a year and it could be the time has come. I'll do 'er. One thing though—you got anything to eat, maybe some pork and beans? I like those canned pork and beans...."

"Got some canned chili. I'll get you some, but don't touch that machine."

So he eats some chili out of the can with a spoon, cold, really relishing it, his yellow teeth chewing with his mouth open. He seems to have some trouble swallowing, and drinks a lot of my jugged water to get it down. When he's done he asks, "You got a truck I see to tote this here modern trailer. I expect there's a battery in that truck? One of those big car batteries?"

"Sure. Why?" Is he thinking of stealing my truck battery? Maybe he'sBut I couldn't connect none of it. Seemed like it all happened to someone else. And when Doc Vic saw I couldn't remember much, he said he'd take care of me. "In essence," said he, "I am your father."

Now that made me feel good. I couldn't remember much of my past but there was something in me longing for a father. I guess it had always been there. So I went right along with that.

And I served that man for more than twenty-five years. That's right. For twenty-five years I never ventured far in daytime. Only at night.

One hot day, a diamondback twice as long as your arm came into the mine and reared up, hissing and rattling. That thunderbolt the doc put in me came flashing up