in Nevada. The newspapers predicted some dazzling fireworks. Other bungalow dwellers were up on their roofs. There’s Bob Mitchum and a young quail smoking a reefer, there’s Marilyn Monroe and Lee Strasberg, there’s Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini. Everybody looks fuck-struck and happy. Everybody’s got a jug for the toast. Everybody laffed and waved hello. Mitchum brought a portable radio for the countdown. He turned it on. I heard static and “ … 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.” The world went WHOOSH. The ground shook. The sky lit up mauve and pink. We all raised our
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